No European Colonialism in Africa

In my English class, we have just finished the fantastic Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, a great piece of authentic African literature concerning the changes wrought by European imperialists on traditional African culture (specifically, the Ibo). Anyway, we have to write a research essay based on facets of the book, and I put forward the proposition that I write an alternate history essay, concerning the future of Africa and the Ibo had European colonialism never happened.

Now, I knew even as I was suggesting it that this would be quite a feat to stop the Europeans from planting colonies in Africa. I am searching for a good POD outside of Africa that allows Africa to develop without interference from Europe or any other outisde power (Arabs/Muslims are okay, though: the Middle East can be considered part of Africa in this scenario). I need something like the 5500 Years idea, but it seems like I wouldn't need to go to such great lengths to force African civilization to develop on its own.

Any ideas? I'll post later on some of my own, and thoughts on the consequences.

I suppose a less divided Europe might stall colonisation somewhat due to a lack of competition between the Powers. Say that Europe is divided between the Napoleonic Empire and Britain at Amien with the Empire focused on its European holdings and Britain content with the Southern tip of Africa. Although this won't prevent colonisation to an extent, it might prevent the Scramble for Africa and allow a good majority of the continent to carry on for another century or so more or less undisturbed until a trickle down effect of European technology begins.

I guess I could just continue African independence to 2008. That's a decent amount of time.

1888 to 2008: Limited European Intervention in Africa. 120 years. That Napoleonic Empire bit might just work. Hmm... while I am mulling over that POD, does anyone else have any ideas?

I suppose perhaps if the Songhoy could have remained strong and continued the prosper off the rich trade overland trade routes, ala Timbuktu. Perhaps that wealth would have continued to enrich the other trade partners in the region such as Mali and Benin.

If these states could have remained strong and perhaps contended for some control of the seas it may have made sailing around the horn of Africa more difficult. If that had become more challenging the very viability of moving large numbers of men and supplies to South Africa, India and the East Indies would have been at risk. That likely wouldn't have stopped settlements from forming in South Africa or the East Indies, but those settlements would have been less able to be supplied from the mother countries and perhaps European footholds into India or East Africa would have proved too challenging. That might have paved the way for the nations of West and Central Africa to stave off colonialization.

Slavery wouldn't have existed, and maybe no American Civil War since slavery was one of the biggest issues.

BaltoJen said:

Slavery wouldn't have existed, and maybe no American Civil War since slavery was one of the biggest issues.

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Slavery would still exist there is no connection between no European colonies and no slavery. There was slavery before the Europeans began carving up Africa - in many instances slavery continued until the Europeans stepped in a forcibly ended it - tho that was mostly by the late 19th century.

David S Poepoe said:

Slavery would still exist there is no connection between no European colonies and no slavery. There was slavery before the Europeans began carving up Africa - in many instances slavery continued until the Europeans stepped in a forcibly ended it - tho that was mostly by the late 19th century.

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And apparently slavery still exists in parts of North Africa.

How much contact is allowed? Africa is a different case from the Americas. cultural contact of any kind with Eurasia would have had revolutionary effects in Precolumbian society, with the threat of pandemic virgin-soil disease only one aspect. Africa is part of the world system already and if anything a net exporter of bugs. If you are saying 'Africa without large-scale European domination', the 19th century is early enough as a POD (discounting the folk on the Cape who are at this point still relatively insignificant). Less European interest might stem from all manner of reasons, and it is good to keep in mind that even at the height of the scramble for African colonies, there were voices raised in protest against the whole idea. Very few African possessions were ever profitable for their mother countries.

Development is hard to predict given that there really is no precedent in OTL of tribal societies spared subjugation by more technologically developed neighbours. I would assume the eventual outcome will be a few top dogs monopolising the tradable resources and turning into something like Saudis - basing the import of technology and status goods on exploiting an export commodity. Some parts of the continent - especially the Muslim states - will find it easier to adapt to modernity than others. Culture shock will be huge but given dislocation can be survived (just look at what happened to the Zulu), some polity may do an 'African Meiji'. Spome hunter-gatherer societioes will simply continue to live as they always have. Farming communities and pastoralists will have to adapt. Cities will grow, eventually, around local power centres, trade hubs, and mining/processing facilities. All of this will require outside expertise to pull off, which may be European. I almost can't see how it would be anything else if we have a close parallel to OTL.

Marius said:

And apparently slavery still exists in parts of North Africa.

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North, Central, the Caribbean, Western Asia, apparently South Asia, Romania, Denmark, Germany, even f***ing Central London and upstate New York. The idea is damned hard to kill.

it isn't that easy to stop colonization, it really began in the 16-17th century with the Spanish and Portuguese establishing trading posts on the coast (possibly earlier, I'm not sure), so to stop the colonization, you would need some kind of POD well before that.

Possible PODs:

1) The Ethiopian kingdom(s) goes through an slight political reformation, centralizing power early on, and follows up with engaging in sea trade in the Red Sea, expanding and exploring. Centuries later, there is significant Ethiopian trade in the indian ocean, and trading colonies on the east coast of South Africa.
Ethiopian culture and technology will also probably diffuse west, with fluctuating land borders. Analogous to the Russian states absorbing european tech and ideas.

In TTL, Arabia will probably be considered part of Africa.

2) The Mongols make a serious go of the invasion of europe, but meet more difficulty than they had anticipated. The Mongol war continues like a hundred years war, as Khans come and go, and the horde breaks up. With nearly every mainland European power ravaged repeatedly, and the exceptions forced into an extreme focus on defense. The holdouts would be in Scandinavia/Iceland and on the British Isles. Possibly on the Iberian peninsula.
The war only ends when the Black Death covers all the lands, breaking kings and tearing down the last europeans in civil war. Europes back is broken for centuries.

In TTL there may not be anything called "Europe", just a peninsula to Asia.

3) Mali at its OTL height comes into a dynamic, outward-focused ruler, who enjoys a long, healthy reign. With a focus on sea trade and power, Mail becomes an African analogue to Scandinavia -close enough to benefit from the european development, while to a degree protected from harm by climate and geography.
This can be combined with no.1, for a scenario where there are two strong seapowers, one in the northeast of the continent, the other on the west side, completly blocking european access.

Religon would be interesting, as Ethipoia could be christian with Mail Islamic. Most likly, the view of the continents would be more along classical lines, with the mediterranean coast a separate unit, and "Africa"s borders being delineated by the Sahara.

4) The Garamantes gets hold of the Roman steam engine. This civilization, unlike the Roman, had a desperate need for it. I could see combustion happening early in TTL. They will be drilling one of the worlds most oil-rich terriotries, with a desperate need for fuel.

Considering (with the exception of Belgian Congo) that most European colonial powers outlawed slavery when they took over an area, I find the idea that there would be no slavery in Africa very hard to believe.

If you are willing to learn more I suggest you check out Adam Hochschild's book,
Bury the Chains which discusses African slavery and the British abolition movement in great detail.

My guess is that Africa would be even more backward than it is today, because most of the infrastructure in Africa was built by the colonial powers. This has been slowly changing but it remains a fact for most of the continent.

carlton_bach said:

North, Central, the Caribbean, Western Asia, apparently South Asia, Romania, Denmark, Germany, even f***ing Central London and upstate New York. The idea is damned hard to kill.

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Well at least we have no country were it is legal, most people think it it despicabl and we no longer have people openly saying that slaves running away is a mental disorder so they are progress.

So we should have finally made every human free by 4900 but then the aliens will probably invade earth and decide to make everyone one of us slaves

Anyway a perception of opportunity probably bound Africa to be exploited.

BaltoJen said:

Slavery wouldn't have existed, and maybe no American Civil War since slavery was one of the biggest issues.

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Before the Europeans came, the Arabs had been practicing slavery in Africa for centuries.

And before the Arabs, the Africans themselves had been practicing slavery for centuries, if not millenia.

Ran Exilis said:

Before the Europeans came, the Arabs had been practicing slavery in Africa for centuries.

And before the Arabs, the Africans themselves had been practicing slavery for centuries, if not millenia.

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Actually I think virtually no society on Earth never pratice slavery on way or another

carlton_bach said:

North, Central, the Caribbean, Western Asia, apparently South Asia, Romania, Denmark, Germany, even f***ing Central London and upstate New York. The idea is damned hard to kill.

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That's human nature for you.

No Muhammed. I think the goal for western expansion into Africa was India and it wouln't make sence if they could take the way over Suez (where they could move goods over a short distance of land.

But that would only do half the trick. I suspect some of the nastier European individuals would go to Africa anyway, plundering and other stuff.

Have a pandemic indigenous disease for which tho locals are more or less immune, but kills 80% of the Europeans who contract it.

Until someone like Walter Reed comes along, the Europeans will be confined to their trading stations and fortresses.

if South Africa is colonized in any extent and the rest is not then South Africa is gonna be a lot bigger then what it is now.

I like the idea of an Africa-wide indigenous pandemic that keeps Europeans out mostly. Somewhat ASB, but it fulfills the purpose of the essay. I could have it emerge in the 1200s, pre-empting all European colonialism for centuries until medical technology steps up a bit more. Let's just make malaria worldwide more dangerous to specifically Europeans, but only in tropical regions (malaria in Europe and North America are the same). That's semi-plausible, right? I like this idea.

I also liked the idea of no Muhammad, that definitely has some possibility. Nevertheless, Europeans would probably still plunder the coastline.