Over next the few paragraphs I will highlight and as well explain why colonialism was a long term investment for the colonisers (the west). And a good one I must say. The interests still show; of course any investor will protect their investment.
FYI: the mighty west did try to invest in Asia though colonialism tactics; Unlike Africa that attempt was not that successful.
The days of Jan Van Riebeek.
Colonisation was a trend; trend followed by Europeans mostly. Ok ok they had built their port in Cape Town.
The port was somehow a refreshment port for sailors sailing way wards India. It transformed from being just a port to being the beginning homeland for colonisers.
Still I’m not accusing the then white men era of any intention to colonise South Africa. I’m merely noting happenings along the way to colonisation.
Britain
Of a sudden; the Dutch descendants where moving from the coasts to the mainland. Farmers of note they were. With farming; land is needed. They managed to get land.
Now Britain had authority; heavier authority than the Afrikaners. They decided to abolish slavery. The Afrikaner where not happy as to some extend it was their God given right to be above the native Africans (blacks).
From colonialism; which was an international fetish; we moved to land act, blah blah till Apartheid.
Analyses of Colonialism and Apartheid.
Colonialism was on an international footing; while apartheid was national. Colonialism entails other nations taking over other nations. It maybe just so happen that the west (trendy colonizers) were white and the colonised were black (Africans).
Again I’m not decoding hate by one race to another. Can I say colonialism was inspired by the gaining of wealth? I’m sure no one can argue that.
Apartheid. It’s simple; it distinguished rights by race. So now here; descendants of the west (colonisers); who were on-the-ground drivers of colonialism and subsequent beneficiaries of colonialism; decide that since the country is not necessarily a colony, they are going to colonise now by race not geographic parameters.
It’s given a name now: apartheid. From one grade of oppression (colonialism) to another (apartheid). Eish the natives have always had a raw deal. All this systems gave them the raw end of the stick.
Emphasis: I’m trying to decode the effects of all this systems used; to empower us with finding solutions to problems and challenges facing South African today.
Please turn to the next article (part 2) titled “Explaining the concept de-colonization to spark prosperity for Africa”