A DESCOLONIZAÇÃO DA ÁFRICA: NACIONALISMO E SOCIALISMO

Abstract

African colonial empires only lasted until the 1960s. In order to understand the process of disintegration of these empires, as well as the very rapidity with which the phenomenon occurred, two fundamental aspects need to be considered: first, the transformations that occurred in the colonial metropolises during the XXth century and which, in a way, led to a situation of impossibility of maintaining colonialism. Secondly, it must be acknowledged that, to a large extent, independence was the result of a broad articulation of nationalist movements, represented by Negritude, pan-Africanism and pan-Islamism. In this articulation, the socialist ideas played an important role, and the Soviet Union (USSR) provided great support to the liberation movements. Soviet aid extended after independence until at least the late 1970s. And after two decades of severe economic and social crisis, foreign aid has come from China.