Plausibility Check: Yet Another "Draka" Timeline

[blackpenman]

I've decided to go ahead with working on this concept, and now I'm just fleshing out the timeline in an outline before I start writing it out and posting. If anyone has any ideas or thoughts they'd like to contribute that would definitely be greatly appreciated!

 

[Nuraghe]

I think it would be an excellent Pod for the history of the Cape, especially because the colony would have about 140 years more than Otl to develop and grow, furthermore this would also encourage the other powers ( French, Dutch and English, I wouldn't rule out the Spanish either, especially if the Iberian union were to take place like Otl, given that I imagine they will send some garrison to defend the area, so as to increase the number of Europeans on site even minimally ) to try a similar strategy so as not to give Portugal an advantage


Without also excluding the possibility of limiting the British presence in Africa to the region alone ( if possible ) so as to incentivize London to focus more on the development of the Cape, as well as encouraging the settlement of settlers loyal to the Crown on site ( unlike Otl , where Great Britain, due to its rapid expansion on the continent, ended up creating micro-regions of white settlement that were very disconnected from each other, and were therefore unable to stand on their own once the imperial umbrella stopped maintaining them in the decade between the 1950s and 60s, see the Kenyan White Highlands ( which hosted around 60 thousand settlers ) Rhodesia itself and various other regions scattered throughout Africa ) therefore limiting the possessions under London control would be very useful for channeling resources into Otl go elsewhere in South Africa's demographic and economic growth

@blackpenman

I would have an idea again if I can, namely that unlike Otl, Bartolomeo Dias after having landed in Walvis Bay, with the São Cristavão, in December 1487, baptized it with the name of "O Golfo de Santa Maria da Conceição", in formally claims possession ( given that it could prove to be a useful stopover towards India ), or that the Dutch decided to settle in the area in a period prior to the historic 1793 ( given the fish richness of the area, which was not limited to whaling alone ) so as to expand the European presence in the area and encourage the unification of the settlement with the Cape Colony ( in OTL only occurred in 1878 )

 

[blackpenman]

I would have an idea again if I can, namely that unlike Otl, Bartolomeo Dias after having landed in Walvis Bay, with the São Cristavão, in December 1487, baptized it with the name of "O Golfo de Santa Maria da Conceição", in formally claims possession ( given that it could prove to be a useful stopover towards India ), or that the Dutch decided to settle in the area in a period prior to the historic 1793 ( given the fish richness of the area, which was not limited to whaling alone ) so as to expand the European presence in the area and encourage the unification of the settlement with the Cape Colony ( in OTL only occurred in 1878 )

I definitely imagine if the Cape is older and more established/populous, that Walvis Bay would be settled a good deal earlier; really the whole area gets way more settlement as a result, since the greater population pressures simply requires expansion of the colony and the settlement of every area possible

 

[Nuraghe]

I definitely imagine if the Cape is older and more established/populous, that Walvis Bay would be settled a good deal earlier; really the whole area gets way more settlement as a result, since the greater population pressures simply requires expansion of the colony and the settlement of every area possible

Very true, a previous foundation of the Cape would be extremely useful for a previous demographic boost, but it should not be forgotten that the English, despite formally coming into possession of the colony in 1806, allowed the first settlement of settlers from Great Britain only in 1820 nor did they even limit the number, therefore a policy more inclined towards favoring immigration would be more suitable for the development of the region, as well as a sort of implementation of the system in use in the Dutch East Indies from 1901 onwards ( but constantly under funded by the central government it is poorly tolerated by the local elite of colonial origin in power ) which was designed to encourage the creation of a native class pro imperial, based on guaranteeing small rights and roles in local administration, so as to be able to form a notable band of native people ( who I believe will remain the vast portion of the population within the confines of the colony ) who identify more with the central authority than their ethnic origin

 

[Aisha Clan-Clan]

Looking at how the US was able to quietly rise to #1 industrial power without anyone in europe noticing that much, the "stupid virus" as people often put it of people ignoring the draka's expansion/industrialization in canon makes ALOT more sense. I'd add it makes even more sense than with the US since the draka plantation/combine economy looks less "modern" despite being an industrial power so less red flags in peer powers.

 

[blackpenman]

Looking at how the US was able to quietly rise to #1 industrial power without anyone in europe noticing that much, the "stupid virus" as people often put it of people ignoring the draka's expansion/industrialization in canon makes ALOT more sense. I'd add it makes even more sense than with the US since the draka plantation/combine economy looks less "modern" despite being an industrial power so less red flags in peer powers.

On the other hand, Africa is a LOT closer to Europe and Europe has a very established history of engaging with Africa and exploiting and colonizing it. American expansion went unchecked I would argue because it expanded into non European territories, and so European powers didn't care since better America than a rival European power. If America had invaded Spanish Mexico then Europe may very well have put America in its place, but expanding into independent Mexico? Who cares then! But that's just my thoughts

 

[Narrowback57]

The big motivators for expansion/mass movements have been fear( running away from stronger powers, like the Huns moving into central Europe),religion,greed or one dictators vision. South Africa has the gold and diamonds sitting inland, unlike Stirling I think if you add some kind of Christian sect,maybe persecuted in Europe and emigrate,perhaps the French Huguenots but with a gung ho leader, you get your expansion, at least until the big powers start exploiting the continent.

 

[gladiator8085]

On the other hand, Africa is a LOT closer to Europe and Europe has a very established history of engaging with Africa and exploiting and colonizing it. American expansion went unchecked I would argue because it expanded into non European territories, and so European powers didn't care since better America than a rival European power. If America had invaded Spanish Mexico then Europe may very well have put America in its place, but expanding into independent Mexico? Who cares then! But that's just my thoughts

Don't forget that in Draka canon they weren't an independent entity until after WWI. Until then they still had the fig leaf of being in the British Empire.

 

[blackpenman]

Don't forget that in Draka canon they weren't an independent entity until after WWI. Until then they still had the fig leaf of being in the British Empire.

Mhm absolutely, I intend to preserve that as well, but even then the likelihood of any one imperialist power conquering all of Africa and the rest of the world being okay with it seems quite unrealistic, so the key for my idea is to give the Draka enough of a population and economic base to allow them to become a viable, independent power on their own in a post alt WW1 context.

 

[blackpenman]

The big motivators for expansion/mass movements have been fear( running away from stronger powers, like the Huns moving into central Europe),religion,greed or one dictators vision. South Africa has the gold and diamonds sitting inland, unlike Stirling I think if you add some kind of Christian sect,maybe persecuted in Europe and emigrate,perhaps the French Huguenots but with a gung ho leader, you get your expansion, at least until the big powers start exploiting the continent.

Part of my idea at this point has expanded to include the puritans or some other extremist protestant/reformed sect moving to Cape Town instead of the New World, which I think gives a good basis for this concept you've mentioned.

 

[Narrowback57]

Part of my idea at this point has expanded to include the puritans or some other extremist protestant/reformed sect moving to Cape Town instead of the New World, which I think gives a good basis for this concept you've mentioned.

Even today, the Mennonites in Paraguay,Peru,Brazil, Mexico,peaceful as they are, have big families and have kept their culture. If you take them as an example but add that Municipal Engines type twist in their founding, and through some fiddling with history, maybe a breakaway sect of Sikhs from India or other martial groups, you get a population boost. Doesn't have to make sense, plenty of things have happened in OTL that are headscratchers.