Consequences of Imperialism

Political

• Temporary peace and stability if they submitted to European control

• 50 new African states were formed• Produced well trained and effective civil

servants• Trained professional armies to control the

population and put down armed resistance

• Ended the natural development of modern states in Africa

Economic

• POSITIVE• Europeans built a modern infrastructure

(railroad, roads, telegraph wires)

• Europeans introduced improved farming methods

• Replaced the barter-based economy with a money-based economy

• Introduced modern concepts of banking

• NEGATIVE• The new infrastructure neglected certain areas• When Europeans divided Africa some regions

were left with little opportunity to prosper• Africans were forced to concentrate on cash

crops rather than food• Resulted in great wealth for the Europeans,

who failed to re-invest it back into Africa

Social

• POSITIVE• Growth in population• Experienced urbanization (villages grew into

towns; towns expanded into cities)• Spread of religion and education was

encouraged • You could advance based on merit and

achievement rather than social order or birth

• NEGATIVE• There was a huge gap between the rural and

urban areas in Africa• The status of African women was downgraded• Everything African was condemned