Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Colonial Encounters (1750-1914)

The second wave of European Conquests focused on Asia and Africa and several new players such as Germany, Italy, Belgium, US, and Japan became involved.  This wave was not demographically catastphic like the first phase.  It was affected by the Industrial Revolution and in general, Europeans preferred informal control. The establishment of the second wave was based on military forces or on the threat of using them.  Becoming a colony happed in many ways.  India and Indonesia grew from interaction with European trading firms. Decentralized societies without any formal state structure were the most difficult to conquer.  Asia and African societies generated a wide range of responses to the European threat.
Under European rule takover was traumaticfor the colonized peoples. Some groups ooperated willingly with their new masters.  Governments and missionaries promoted European education and governments relied on them more over time.  In the new colonial empires race was a prominent point distinguishing rulers from the ruled. Racism was especially pronounced in areas with a large number of European settlers.  Colonial states imposed deep changes in the daily lives of the people and colonial policies contradicted European core values and practices at home.  The colonies were essentiall dictatorships and in time the visible contradictions in Europe behavior helped undermine the foundations of colonial rule. Colonial rule also had a deep impact on ways of working.  the world economy increasingly demanded Asian and African materials. Asian and African merchants wer squeezed out by Europeans. Many colonial states demaded upaid labor on public projects.  The worst abuses wer in the Congo Free State. the forced labor caused widespread starvation as people couldnt grow their own crops.  Belgium stepped in to save Congo and stop the abuses.  Also many areas resisted the forced cultivation of cash crops.
Economies of Cash Crop Agriculture led to many people happy from the increase of production for world markets.  Considerable profit  was given to small farmer in areas which led to dependence.
Cultural change in the colonial era began with education which created a new identity for many. Education helped many escape from obligations like forced labor and instead to get better jobs. The widespread of Christianity was attractive to many africans but did not spread to India. Race and ethnicity were central to new ways of belonging.   by 1900 some Africans began to define an "African Identity" and were united for the first time by the experience of colonial oppression.  In the 20th century such ideas reached a broader public and for most Africans the most important new sense of belonging was the idea of ethnic identity.