Postcolonialism DBQ
“Evaluate the extent to which the politics of newly formed postcolonial states after the end of empire changed between 1945 and 1975.”
At the end of World War II, many countries worldwide found themselves ready for a new age. This new age would bring increased technology, globalization and new definitions of nationalism. Stemming from these characteristics and many others, countries oppressed by imperialist rule found themselves desiring and demanding freedom. In the era between 1945 and 1975, many postcolonial states saw great change due to increased calls for freedom from harsh imperialist rule and the desire for self-governance, stemming from increased national pride and language speaking of such. There was much pushback,…show more content… Many countries, such as Indonesia and Congo faced harsh imperialistic societies, in which majorities were ruled by minorities and given few rights. In reflecting on Congolese society under Belgian rule, Document 5 states that “we have seen that the law was not the same for a white and for a black.” This was in reference to the inequalities faced by Congolese put up by Belgians. This refusal to stand for inequality eventually led to the Congo winning their freedom in 1960, signifying the end a decade-old rule by European Belgium. This phenomenon was also spoke of at the non-aligned nations conference in Indonesia in 1955. The non-aligned nations were a group of nations that met, on the criteria of not being a part of the NATO or Warsaw Pacts, as seen in Document 2 and 3 Members of this group viewed these supranational organizations as merely neo-imperialism. They spoke of the harshness of this cloaked imperialism, when President Sukarno said, “..in the form of economic control, intellectual control and actual physical control.” He is speaking to the limited freedom of the oppressed at the hands of the oppressors. Many countries, such as Ghana, Egypt and the Congo faced this inequality. It was the eventual and built-up resentment that lead to revolutions, and eventually independence and
