1. India vs. Kenya
Decolonization:

2. Index
● Context
● Countries Before Decolonization
● Path to Decolonization
● Synthesis of Movements
o Theories and Theorists
● Countries After Decolonization

3. Context: India
● Colonized by British Raj in
1858
o British interference began as
early as 1612
● India was considered a
non-settler colony
o Dependency → Direct British
rule with some degree of
autonomy
● Independence gained in in
1947, followed by partition

4. Context: Kenya
● British colony from
1920-1963
o However, controlled
for 60 years
● Kenya was
considered a settler
colony

5. Similarities vs. Differences
● Overarching
Parallel →
Same colonizer
● India was a non-settler
colony, dependency colony;
while Kenya was a settler-
colony
● The big difference
o India’s independence
achieved through
negotiation
● To what extent?
o Kenya’s independence

6. Countries Before Colonization
● India
o Population lived in villages and maintained an
agricultural economy
o Hindi is official language, however 18 different
languages are recognized in constitution
o European influence was present before colonization
 Traded with Rome as early as 1st Century CE

7. Countries Before Colonization
● Kenya
o 1st century AD
 Coast frequented by Arab traders who
established Arab and Persian colonies
 Nilotic and Bantu people moved there as well
● Swahili language developed as lingua franca for trade

8. Path to Decolonization
● India
o Influential leaders:
 Mohandas K. Gandhi
 Jawaharlal Nehru (Hindu)
 Muhammad Ali Jinnah
(Muslim)
 Maulana Azad (Muslim
 Sardar Patel (Hindu)
o Fight for more autonomy within
the nation began with the creation
of the Indian National Congress→
demanded a modern Indian
nation

9. Path to Decolonization
● India
o Key events
 1885 → Indian National Congress founded
 1920→ Launch on Non-Cooperation Movement
 1930 → Salt March and Civil Disobedience
● 1930 → First Round Table Conference
● 1931 → Second Round Table Conference
● 1932 → Third Round Table Conference
 1935 → Government of India Act
 1942 → Quit India Movement
 http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/849628
 http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelpregion/asia/india/indianindepend
ence/chronology/
Negotiated
Independence

10. Path to Decolonization
● India
o Mass killing in the border of India
and Pakistan followed
Independence
 Make us question whether
Indian independence can be
truly considered non-violent
● 1 million killed
● 12 million migrated
o Mahatma Gandhi was murdered
by Hindu extremist who felt he
was too sympathetic towards
Muslims

11. Path to Decolonization
● Kenya
o Influential Leaders
 Jomo Kenyatta
o Groups fought against British efforts to levy taxes,
conscript African men to be porters for the
military, and force African communities off their
lands
 British led military campaigns to crush
African resistance
● part of the colony were under military
control until the 1920s.
o The British governed by indirect rule
 Local African leaders enforced colonial
authority.

12. Path to Decolonization
● Kenya
o Political groups were organized along ethnic lines
 Most Africans did not see themselves as
"Kenyan"
● Benedict Anderson’s “imagined
communities” were not at play here
o After WWII
 African discontent began to boil
 Kikuyu people (largest ethnic group in Kenya)
began a revolt
● Aimed at colonial system and africans who
were colonial supporters
o Initial feelings of national → rise of
the imagined community
 This becomes known as the Mau Mau Revolt
● 1952-1960 Kikuyu woman in traditional
dress

13. Path to Decolonization
● Kenya
o European settlers prevented the
smooth transition of power
 Opposed independence even after
the revolt
o After Mau Mau revolt,
independence became clear
o 11,000 Africans were killed
o Negotiations lasted for the next
three years
o Fanon would argue that the new
found feelings of nationalism would
be opposed to the ideas of
liberation that the Kikuyu people
sought

14. Can the Subaltern Speak?
● Spivak argues that the
subaltern cannot speak
● India and Kenya → show
another side to the story
● The ability of both countries to
rise above British colonizer’s
repression showed that the
subaltern had a voice
o Nationalist mindframe

15. Nationalist, Internationalist and
Metropolitan Explanations
India Kenya
Nationalist Decolonization in India was result of efforts made within
the nation to free themselves from British rule. Efforts by
influential leader, such as Gandhi, were the reason why
the country achieved independence.
Decolonization in Kenya was result of efforts made within
the nation to free themselves from the colonizer.
Primarily, by the Kikuyu people, who were the Kenyans
who initiated the Mau Mau Revolt.
Metropolitan Despite national efforts, the reason why independence
was achieved was because the colonies were costing too
much money for Britain and it would be more valuable,
for economic reason, to allow independence and remain
allied to the nation
Since the British were capable of ending the Mau Mau
revolt, it is clear that they could still control the country if it
was in their interest. They arranged to maintain support
of moderate Africans to ensure a close relationship
between Kenya and Britain after independence.
Internationalist After WWII, Britain had fought Nazi Germany and Fascist
Italy who sought to have an empire, therefore it made no
sense for them to hold their own colonies. The context of
the Cold War also made it hard for Britain to maintain its
colonies since the main goal was to defeat communism
and not maintain an empire.
After WWII, Britain had fought Nazi Germany and Fascist
Italy who sought to have an empire, therefore it made no
sense for them to hold their own colonies.The context of
the Cold War also made it hard for Britain to maintain its
colonies since the main goal was to defeat communism
and not maintain an empire.

16. Periphery:
Kenya and
India
Semi
Periphery:
Spain and
Portugal
World-System Theory
Core:
Britain
High Profit Consumption Goods
Cheap Labor and Raw Materials

17. A.G. Hopkins
● Argues that decolonization must be
understood broadly as a process of
globalization → in concordance with the
internationalist explanation

18. A.G. Hopkins
● The United Nations
→ weapon that is a
consequence of
globalization, only
become more
powerful with the
growth of
decolonization

19. Countries After Decolonization
● India
o Border and migration struggle between 1947 and 1948 as Muslims and Hindus try to
move to their respective nations
o Population has tripled since independence
o Nehru (Prime Minister) believed India should westernize, so he built factories,
highways and railroads
o India is still considered underdeveloped (or an emerging) country
 This is one of the biggest consequences of colonization
● BRICS → all emerging countries

20. Countries After Decolonization
● Kenya
o Jomo Kenyatta → Prime Minister
o Kenya was admitted into UN under his rule
o Opened trade with Uganda and Tanzania
o HOWEVER
 Considered a totalitarian leader
● He killed opposition and had only his name on several
election ballots.
● Gave land to friend and family, who in turn controlled most of
the economy
● Cult of personality → Was considered the Father of Kenya
o Based on Friedrich and Brzezinski → Totalitarian