DOCUMENT 1A
Excerpt from "Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism" (1966) by Kwame Nkrumah (the first Prime Minister of Ghana):
"The essence of neo-colonialism is that the state which is subject to it is, in theory, independent. In reality, its economic system and thus its political policy is directed from outside. The methods and form of this direction can take various shapes. For example, in an extreme case, the troops of the imperial power may garrison the territory of the neo-colonial State and control the government of it. More often, however, neo-colonialist control is exercised through economic or monetary means. The neo-colonial State may be obliged to take the manufactured products of the imperialist power to the exclusion of competing products from elsewhere. Control over government may be secured by payments towards the cost of running the State, by the provision of civil servants in positions where they can dictate policy, and by monetary control over foreign exchange through the imposition of a banking system controlled by the imperial power."
Questions:
1. According to Nkrumah, what is one way an imperial power can influence an independent country?
- Answer: Troops would go in and take over the territory of the neo-colonial state and control its government.
2. Do you think this type of imperial influence is fair? Why or why not?
- Answer:
