Berlin Conference 1884

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes:Scramble and Partition of Africa:Effects of the Berlin Conference

Negative Effects

  • It partitioned/divided Africa among European nations.
  • 90 % of African countries lost their independence to European nations. Liberia and Ethiopia remained free
  • It led to the suffering of Africans as they were abused by colonial masters with many crushed to death after resisting colonialism e.g. in 1880’s-1890’s  France began an aggressive colonization policy in West Africa.
  • They also worked as slaves for long hours
  • It led to the diving of ethnic groups e.g. Makonde in Mozambique and in Tanganyika, Maasai in Kenya
  • The conference left some ambitious powers like Germany dissatisfied and this fueled the first and second world war
  • Africans lost their lands to Europeans
  • A huge number of Africans did from European diseases
  • Africa’s resources were greatly exploited
  • European tradition and values dominated and subdued African cultural values
  • Taxes were introduced on Africans

Positive Effects

  • It led to the abandonment of slave trade
  • It also led to the introduction of legitimate trade
  • It led to the spread of Western civilization and technological advancement to Africa
  • There was infrastructural development in African main cities

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