4. Of the various factors – cultural, economic, political, and technological --- leading to the “scramble for Africa,” which do you think was the most decisive?

It is not easy to choose the most decisive reason for such a complex phenomenon as the

„scramble for Africa”. Probably it was the result of many factors which led together to the

colonisation of Africa. Many of these causes are interrelated.

However, I consider the political causes the most important of all of them. In the second half

of the 19th century the competition between the Great Powers was the major political phenomenon

which led not only to the “scramble for Africa” but also to the First World War. The tension caused

by the discrete changes in the balance of power in Europe (Germany becoming more and more

powerful) was one of the reasons of it. Even the intentions to maintain the balance of power and

peace led to deeds that often worsened the situation and Africa became a scene of competition for

European powers.

Another reason why I believe that the political causes were the most important is that the

decolonisation started after the end of the Second World War. By the time the situation in Europe

totally changed due to the two world wars, the European powers wasn’t interested any more in their

African colonies and the process of decolonisation started. In this period of time the other possible

reasons for the “scramble for Africa” did not suffer so deep changes like the political situation.

However, the economic and military causes cannot be neglected. The industrial revolution

had a major role in the evolution of several European powers and created a situation in which these

developed countries needed raw materials and new markets for selling the products. The progress of

technology led to the development of weapons causing military inequality between Europeans and

Africans. This allowed the rival European powers to take action in Africa.

As a conclusion I could say that the reasons for colonising Africa might have been varied and

interrelated but the main reason was a political one. Without it different forms of imperialism would

have developed but this form of colonisation wouldn’t.