Factors That Contributed to the Scramble for Africa - Essay Example

According to Koponen (1993, p. 119), economic factors that include the need for raw materials and the need for new markets led to the scramble and subsequently partitioning of Africa. During the 19th century, Europe experienced rapid industrialism and there was a need to open new markets in order to sustain its capitalist market. This entails that the continent had to trade with other countries and Africa presented the greatest opportunity. Therefore, this need for new markets significantly contributed to the scramble for Africa. However, this did not only end in the need for new markets for trade but the need for raw materials as well. The explorers discovered that Africa had vast tracts of untapped natural resources and wealth and this also influenced the European powers to scramble for Africa. Economically, European countries were set to benefit from colonizing Africa since this meant that they would repatriate the wealth to their own countries.

  Non-economic factors also contributed to the scramble for Africa during the 19th Century. For instance, politics contributed towards the scramble for Africa since this was a sign of power if a country had many colonies (Kuponen, 1993). Colonialism in itself was a sign of power and dominance over the African people. This brought about ideologies such as racism and segregation that were designed to undermine the Africans after the abolishment of the slave trade. The Europeans wanted to assert their power and domination through colonialism such that the Africans could work for them even in their backyards. This was a strategy that was meant to use the Africans indirectly while the Europeans gained political power and superiority over the weaker nations on the African continent.

Over and above, it can be observed that the scramble and partitioning of Africa in the 19th century was motivated by different factors. Two major factors namely: economic and non-economic factors influenced the Europeans to partition Africa in what later became popularly known as the scramble for Africa. The quest for natural resources as well as new markets led to the scramble for Africa. It has also been observed that political factors such as the need for domination and displaying power led to the European countries colonizing Africa.