Compare and contrast the legacies of colonialism in Africa and Asia.

Colonialism has undoubtedly left considerable legacies in Africa and India. Between 1875 and 1914, European countries established colonies in almost all of the African continent. Whereas in India, Britain had reigned supreme since Queen Victoria’s Proclamation of 1858, when the Crown assumed responsibility for the Raj. Both Africa and India were subjected to European rule through colonialism, however the first measurable contrast is that Africa is a continent, whilst India is a subcontinent. This means the experiences of colonialism are different, especially as countries within Africa were colonised by different European powers.  For the purpose of this essay, colonialism in Africa will mainly focus on British rule. That being said, some comparisons can be made in the legacies of colonialism in both areas of the world. Frantz Fanon’s Wretched of the Earth, and Edward Said’s Orientalism highlight the psychological impact of colonialism on the colonised, which can be applied to both Africa and India. Furthermore, Africa and India both experienced a similar redefining of borders, particularly under British rule in Nigeria, and in India. However, the legacies of colonialism in Africa and India contrast in that countries such as Nigeria underwent an amalgamation of provinces into a country, whereas India infamously suffered through Partition, where the countries of Pakistan and Bangladesh were born. The legacies of colonialism also intertwine between India and Africa, as many Indians settled in Africa during the colonial period.