1. Africa, the Middle East and South Asia in the Era of Independence
Chapter 34
EQ: What struggles and problems existed for nations in these regions in the post-WWII/colonial era?

2. Themes
Deep divisions between ethnic and religious groups remained once the Europeans left these countries
Scathing differences continued to persist in class levels…the departing colonials left the means of capital and wealth with a very small portion of population
ie. people who pledge their loyalty to the outgoing colonial regimes
Social unrest erupted due to corruption amongst the wealthy and appointed leaders…constant civil war or terrorism would be a theme in many nations
Military regimes/dictatorship would constantly form to promote order within these nations

3. Problems with Independence
Successful nationalistic movements usually involved mass mobilization of peasants and urban workers who are participating in political life for the first time ever
The nationalist leaders promise improved lives for all now that Europeans have left…promises go unfulfilled and quarrels break out among political rivals, opposing classes and ethnicities
This instability further hampers the ability of effective democratic government to form in these nations, leading to the creation of authoritarian regimes, mostly run by some military strongman

4. The Population Problem
Intensive population growth proved to be the greatest barrier to economic advancements in these nations
The importation of food crops from New World countries coupled with the infusion of medical advancements, faster transportation helped limit famine (which is a natural population control)…each region sees (and continues to see) the highest influx of natural population growth as a result
Add to this, the colonial governments while in charge limited any kind of local industrial development and limited employment opportunities for the growing populations
Also, the cultural factor of males desiring lots of children existed, particularly in African nations…in many of these nations, since life expectancy was low, the birthing of several children was vital to family extension
In the modern era, birth control is just NOW being introduced into many of these nations and AIDS is impacting birth rates in Africa to some degree

5. Primate/Parasitic Cities
Urban areas become extremely overcrowded and most lacked the ability to properly serve the incoming persons
This growing urban population becomes a volatile factor in the political struggles as leaders are forced to come up with ways to expend resources to support them
These cities (primate) expand with vast slums on their outskirts and many leaders allowed slums to exist understanding they would be the only way to provide housing to incoming populations…leaders provided electrical and low level sanitary assistance to these slums
Cities are now called parasitic cities, defined as urban areas that are heavily dependent on people in immediate rural areas for food resources and supplies…these rural areas are already extremely impoverished!
The impact of these actions by cities on their rural neighbors equals soil depletion through erosion and deforestation…add to this the easy spread of industrial waste pollution into these areas

6. The Role of Women
The constitutions of many of these newly formed nations actually promised women, who played an active role in the independence movements of many nations, legal, educational and occupational equality
Major reality: males still held the power in politics…few women rose to high positions in government (Indira Gandhi, Corazon Aquino and Benazir Bhutto the exceptions)
Continuities continue in the theme of women being treated as second class citizens…most continue to receive inferior education within their home nations…early marriages and the desires of procreation by males in these societies force women into domestic roles
Of course, in some Middle Eastern nations, Islamic religious fundamentalism suppresses women’s rights

7. Stunted Economic Growth
Plans laid by leaders in these nations to industrialize failed miserably
Nations had no industrial base and no capital…most money from taxes was going to leaders salaries, public works and state funded education…many leaders began to realize that global capitalism (neo-colonial economy) was against them and their people
Add to this, after WWII the prices of primary products, those luxury goods that colonials had coveted from these nations for centuries, began to plummet…most nations lose wealth as a result
And again, political elites forge direct alliances with western corporations, whoring their nations resources to the highest bidder, then pocketing the large amount of profits for themselves
Many of these nations have resorted to requesting international aid from western nation, which are considered to be loans from the IMF and World Bank, which are organizations run by richer western governments that demand concessions in return for their “generosity”.

8. Charismatic Populism and One Party Rule Defined
One of the most unsuccessful response to problems in third world nations in the post-independence era has been the development of authoritarian rule under a charismatic leader (neo-fascism)
In Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah represented genuine efforts to reform the social status and economic position of his people after independence of Ghana in 1957
Nkrumah faced massive opposition from political rivals as he turned to the Soviet Union to drive off Western investors…add to this, the prices of Ghana’s primary product cocoa (chocolate bean) fell dramatically
Nkrumah pressed on with his dictatorial ways, refusing to bend…most of his policies failed miserably…he continued to justify his leadership by manipulating symbols from Ghana’s cultural past and by talking about his policies as a unique brand of African socialism (neo-fascism)
As Ghana continued to sink into depression, opposition increased and he was deposed in 1966 and exiled

9. The Rise of Military Dictatorships
Military coups become commonplace in Asian and African nations since the military is considered resistant to ethnic and religious divisions and has shear force and oppression
As long as they remained anti-communist, they gained the backing of western nations…and while in power these military rulers established repressive and corrupt regimes to protect their authority, banning other political parties and revoking rights
When these rulers stumbled in failure, they simply blames and attacked neighboring countries for their problems

10. Nasser and the Middle East
Gamal Abdul Nasser rose to power in Egypt in 1952 as part of something called the Free Officers movement, which was established by young nationalistic army officers in the 1930s
The Free Officers movement was allied with another movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1928…mostly a fundamental Muslim group, they used strikes, riots and assassinations
Nasser and the Muslim movements in Egypt were angered by the presence of wealthy Egyptians who were allied with the British colonialists who STILL had control over the vital Suez Canal after Egypt’s independence was established in 1932
Because of Egypt’s defeat in the Arab-Israeli War of 1948 and the continued lingering presence of Britain in the Suez region, Nasser led a military coup with the Free Officers to assume power

11. Nasser and the Middle East
By 1954, all political parties, including the Muslim Brotherhood, were disbanded and Nasser began to impose broad social and economic reforms (socialist)
Land was redistributed to peasants, education became free through college in Egypt and the government became the nation’s primary employer…state subsidies lowered food prices and Nasser instituted five-year plans similar to those of the USSR
All foreign ownership was restricted and anything owned by a foreigner was seized by the state and nationalized, including the Suez Canal in 1956
Despite his efforts, Nasser’s plans largely failed…population growth (as usual) pained Egypt…capital was lost was Westerners refused interactions and trade with Egypt…most national development projects were fiascos (Aswan Dam)
Nasser attempted to relieve pressures by attacking a neighbor, Israel, in the Six Day War of 1967…Egypt lost control of the Sinai as a result
Nasser died soon after and was replaced by Anwar Sadat, who totally reversed Nasser’s policies and even, after losing the Yom Kippur War in 1973, made peace with Israel…eventually he was assassinated by the Muslim Brotherhood for this action

12. Changes in India
Independence came to India in 1947 largely thanks to the efforts of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru…the problem with independence was the differences between the Muslim minority and Hindu majority…Gandhi was assassinated by Hindu extremists when he took a peaceable position
India was therefore divided territorial, with portions of western and eastern India becoming the nation of Pakistan (later divided again into Pakistan and Bangladesh in 1971)
Indian leaders took a socialist approach to leadership but differed from Egypt in important ways…1) the government remained a civil democracy 2) despite overpopulation problems, India had the advantage of industrial capital and educated people (since the British educated them well)
Nehru, as first prime minister, mixed government and private economic initiatives…foreign investment was encouraged…India adopted the Green Revolution in agriculture
Despite their issues with population, their 50/50 class status (50% wealth, %50 poverty), India is still today the world’s largest democracy

13. Iran Revolts
The fundamental challenges of Ayatollah Khomeini revitalized ideas similar to those of the Mahdist revolt of the late 19th century
Khomeini’s movement emphasized religious purification of the political system, rejoining the Islamic church to leadership in government (Theocracy) while denouncing intervention by foreign powers
Iran, though not formally colonized in the 20th century, was divided amongst British and Russian interests…only the shah (Reza Pahlavi) and the highest ends of Iranian society benefited from these relations…The shah also offended the middle class with his authoritarian rule, foreign favoritism and lack of respect for traditional Islamic practices
When revolution (White Revolution) occurred in 1978, the shah had no support and was forced into exile…the religious right took control, oppressed opposition and enforced strict implementation of the Islamic Sharia…some efforts where slowed when Sadam Hussein (Sunni) began a war with Iran (Shiite) in 1982 for control of oil resources…Iran lost territory in a humiliating peace in 1988

14. Turmoil in South Africa
In 1910 the British loosened their controls over South Africa, allowing the Afrikaaners more power (South Africa remained a protectorate of Great Britain until 1961)
Systematically, the Afrikaaners (Nationalist Party) began to establish apartheid, a legalized system of racial segregation
All aspects of life were controlled by these laws…racial minorities were classified (white, Asian, Cape Colored, African black)…minorities had to carry passports everywhere they went (Pass Laws)
Black Africans were eventually forced into homelands…these lands were the least desirable territory in the nation…many were forced into a form of labor slavery to leave these homelands
All rights were suppressed, a brutal police attacked and harassed any dissidents in the population…many Africans that did protest were either imprisoned, tortured or murdered by the Afrikaaner government
Violent resistance movements of South Africans formed in neighboring states, most were unable to make headway in overthrowing the Nationalist government

15. Turmoil in South Africa
Surprisingly, the western world was oblivious to these events until the late 1970s…Britain, France and the US then starting imposing embargoes on South Africa to force the stop of apartheid…many countries though still traded with South Africa none the less…
Though apartheid existed, there certainly were prominent people who protest against it…most notably Nelson Mandela, who ended up being imprisoned by the Nationalist Party for almost 30 years for his actions
It would not be until the late 1980s, when South Africa was under the rule of the moderate Afrikaaner leader F.W de Klerk…he realized that the South African economy was beginning to crack as more nations began to embargo trade…in 1990, he freed Nelson Mandela from prison
As a result, in 1994, when new elections were held, the African National Congress ran Nelson Mandela for the office of president…he won and began a nation ripe with equal opportunities for all

16. This Week… Tuesday/Wednesday: No Class – SS/Science DSTP
Thursday: Biography of Nelson Mandela
Friday: Timed DBQ
NO CHAPTER TEST, NOTES DUE FRIDAY