The end of the empire (Blog # 19)

Two things I found really interesting about this chapter. First was the idea that the British stated to set up policies in place that allowed the colonized countries to have more direct control over their politics and economics before nationalist uprisings occurred; this was done by “gradual political reforms; investments in railroads, ports, and telegraph lines; holding elections; and writing constitutions” (753-754). The book even says, “To some observers, it seemed as if independence was granted by colonial rulers rather than gained or seized by nationalist movements” (754). Obviously they didn’t enact these changes to willingly give up complete control of these colonies, if they had the transition wouldn’t have taken so long or so many lives. This concept is mentioned in detail at least twice in this chapter and it made me wonder how the decolonization would have taken place if the British hadn’t already started to make changes giving more power and involvement to the natives.

Second, this chapter mentions that independence and democracy were not automatically going to fulfill all of your expectations; the process was long hard and complicated. Most of the colonies that were trying to gain independence were faced with too many obstacles (economic, racial, ethnic, class) to make a peaceful and easy transition from a government that held all of the power to being a part of a new government and finding an equal ground for all citizens within a colony. It seemed to me like people were too quick to give up on democracy because within the first nine years they didn’t achieve everything they were hoping to, major social/political/economic changes take time to enact and enforce anywhere; especially when a government is facing major internal conflict.