Was the impact of 19th century imperialism on Africa positive or negative?

[Miley B]

I need to write a 5 paragraph essay Can you please help me out.
Here are some positives and Negatives:

Negative Effects

Much of the land was taken by other countries. There was little land that belonged to any native Africans.

Splitting up ethnic groups into separate countries, combining enemy ethnic groups into the same country.

More powerful weapons introduced to existing warring factions.

Deaths from foreign diseases.

Social division and racial strife.
Countries are left underdeveloped

Destruction of traditional culture.

One of the most unfortunate effects is that after the imperial powers started pulling out after World War 2 there was a power vaccuum. In many African countries the imperialists were replaced by home-grown dictators.

Positive Effects

Development of infrastructure.

Advances in agriculture.

Moderation in wars between African tribes.

Introduction on modern medicine.
I know this is alot to ask...but can you please but me put an essay togther??=)

[cettise2]

Good answers. I would stress the negative impact.
Especially as you say splitting up ethnic groups into separate countries, combining enemy ethnic groups into the same country.
Today you clearly see the result by all the ongoing civil wars and rebellions in for example Eritrea and Sudan .
The rwandan genocide is another example.
Another negative impact is that the countries were left without any social or political structure of their own. Leaving as you say place for home-grown dictators.
And Africa has also became a playground for superpowers political interests.
Either US or Russia and now China dares to leave Africa unattended.
Many of the positive effects came because of the negative effects.
People starve. You need agricultural development.
People get diseases you need modern medicine.

[cp_scipiom]

Definetly positive

One of the aspects you are missing is the slave trade. Not the publicised bit over the atlantic but the bulk (95% of the volume) which was sent to the arab and turkish markets. The colonialists did one thing right- they stopped that completely. A good example is Gordon in Khartoum- who blocked the main slave trading routes (the second largest one was via Zanzibar- blocked by the British Navy). FOr a while there was a "free trade zone" established in central Africa but that got colonised after the Congo Free State was taken over by Belgian bureaucrats (the slavers manage to eliminate over half of the population by then)

The foreign diseases bit is wrong- it applies to the "new world" but not to Asia or Africa. Some diseases were spread- eg Sleeping Sickness from East Africa to the Congo bassin- but that was a "local" african disease (spread by the horses of the slave traders)

Of course you will not be allowed to mention Arab colonialism as one of the "imperialist" factions - and their complete extermination of local cultures - but that is the "political correct" version of history