When you hear the word “civilization,” it often brings up thoughts of progress, culture, and development. But for much of Africa, “civilization” was just a cover for exploitation and cruelty, especially when it came to colonial powers like Britain and France. Despite their different approaches, these two European giants had one shared goal: to squeeze as much wealth and resources out of Africa as possible, all while presenting themselves as benevolent rulers bringing progress to the continent. But beneath their promises of “civilization” was a dark, ruthless game of power, wealth, and control. 

How It All Began: Britain’s Trade of Humans and Resources

It started in the 15th and 16th centuries when Europeans began flocking to Africa, but their motives were far from noble. In Britain’s case, they didn’t start with territorial conquest—they were interested in wealth. Under Queen Elizabeth I, British pirates, called “sea dogs,” including a man named John Hawkins, were sent to raid Spanish ships in Africa. But soon, the British switched gears to focus on something even darker—capturing Africans and selling them as slaves in the West Indies. This started the infamous transatlantic slave trade, where enslaved Africans were sent to work on plantations, with the products of their labor shipped back to Britain.

Seeing how profitable this was, the British government got fully involved. In 1672, King Charles II officially created the Royal African Company, which had the sole right to trade in Africa’s looted resources, including gold, ivory, and enslaved people. It wasn’t until the late 1800s, after the Berlin Conference, that Britain officially started claiming African territories, but until then, they operated through a system of trade posts and indirect control. Their goal was clear: take as much as possible while spending as little as possible.

France’s Dream of Empire

While the British focused on trade, the French had grander ambitions—they wanted territory and to build an empire. In 1659, they established a trading post in Saint-Louis, Senegal, as the starting point for what they hoped would be a vast French-controlled empire stretching across West and North Africa. The French didn’t just want Africa’s resources; they wanted to spread their language, culture, and religion as part of their so-called “mission civilisatrice,” or civilizing mission. They believed they were bringing enlightenment to the people of Africa, but this “civilizing mission” was really about control and domination. 

Different Systems, Same Goal: Exploitation

Though their methods differed, the British and French shared a common goal—to exploit Africa for their own gain. The British preferred to rule indirectly. They installed puppet rulers—local chiefs or elites loyal to Britain—who would govern on behalf of the British. This helped Britain keep costs low while still maintaining control. They also used Christian missionaries to open schools, which helped them further entrench British culture in the colonies. 

France, on the other hand, had a policy of “assimilation.” The French wanted to make Africans into second-class French citizens by teaching them French language and culture. Those who assimilated and reached a certain level were called ‘évolués,’ meaning “the evolved ones.” These Africans gained some limited rights but were still treated as inferior to native French citizens. In some cases, like in Senegal, the French even allowed these évolués to elect representatives to the French National Assembly, but it was all part of a system designed to keep power firmly in French hands.

Building an Empire on African Backs

Infrastructure—like railways and roads—was often hailed as one of the benefits of colonialism. But these projects were not meant to benefit Africans. Instead, they were designed to extract resources. The French built the Congo-Ocean Railway to transport timber and minerals from Congo-Brazzaville to ports where they could be shipped to France. Similarly, in the British Gold Coast (modern-day Ghana), the British built railways to carry gold and other minerals to be shipped back to Britain.

What’s worse, Africans were forced to build this infrastructure through a brutal system of unpaid labor. The French introduced the “prestation policy,” which required Africans to work for free for 12 days each year. This forced labor even extended to children, and it became so widespread that an international agreement was signed in 1930 to prohibit it—but colonial powers like Britain and France simply ignored the rules. To add insult to injury, the French also drafted Africans into their army, using them for forced labor and colonial wars.

Crushing Dissent and Controlling Economies

Resistance to colonial rule was often met with violence. In Sierra Leone, when Africans protested against British taxes on their homes (known as the Hut Tax), it led to the Hut Tax War of 1898. The British used their West African Frontier Force to crush these uprisings, making it clear that any attempt to resist colonial rule would be brutally suppressed. 

The colonial powers also rigged African economies to keep them dependent on Europe. Africans were forced to grow cash crops like cotton and cocoa, which were sold at low prices to colonial companies. Then, those companies would ship the raw materials to Europe, where they would be turned into finished goods and sold back to Africa at high prices. This cycle of exploitation ensured that Africa remained poor while Europe grew richer.

Different currencies were also imposed, like the British West African pound and the French CFA Franc, further tying African economies to Europe. Even after independence, these systems of economic exploitation persisted. France, for example, maintained tight control over its former colonies through agreements known as Françafrique. Meanwhile, Britain maintained influence through the Commonwealth of Nations, a group of former British colonies that still kept British structures in place.

Legacy of Colonialism

Although British and French methods of colonial rule were different—Britain’s indirect rule versus France’s assimilation policy—both systems were designed to exploit Africa’s resources while keeping Africans in a state of dependency. The effects of this exploitation are still deeply felt today, as African countries struggle with underdevelopment, poverty, and political instability, all rooted in the colonial systems imposed by Britain and France. 

The story of Africa’s colonization is not one of civilization but of barbarism carried out in the name of progress. Both Britain and France played a brutal game of control and exploitation that continues to shape the continent’s future.