Throughout history, the capitalist world system has tried to solve the necessity of expansion through new geographies. The 19th century colonization of Asia and Africa, the 20th century redivision of the Middle East, and the 21st century colonization of the digital space are different historical forms of this necessity of expansion. Today, monopoly capital has largely completed the restructuring in the Middle East and has set its sights on Africa. For this reason, Africa is preparing to become the stage of the fourth war of division. This war will not be a short-lived conflict, but a long struggle for hegemony that will last two hundred years.
Africa's Historical Position: From Colonialism to Neo-Colonialism
Africa was the most intensively colonized area of European imperialism in the 19th century. The Berlin Conference (1884-1885) was the official beginning of the division of the continent between the imperialist powers. This partition fragmented the ethnic, cultural and historical structure of Africa, created artificial borders and made the peoples hostile to each other. These borders are still one of the main causes of the continent's political instability today. In the mid-20th century, independence movements rose and many African countries gained independence, but economic dependence persisted. Therefore, even though Africa seemed to be decolonized, it continued to live under Neo-Colonialism. Neo-colonialism is not carried out through military occupation, but through economic dependency, debt, trade agreements and the control of multinational corporations.
Africa's Economic Potential: The New Target of Monopoly Capital
Africa has the largest reserves of natural resources of the 21st century,
- Dünya kobalt rezervlerinin %70’i
- Platin rezervlerinin %60’ı
- Mangan rezervlerinin %40’ı
- Gold, diamonds, uranium and most of the rare earth elements
- Large areas of land suitable for agriculture
- Young and rapidly growing population.
These resources are vital for monopoly capital. Because the basic raw materials of digital capitalism, lithium, cobalt, nickel, rare earth elements are concentrated in Africa. Therefore, Africa is a strategic region not only for classical colonialism but also for the future of digital capitalism.
China, the US, the EU and Russia's Rivalry in Africa
Africa today is an area of intense competition between the four great powers.
1. China
Giant infrastructure investments under the Belt and Road Project
Ports, railways, power plants
Africa's largest trading partner
Creating economic dependency through debt
2. USA
Military bases and security agreements
Military operations through AFRICOM
Heavy presence of energy and mining companies
A strategy to limit China's influence
3. European Union
Neo-Colonial trade agreements
Exploitation of agriculture and raw materials
Mechanisms of pressure through migration policies
4. Russia
Private military companies like Wagner
Security agreements
Mineral exploitation rights. This rivalry indicates that the future war for the division of Africa will have a multipolar character.
Africa's Young Population: Both Potential and Threat
Africa's population will reach 2.5 billion in 2050. Most of this population is young. This is both an opportunity and a threat for monopoly capital,
Opportunity. Cheap labor, large market, consumption potential
Threats. The possibility of the rise of revolutionary movements, political instability, independenceist tendencies. This is why monopoly capital is developing ideological, economic and military mechanisms to control the young population in Africa.
Fragmentation of Africa, New Sykes-Picot Plans
The future of Africa is being shaped in a similar way to the past of the Middle East. Monopoly capital wants to fragment the continent along ethnic, religious and regional lines. This fragmentation makes the continent easier to control. Therefore, in Africa,
- Civil wars
- Impacts
- Regional conflicts
- Ethnic tensions
- Sectarian divisions.
Already in the Middle East, it is being constantly fueled in Africa by outdated models from the past.
The Long-Term Character of the Fourth World War
The war of partition in Africa will not be a short-lived conflict. This is because,
- The continent is too big
- A wide variety of sources
- Forces are multipolar
- Mechanisms of exploitation are multi-layered
- The potential for resistance is high.
The fourth war of partition will therefore be a long struggle for hegemony that will last two hundred years.
The Duty of Working Peoples: Making Africa Part of the Global Struggle
The future of Africa is the future not only of the continent but also of the working peoples of the world. Because the exploitation of Africa will deepen global inequality, increase the power of monopoly capital and complicate the struggle of the world working class. For this reason.
- Solidarity with Revolutionary Movements in Africa
- The fight against neo-colonialism
- Joint resistance against digital exploitation
- International working class organization.
It is a historical necessity to regulate these issues in accordance with the process of the new era of development and globalization.