Discuss The Effects Of Colonialism On African American Imperialism

Colonialism affected every part of African society, and its effects continue decades after decolonization. Changes in religion, education, and urbanization began when Europeans first settled in the continent and started to inject their own culture into existing African communities. The institutions set up by colonizers have remained standing since decolonization, both in place of and in addition to the traditional institutions. The consequences of European imperialism are felt in nearly every aspect of life for many people.
The introduction of Christianity with the first missionaries permanently changed African society. Missionaries believed there was a need to put religion back into politics, including European imperialism. They considered
Because of the stress Christians place on reading the bible oneself, missionaries ensured Africans were literate and could fully participate in Christianity (Reid 2012). However, many colonizers unsurprisingly had ulterior motives, including training Africans from a young age to work for colonial officials (Nwauwa 2003), and indoctrinating them against their indigenous cultures, as discussed above. Despite the benefits of literacy, increased education had detrimental effects on communities as well. Educated men and women were less likely to farm and do manual labor. Having fewer farmers often resulted in food shortages, a problem much of the continent still faces today (Nwauwa 2003). In addition to these practical problems, increased education also resulted in the adoption of European values and practices in place of indigenous practices, further degrading traditional cultures. Some scholars have even blamed these acquired European values for the frequent corruption of African leaders, who disregard more traditionally communities just like colonizers once did (Nwauwa
European settlers began forming urban centers and the necessary infrastructure to create an industrial economy from the extraction of raw materials. Quickly, colonialism enlarged the wealth gap between rural and urban communities. Western amenities, like hospitals and electricity, were frequently only available in cities (Nwauwa 2003), encouraging people to abandon their villages and metaphorically move in with their oppressors. Following decolonization, urban centers continued to grow from rural to urban migrations. Colonial cities are frequently unable to support the ever-growing population (Wariboko 2003). While settlers could easily build hospitals and railroads, they could not create a sustainable economy for the people of their new cities, which contributes to the poverty that is so common