A Deterritorialized History: Investigating German Colonialism ...
A Deterritorialized History: Investigating German Colonialism ...
A Deterritorialized History: Investigating German Colonialism ...
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coincided with government economic aims. Once established in Africa, enterprises<br />
always looked to expand their markets and trading areas in order to maximize profits, and<br />
the government strove to facilitate this. 10 In fact, companies often required government<br />
protection to conduct business. For example, during the 1893 war with the Witbooi tribe,<br />
trade completely ceased when the Southwest African colonial administration was unable<br />
to exert its authority. As well, utopian dreams of “a <strong>German</strong> India” in Africa continued<br />
to exist in the imaginations of businessmen and citizens that demanded both more money<br />
and effort to fully realize. 11 Businesses maintained government support by reiterating<br />
how colonial economic success would result in benefits for all <strong>German</strong>s. 12 Commercial<br />
groups and the government also ceaselessly tried to develop industries as diverse as<br />
mining, rice, tobacco, rubber and the ostrich-feather trade. 13 Whatever the industry, the<br />
Reich appreciated the profits accrued by successful companies and extolled the success of<br />
the showpiece Togo colony. 14<br />
The expected benefits of the exploitation of African resources, people and<br />
territory led companies to zealously guard their colonial possessions and continually look<br />
to expand their respective commercial zones. For instance, the plantation economy of<br />
East Africa encouraged the DOAG to consolidate all social, political and economic<br />
power in the colony in its hands. The DOAG provides a model of Marxist monopoly<br />
capital in its rule of East Africa from 1887 to 1891. This and the DKG’s role in colonial<br />
expansion present a crucial vision of the paradigm of cartel capitalism and its links to the<br />
nation-state. The efforts of the government to assist companies’ extension and<br />
consolidation through the construction of colonial infrastructure such as railways further<br />
evidences the connections between commerce and government. 15<br />
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