A Deterritorialized History: Investigating German Colonialism ...
A Deterritorialized History: Investigating German Colonialism ...
A Deterritorialized History: Investigating German Colonialism ...
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security that in turn motivated some <strong>German</strong>s to support aggressive economic expansion<br />
in the colonies. However, later abuses in the colonies shifted public opinion as the<br />
abuses were seen to be the result of the lack of restraints upon the charter companies. 30<br />
Economics had an even greater impact upon the African population, since they<br />
were the subjects of the European economic system forced upon traditional African<br />
economic networks. The wealth-potential of <strong>German</strong> trade that was introduced to<br />
African systems of exchange had an understandably massive effect. Pre-colonial African<br />
economics were shattered by the possibilities of Western technology and economics.<br />
Traditional trade networks were disrupted in favour of products favoured by <strong>German</strong><br />
business, and precious goods that could have supported African economics were often<br />
diverted to European trade. As <strong>German</strong> control was consolidated, African peoples were<br />
forbidden from selling their products on the market and had to enlist <strong>German</strong><br />
intermediaries. 31 This illustrated the deterritorialization of native economics in favour of<br />
<strong>German</strong> trade. While autochthonous peoples tried to reterritorialize alternate commercial<br />
transactions, the <strong>German</strong> economic structures rendered this impossible. Widespread<br />
impoverishment amongst groups caused the Southwest African administration to suspend<br />
credit sales to the nomadic tribes, but even this “radical” measure was rescinded by the<br />
Chancellor upon the request of the business lobby. 32 Extortionate business dealings like<br />
the exploitative credit transactions forced upon the Herero peoples by <strong>German</strong> traders and<br />
the reciprocal trading practices on the part of powerful autonomous tribes like the Herero<br />
show the precedence of economics in relations between <strong>German</strong>s and Africans. 33 In fact,<br />
one of the first indications of the 1904 revolt was Herero attacks upon these same<br />
<strong>German</strong> merchants. 34 Here was a reterritorialization of <strong>German</strong> capital as tribal peoples<br />
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