Glossary
Cold War
A geopolitical rivalry between the United States and its allies and the Soviet Union and its satellite states, lasting from the mid-1940s until the early 1990s.
Example:
During the Cold War, both the US and USSR often supported anti-colonial groups, seeing decolonization as an opportunity to expand their own spheres of influence and undermine rivals.
Decolonization
The process by which colonies become independent of the colonizing power, typically involving a transfer of sovereignty and the establishment of new nation-states.
Example:
The period after World War II saw a rapid wave of decolonization across Asia and Africa, as former colonies gained their independence from European rule.
Economic Weakness of Europe
The financial and industrial decline experienced by European powers, particularly after World War II, which made maintaining vast colonial empires unsustainable.
Example:
Britain's severe post-WWII economic weakness of Europe meant it could no longer afford the military and administrative costs of governing its vast Indian Empire, accelerating independence.
Economic hardship
A state of severe financial difficulty, poverty, and lack of resources, often exacerbated in newly independent nations by a reliance on raw material exports and limited industrial development.
Example:
Post-independence, many former colonies faced significant economic hardship due to a lack of infrastructure, limited industrialization, and continued dependence on former colonial markets.
Ethnic and religious conflicts
Violent clashes or tensions between different groups within a nation based on their distinct ethnic identities or religious beliefs, often exacerbated by colonial-era divisions.
Example:
The partition of India led to widespread ethnic and religious conflicts between Hindus and Muslims, resulting in mass migrations and devastating violence.
Imperialism
A policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means, often driven by economic, political, or ideological motives.
Example:
European imperialism in the 19th century led to the vast expansion of empires, with powers like Britain and France controlling territories across the globe for resources and prestige.
International Pressure
The influence exerted by global organizations, other nations, or international public opinion that advocated for the end of colonial rule and promoted self-determination.
Example:
The newly formed United Nations exerted significant international pressure on colonial powers to grant independence to their territories, reflecting a global shift in attitudes.
Legacy of colonial rule
The lasting effects and enduring structures, both positive and negative, left behind by colonial powers in their former territories, influencing political systems, economies, and social divisions.
Example:
The arbitrary borders drawn by European powers during the Scramble for Africa created a problematic legacy of colonial rule that contributed to post-independence conflicts.
Nationalist movements
Organized efforts by a group of people sharing a common identity, culture, or language to achieve political independence or autonomy for their territory.
Example:
The Indian National Congress was a powerful nationalist movement that ultimately led India to independence from British rule through both peaceful and resistant means.
Political instability
A state of frequent and unpredictable changes in government, leadership, or political systems, often characterized by coups, civil unrest, or weak institutions.
Example:
Following independence, many African nations experienced severe political instability as new governments struggled to establish authority and manage diverse ethnic groups.
Rise of Nationalism
The growing sense of shared identity and desire for self-rule among indigenous populations in colonized territories, leading to organized resistance against colonial powers.
Example:
The rise of nationalism in Vietnam, fueled by figures like Ho Chi Minh, led to a protracted struggle against French colonial rule and eventually the Vietnam War.
Self-determination
The principle that peoples have the right to freely choose their own sovereignty and international political status without external compulsion.
Example:
After World War I, many colonized peoples hoped that the principle of self-determination would lead to their independence from European empires, though this was often delayed.
Wilson's Fourteen Points
A statement of principles for peace that was to be used for peace negotiations in order to end World War I.
Example:
President Wilson's call for open diplomacy and free trade in his Wilson's Fourteen Points aimed to prevent future global conflicts and hinted at a new international order.