Comparison between the Decolonization of Algeria and India Research Paper

Comparison between the Decolonization of Algeria and India - Research Paper Example This essay analyzes similarities and differences in patterns when looking at the decolonization of India and Algeria. In both cases, the revolutionary movements began after the Second World War. This compromised European countries since they had for decades benefitted from the resources in their colonies. Similarly, the rising nationalism in India and Algeria played a major part in the decolonization process. In the process, both countries were split along ethnic and religious lines due to the disagreements that ensued. After World War II, colonial powers of Europe which included France in the case of Algeria and Britain in the case of India became weaker. This was a result of the war which had greatly affected their economies: they had no funds to run bureaucracies in the colonies. As a result this, they had to subdue their colonies even more to gain ground and make use of the immediate available resources which could be used to revamp their frugalities once more. The European natio ns used force and abuse to gain control of the local elites. The war had caused them a major blow. After this, they could not pay Africans and Asian workers decent wages, and they opted for forced labour and other ways of discriminations. This did not go well with the locals; lacking food, clothing, medical care, water, shelter and even working for long hours was painful enough. Millions of Africans and Asians had gone to Europe to help with the war. Upon arriving home, they organized strong revolutions which enabled India to gain Independence in 1947. Algeria, like most African states, gained its independence in 1962. Therefore, there is similarity in what led to the decolonization: gaining experience in the world war and later coming home to fight the colonial masters. This independence was very difficult to achieve without the support of external parties like the United Nations Decolonization Committee which was formed much later. While different historians look at the history of colonisation in two opposing views, one thing remains constant, the death toll that trailed the struggle for independence for most former colonies. It’s well documented by the time India gained independence in 1947; conflicts between Indians and Muslims had grown and became so intense that Muslims broke off to form their own nation the present-day Pakistan while Hindus formed India. The remaining alienated communities in those nations respectively instigated the genocide of Muslims and Hindus in both countries. Regardless of the various historic recordings of how countries received their independence, it is clear that the struggle for independence was the same for all former colonies. A good example of this can be seen by comparing India, which has gone down in history as the only colony to have gained independence without war, and Algeria, where war and violence were reported in its struggle for inde