Decolonization of India and Kenya

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