Historiographical review of the European partition of West Africa

Abstract

This paper reviews the historiography of the European partition of West Africa. The partition of Africa began in 1879 with French military officers in the Western Sudan. In their motivations, the French and other European governments were largely influenced by economic interests. The trade depression of the late nineteenth century in Europe enhanced the value of African markets for European exports. In addition, the depression adversely affected the terms of trade for African products, as their prices increased at a lesser margin than the prices of imported goods. This led to trade competition and rivalry between European merchants in West Africa, and disputes between the European merchants and African producers and traders. European merchants therefore engaged their chambers of commerce in Europe, who lobbied for government protection by way of annexations in West Africa. While African cooperation accelerated the pace of the European occupation, resistance prolonged the process.