Decolonization: Algeria vs. Uganda

Uganda:

Britain, 1894

Non-Settler Colony

Uganda: PSE Status Before Colonization

Buganda Kingdom Between 1100 & 1600

Traditional society Clan-based society Communal land

ownership Some Islamic influence

Uganda: Valued Resources

Cotton Method of Rule

British officials took high posts

Imposed taxes Asserted British law

via local Buganda Chiefs

Uganda: Nationalist Leaders & Groups

Rising nationalism after WWI and WWII Weak attempts at

nationalist political parties Uganda National

Congress, 1952 Uganda People’s

Union, 1958 Uganda’s People’s

Congress, 1959

Uganda: Year of Independence

= 1961 Methods of Gaining

Independence Requests for

independence dragged-on for years

British had puppet gov’ts in Uganda

Britain granted Independence as part of a larger wave of decolonization around 1960

Ugandans elected local leaders, corrupt elections

UGANDA

Uganda: Summary Since Free Idi Amin took rule in Uganda from

1971-1979 Amin was born to a Catholic

who converted to Islam. Amin was abandoned by his

father and raised by his mother. He attended Islamic school and

excelled at reciting the Qur’an. After a few years he left school

and joined the British Colonial army.

Amin served in many campaigns for the British and rose to the highest rank possible for a Black African.

Idi Amin Idi Amin's rule cost an

estimated 300,000 Ugandans' lives.

He forcibly removed the entrepreneurial Indian minority from Uganda, decimating the economy.

Thousands were killed for opposing his rule

His reign was ended after the Uganda-Tanzania War in 1979 in which Tanzanian forces aided by Ugandan exiles invaded Uganda.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV_QgKJFZP0

Overarching Themes• Colonies had to struggle to gain independence• Settler colonies had more complicated

processes of gaining independence because of the Euro. people who settled there – who also wanted to keep their status and power

• Non-settler colonies also had complicated (sometimes violent) independence fights, but many were able to transition power to local rulers as Euro. Influence moved out.

• Most African nations have been dominated by military rulers since independence..

Algeria: Colonizer & Year

France, 1830 Settler Colony

Algeria: PSE Status Before Colonization History of Algeria

Part of Greek & Roman Empires Islam arrived in 8th century

(700s) CE = Umayyad 300 years of Ottoman rule French win control over Algeria

in 1830 Social and Economic Status

Islam dominated society Trade center on Mediterranean Long-time source of piracy Strong agriculture due to Med.

climate Cotton, tobacco, grains, fruits,

vegetables (figs, olive oil, etc.)..

Algeria: Valued Resources

Cash crops = cotton and tobacco Foods = fruits and vegetables

Method of Rule Thousands of French migrated to

Algeria Termed “colons” for “colonizers”

or “settlers” Bought much land as it was

cheap in price for them

French rule was strongest in urban centers French governor held political

power French courts were imposed

over traditional Islamic courts (Sharia Law)

French owned most business and profited greatly from manufacturing, mining, agriculture and trade

Algeria: Government imposed higher

taxes on Muslims than on Europeans

Muslims = 90% of population

Muslims earned 20% of Algeria’s income

Muslims paid 70% of Algeria’s direct taxes

French sought assimilation Mission to civilize the

Muslims Established French

schools with entirely French curriculum (no Arabic)

Only a small number of Algerians fought back

Algeria: Nationalist Leaders & Groups WWI

Many Algerians fought in France Many stayed in France after war Noticed unequal standards of living Inspired by European Enlightenment

WWII Many Algerians fought for France

again

After WWII French fight to re-establish colony

by attacking any protestors In response, a more radical Algerian

independence movements rise Groups

Revolutionary Committee of Unity and Action (CRUA) = main group

Front de Leberation National (FLN) Leaders:

Ahmed Ben Bella, Frantz Fannon

Algeria: Year of

Independence = 1962

Methods of Gaining Independence Guerilla tactics

Hit and run Sniping Bombing of French

police and civilians Café wars

Café Wars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca3M2feqJk8&feature=related

Post-Colonialism

After the revolution, Ahmed Ben Bella was elected as premier in a one-sided election and was recognized by the United States.

Algeria was admitted as the 109th member of the United Nations Ben Bella declared that Algeria would follow a neutral course in

world politics In 1965 Ben Bella's government banned opposition parties,

providing that the only party allowed to overtly function was the FLN.

Algeria remained stable, though in a one-party state, until violent civil war broke out in the 1990s.

Post-Colonialism: Algeria

“For Algerians of many political factions, the legacy of their War of Independence acted to legitimise the unrestricted use of force in achieving a goal deemed to be justified. Once invoked against foreign colonialists, the same principle could be turned with relative ease also against fellow Algerians. The determination of the FLN to overthrow the colonial rule, and the ruthlessness exhibited by both sides in that struggle, were to be mirrored thirty years later by the determination of the FLN government to hold on to power and of the Islamist opposition to overthrow that rule, and the brutal struggle which ensued.”

To learn more: Rent“The Battle of Algiers”

To learn more: Rent“The Last King of Scotland”