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The British Colonies in Africa - Africa at Work

This circa 1945 British educational poster, titled The British Colonies in Africa - Africa at Work, provides a comprehensive view of the economic and social transformations and social messaging occurring in British African colonies during the mid-20th century.  

The poster is divided into several sections: the top half features a map of Africa emphasizing the British colonies, marked with symbols denoting main commodities such as cocoa, palm oil, and copper, underscoring their global economic contributions. The bottom half, titled "Africa at Work," and "Changing Africa" graphically represents various sectors of the colonial economy, including agriculture (showing both subsistence farming and commercial crops like cocoa), education, and mining industries, as well as British plans to educate local populations.

Created in the aftermath of World War II, this poster reflects the period's prevailing British perspective on its colonial possessions, focusing on the development and 'civilizing' missions undertaken by the colonizers. It was a time when colonial powers were promoting the economic and infrastructural developments in their colonies, partly in response to growing pressures for independence and self-governance from colonized nations. 

The major themes in the text of the British educational poster titled The British Colonies in Africa - Africa at Work from circa 1945 can be grouped into several key areas:

Economic Exploitation and Resource Allocation

The poster clearly highlights the economic activities central to the colonial agenda, focusing on the extraction and export of natural resources such as cocoa, palm oil, copper, and other minerals. These commodities are depicted not just as local products but as integral elements of the global economic system, emphasizing their importance to the British economy. This theme underscores the colonial economic policies that prioritized resource extraction for the benefit of the metropole, often at the expense of local development and sustainability.

Education and Social Engineering

There is a strong theme of education and its role in shaping the "New African." The poster illustrates various educational efforts, such as mass education initiatives led by district commissioners and education officers. This theme reflects the colonial belief in the civilizing mission, where education was seen as a tool to mold colonial subjects into productive members of society, aligning with British values and economic needs. The representation of education as a pathway to skilled work and higher wages highlights the transformative vision the British held for their African colonies.

Modernization and Industrial Development

The depiction of industries such as mining and the introduction of more scientific methods of agriculture points to a theme of modernization. This theme suggests a shift from traditional subsistence farming to more industrialized, export-oriented agriculture and mining sectors. It reflects the colonial agenda of integrating African economies into the broader capitalist market system, promoting industrial development as a means to elevate the colonies' global economic status.

Propaganda and Ideological Messaging

Underlying all these themes is the pervasive use of the poster as a tool for propaganda. It aims to justify and rationalize British colonial rule by portraying it as beneficial for the economic and social development of Africa. The poster communicates a message of benevolent paternalism, where the colonial government is seen as a guiding force for modernization and improvement. This theme is crucial for understanding the intended impact of the poster on its British and international audiences, promoting a positive view of colonialism at a time when global attitudes toward empire were changing.

 The slogan "Mass Education... makes the New African"  centers on the transformative impact of education as perceived by the British colonial administration, aiming to reshape African societies according to European values and economic objectives.  The colonial powers viewed education as a crucial mechanism for social engineering. By providing mass education, they believed they could cultivate a workforce that was literate and skilled enough to serve the economic needs of the colony, particularly in the administrative and commercial sectors. This approach was also seen as a way to stabilize societies by integrating them more deeply into the colonial system, thereby reducing resistance and facilitating easier governance.

Mass education under colonial rule was often designed to produce a compliant and efficient workforce. Educational curricula were tailored to meet the specific needs of the colonial economy. For example, the focus might be on vocational training that prepared students for roles in agriculture or mining industries rather than on broad-based education that promoted critical thinking and leadership skills that could challenge colonial rule.

 Education served as a vehicle for ideological indoctrination, promoting values that aligned with the colonial administration’s goals. This included the introduction of European history, languages, and cultural norms, often at the expense of African heritage and languages. The intent was to create a cultural shift that made colonial subjects more amenable to British policies and less attached to their indigenous traditions and governance structures.

While ostensibly aimed at upliftment, the educational strategies often promoted a dependency on colonial structures. By controlling education, the British could steer the economic development of the colonies in a direction that continued to serve British interests, ensuring that economic and administrative control remained firmly in the hands of the colonizers or those loyal to them.

By the mid-20th century, pressures for decolonization were growing, and education was seen as a preparatory step for eventual self-governance. The British used education to prepare a select group of Africans for participation in governance, albeit often in a limited and controlled capacity. This was a strategic move to manage the transition in a manner that would maintain influence and stability as calls for independence intensified.

The concept of "the new African" through mass education is fraught with contradictions. While it promised modernization and development, it also enforced a paternalistic view of Africans needing to be elevated by European intervention. Critics argue that such educational policies were a form of cultural imperialism that undermined African identities and autonomy.