Plausibility Check: Latin America in the Scramble for Africa?

[Grey Wolf]

Trade governed a lot of the initial African colonies, so in theory you could have some of the new S American states establish trading stations in Africa - the questions are obvious: why? how? what for (commodity?)? etc

Maybe if European colonisation is less aggressive in the 19th century (no "hinterland" doctrine) it would make more sense, since it would still seem the norm to establish a trading post and fort if you wanted to trade with the native African powers (who haven't thus been dispossessed)

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

 

[Archangel]

I've always been under the impression that Portugal never really had significant control over its African colonies. Weren't the lusophone African countries de-facto politically autonomous during the latter 20th century?

I always thought that the Portuguese intervened in Angola and Mozambique when they finally learned that they were about to lose even nominal control of the colonies.

Portugal's control of Angola and Mozambique during most of the XX century before the Carnation revolution was reasonable (in the case of Angola, the problem was the small contingent of military forces in the years before the colonial wars, since Salazar didn't expect an insurgency there).

 

[Blackfox5]

There is actually a very small window of opportunity for any country to claim land in Africa. The Scramble for Africa began around 1881 when King Leopold wanted the Congo for private development, and was recognized by the European Powers in the Berlin Conference in 1884 which said that possession in hand was the only real claim a country could have.

By that time most of coastal Africa was already in the hands of Europeans. France had Algeria and Tunisia. Britain had Egypt. Coast of West Africa had more or less long standing European forts. Portugal had theirs. The Boers were in South Africa, and the British had Capetown.

The Scramble was more or less for the interior of Africa, which was only accessible to Europeans who already had coastal possessions. Germany had to make do with more or less worthless areas, and by 1885 they had gotten those.

If any Latin America nation tried to get it, it's hard to see what they could try to claim unless it was one of the German colonies. No Latin American country really had the capability to enforce any of their claims or compete against Germany. And if arbitration was sought, most likely the Concert of Europe will side with Germany although they may assign some of the most worthless, smallest parts to Brazil or whoever.

So the window during the scramble is very small. You would need a POD before the scramble. It is hard to see why any Latin American country would divert any resources to going after Africa, when they had to concentrate on developing their own resources, creating a stable government, and securing their own borders in South America.

 

[Fardell]

- When the USA relieves Spain of Cuba, she takes the outposts on Equatorial Guinea with her. Come Cuban independence, these are handed over to the Cuban Government. Pretty wild, TBH: it's more likely that the Americans would either keep said outpost to herself, or sell it to someone else. Possibly Liberia?

Would the US consider selling these outposts to Mexico, Brazil, etc?

 

[Cináed]

Doubt either of those would want to buy them, TBH.

As I say, the most likely outcome is that the US simply keeps them for herself as a handy foreign base to project her influence over the neighbouring countries.

When oil is discovered in west Africa, it will also make sense from an economic point of view.

 

[Grey Wolf]

IIRC Holland, Prussia and ?someone else (?Denmark?) had had long-standing forts/trading posts in West Africa. I definitely remember that by treaty the Netherlands gave theirs up to Britain (which most post-date 1836 because of Victoria II).

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

 

[Uriel]

IIRC Holland, Prussia and ?someone else (?Denmark?) had had long-standing forts/trading posts in West Africa. I definitely remember that by treaty the Netherlands gave theirs up to Britain (which most post-date 1836 because of Victoria II).

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

Denmark. It even had Indain Trade ports for a time.

 

[Tobit]

Wasn't Argentina rather close to being signed over Fernando Po and Equatorial Guniea in a treaty?

Looking on Wikipedia it appears it was the Treaty of El Pardo in 1778. I think that if Argentina's independence turned out differently, perhaps with a member of the Bourbons as Kings of La Plata, they might end up with this scant bit of territory.

Then depending how successful La Plata is they might attempt to expand their territories when the other powers get interested in Africa.