Decolonization and the Collapse of the New Imperialism

Flashcards about Decolonization and the Collapse of the New Imperialism

What is decolonization?

The transition of non-self-governing powers to independence, leading to the loss of oversea colonies for maritime empires.

Name three reasons for decolonization after the Second World War.

1. Financial weakness of great powers and unprofitability of colonies. 2. International instability from the Cold War. 3. Rise of movements for self-determination.

What was the outcome of negotiated independence in India?

The Partition of India and Pakistan, creating a Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan, which led to violence and conflict.

What was the Non-Aligned Movement?

A path followed by independent India during the Cold War, adopting elements of both capitalist and communist worlds.

What were the key aspects of Indira Gandhi's economic policy?

A move from socialism with nationalization to increased capitalism with deregulation, mirroring trends in western countries.

Who was Sirimavo Bandaranaike and what policies did she adopt in Sri Lanka?

The first female prime minister in the world, she adopted socialist policies by nationalizing industries and led Sri Lanka into the Non-Aligned Movement.

How did decolonization in Southeast Asia intertwine with the Cold War?

Former colonizers like France attempted to reestablish control, leading to wars for independence, such as in Vietnam where Ho Chi Minh turned to the Communist world for support.

What role did the United States play in Indonesia's decolonization?

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency supported the overthrow of Sukarno, who had adopted communist policies, and replaced him with Suharto, a military dictator sympathetic to western interests.

What characterized decolonization in British African colonies?

Policies of negotiated independence without revolutionary wars, as seen in the Gold Coast which became Ghana under Kwame Nkrumah.

How did France's decolonization process in Africa differ from Britain's?

France resisted independence demands through force, as seen in the Algerian War, before agreeing to negotiated independence for West Africa under Charles de Gaulle.

What characterized the newly independent African countries?

Authoritarian dictatorships and civil wars between rival factions, often influenced by the competing interests of the West and the Soviets.

What was the Biafra Secessionist Movement in Nigeria?

The Igbo people of the south attempted to secede from Hausa-dominated Nigeria to form an independent nation state called Biafra, leading to a conflict where external powers took different sides.

What was the cause of the demands of the Québécois of Canada?

Citing their French language and separate cultural traditions, the Québécois demanded to become a separate nation state from Canada.

What led to the renewal of confidence in the Middle East?

Resentment from economic exploitation by the West, betrayal after World War I (promised independence but given League of Nations Mandates), and American interests in oil and support for Israel.

What were the goals of Gamal Abdel Nasser in Egypt?

To assert Arab independence against European powers by nationalizing the Suez Canal and initiating programs for universal healthcare, affordable housing, enhanced women’s rights, free education, and a minimum wage.

What was the significance of the Suez Crisis?

Demonstrated that the era of great power politics had given way to the predominance of the superpowers, as Great Britain and France were forced to back down by the United States.

What was OPEC and what role did it play in international affairs?

The Arab Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, it caused an oil embargo in the 1970s which increased U.S. diplomatic interest in the region.

What led to the Iranian Revolution and the establishment of an Islamic theocracy?

The Shah's unpopular and repressive regime, supported by the U.S., and his White Revolution, which offended the Shi'ite religious authorities.

What were some of the effects of the end of European empires and decolonization?

Increased immigration between former colonies and their former metropoles, such as South Asian immigrants in England, Algerian immigrants in France, and Filipino immigrants in the United States.