DECOLONIZATION OF INDIA AND KENYA

Angélica Guerra

INDIA

Became British colonial possession in 1858.

Non-settler colony. Swadeshi

Movement Partition

INDIA

INDIA BACKGROUND

British and Indians disagreed about home rule

Gandhi attempted to create a free India through a non-violent movement.

Indians wanted political power. Violent occasions such as Jallianwala

Bagh Massacre. British tried to rid Indian meetings.

India was broken up into Hindu/Muslim state.

KENYA

Became British colonial possession in 1895. (Officially a colony in 1920)

Settler colony. Mau Mau (violent

uprising). Gained their

independence in 12 October 1963.

KENYA

KENYA BACKGROUND

British made a railway to Uganda. (Britain was far more interested in it). Objective was to connect Uganda with Indian

Ocean for trade. Mau Mau resistance against British colonial

power. Independence:

Negotiations for independence between British and Kenyan leaders.

Jomo Kenyatta – first prime minister. Video of Mau Mau rebellion

VIOLENT | NON-VIOLENT RESISTANCE

MAU MAU UPRISING SWADESHI MOVEMENT• 1952-1960•Anti-colonial group challenging colonial power.•Violently repressed by British army and anti Mau Mau. •Sometimes set government supporters on fire. Or killed them. •11,000 Africans dead.•Conflict caused a split between the European colonials (in Kenya) and the Home Office. The conflict set stage for Kenyan independence.

• Fought non-violently for independence.•Occasionally riots broke out (where violence took place).• Gandhi fasted in order to maintain people under control. (and no more violence)•Burning of cloth Britain is the main supplier of cloth•They supported Britain in WWI although stopped to during WW2.•Quit India movement

• There was violence in both countries, in a way.• Although India gained its independence “non-violently” it had some

outbreaks of violence. Kenya was very violent.• There were divisions of people.

NATIONALIST EXPLANATION Kenya: Mau Mau rebellion

Jomo Kenyatta India: Swadeshi movements National leaders were who

caused independence. Jawaharlal Nehru,

Mohandas Gandhi, Patel, Azad.

Nationalism began to grow Resistance was more

organized in India. India had various

movements Kenya only had Mau Mau

uprising.

METROPOLITAN EXPLANATION

Wars: WW2, Cold War, helped decolonization. 1960s Years of Africa Britain would have no longer

use for Kenya. After the first elections Jomo Kenyatta won, the

British worked with him to make Kenya one of the most stable countries in Africa .

Britain negotiated with India over independence. They would rather not have a communist India.

Britain still remained as No. 1 trade partner of India

INTERNATIONALIST EXPLANATION

UN intervention with partition of India and Pakistan

The 1960s were the years where most of African colonies gained their independence.

India supported Britain during WW1,but due to not gaining their rights, the did not support them during WW2.

POST COLONIALISM

KENYA INDIA•Gained independence•End of Mau Mau rebellion.•Not technologically advanced at all and were forced to industrialize after the other nations of the world.•Jomo Kenyatta was the first prime minister.

•India was partitioned.•Pakistan and India•Muslims and Hindus•Gandhi assassinated by a Hindu for his efforts to unite Hindus and Muslims•Violence between Hindus and Muslims in the border mainly.•War between India and Pakistan after the death of Gandhi•Nehru first prime minister.

• Strength of decolonization went up after WWII• Suffered splits between populations within the same colony after

decolonizing• Lacked crutial advancements in technology and industry behind other

countries

GAYATRI SPIVAK

“The subaltern has no voice.” Main points of Colonialism.

Colonies usually don’t have a say in the political and economic decisions of its country.

Britain has control over both colonies (India and Kenya)

Indians and Kenyans have no voice. Rebellion arises in both countries Indian has non-violent resistance, while Kenya

has a very violent uprising. Subaltern gains voice, but with different

methods.

BENEDICT ANDERSON

“Imagined Communities” Britain colonized India, where two different

cultures were found. India was divided by religion; Muslim and

Hindu. In Kenya there were tribes, the one with

most population was the Kiyukus The split into groups of people; imagined

communities, not only by religions but also political and other beliefs.

A. G. HOPKINS

“Decolonization must be understood broadly as a process of globalization” Each country to have home rule. Have power over themselves. That is what India and Africans countries

wanted from the British. This way they would participate in political

matters and be able to Globalize.

FANON

“Nationalism is paradoxical to liberation” Basically saying that growing nationalism

would not gain the people actual freedom. Nationalism arises to violence, where

many who want to be free die. Kenya, Mau Mau resistances was very violent

as so was the British reaction to the resistance. India, Nationalizing against the British got

many people killed, (i.e. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre)

ANNALES SCHOOL

“History must be redefined outside of national parameters.” The 1960s were the years of Africa.

Therefore Kenya was not to be an exception to gaining independence.

India gained independence, but new problems arose such as the partition of India, based on religious differences.

WORLD SYSTEM THEORY

Core, Semi-periphery, Periphery Core: Britain Semi-Periphery: India Periphery: Kenya