Colonialism laid the foundation of the intellectual and material development in Africa. It brought enlightenment where there was ignorance. It stopped slavery and other barbaric practices such as cannibalism. The introduction of modern communications, exportable agricultural crops and some new industries provided a foundation for economic development. Africans received new and more efficient forms of political and economic organization. Warring communities joined into modern nation-states with greater chance of survival in a competitive world than the many mini civilizations that existed before. The most important act of colonialism was to introduce into the minds of Africans and peoples of other pre-capitalist societies the idea that material progress and prosperity were possible for the masses of people. Ordinary people in pre-colonial times assumed that their material conditions were fixed. A good harvest may provide more crops to eat but the idea that living conditions could be changed was never thought of. The thought that rather than walk miles to get water, running water could be piped into homes was unheard of. With colonialism came the idea of progress, that humanity is capable of improving its existence like for instance today can be better than yesterday and tomorrow better than today.
Many African nationalists and critics of colonialism see the independence gained from the taking of colonial powers as only partial liberation. Some call it ‘false independence’. In order the have real freedom, they believe, it will come with economic independence. African nations are said to be currently in a phase of neo-colonialism, a new form of imperial rule stage managed by the colonial powers to give the colonized the illusion of freedom. The implication is that western powers still control African nations whose rulers are either willing puppets or involuntary of these powers. The unequal relations between developed and underdeveloped countries make economic...