What Was the Scramble for Africa and How Did It Affect Imperial Policy?

  1. What happened at the Brussels Conference?
  • In 1876, King Leopold of Belgium hosted conference of explorers and leaders from geographical societies across Europe. Largely motivated by desire to protect Belgian interests in the Congo. It concluded:
    • Africans incapable of developing natural resources to be found in Central Africa: European intervention necessary.
    • Routes to Africa’s lakes needed developing by building roads/railways.
    • International African Association should be established to coordinate European efforts.
  • Competition heightened as it became clear Leopold wanted to build empire.
    • Leopold hired surveyor H.M. Stanley to survey basin of Upper Congo River in order to establish own enclave in Central Africa.
    • In November 1879, the International African Association was named the International Association of the Congo, which provoked further fear.
    • Stanley signed over 450 treaties with local chiefs to establish sovereignty.
    • In retaliation, France and Germany hired own explorers to stake claims in region.
      • France extended control from Senegal into Western Sudan in 1879. Portugal asserted its claims to control mouth of Congo River in 1884.
  1. What happened at the Berlin Conference in 1884?
  • Conference’s initial task involved securing agreement that both basins and mouths of Congo and Niger rivers were to remain neutral and open to trade. Major powers negotiated territories into spheres of influence. Conference concluded with a signing of a General Act, which promised:
    • All nations be permitted to trade in basin of the Congo and its outlets.
    • Free trade should prevail in these regions.
    • Powers with influence should help protect indigenous people and suppress slave trade.
    • Powers should support and protect religious, scientific or charitable undertakings, Christian missionaries, scientists and explorers.
    • If any power took possession of further land on coasts of Africa, it should notify signatories of the Act, in order to enable them to assert any claims of their own.
  1. What impact did the Berlin Conference have?
  • General Act triggered a scramble for territory across Africa. By 1900, 90% of continent was in European hands.
  • Conference was a success in terms of European relations.
    • Enabled countries to expand empires in ordered fashion and without risk of conflict with one another. Historian A.J.P Taylor called Africa ‘safe arena’ for competing countries as they were unlikely to tread on other’s toes.
  • Conference didn’t do much for indigenous peoples.
    • No African representation at Berlin Conference. Spheres of influence mapped out with little concern for geographic, ethnic, linguistic or religious divisions.

No concerted effort to combat African or Arab slave trade and well-being and customs of locals was overlooked.