CENPA-166~04 |
Save page Remove page | Previous | 4 of 12 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large (1000x1000 max)
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
This page
All
|
Loading content ...
THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONALISM IN MOZAMBIQUE - Page 4. to be the proverbial "King Solomon's Mines". Again, in this instance, the imperialistic activities of the Portuguese affected an area which included what is today known as Zambia and Zimbabwe or Southern Rhodesia. The capital of Monomotapa's empire was located in Mashonaland and was part of the Makalanga confederacy of that time. During a period of 200 years, the Portuguese were able to derive a great deal of wealth by the simple fact that it had been able to control the flow of commerce from the interior of the country to the coastal city states and abroad. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Portuguese aothority was firmly enough established in the northern and central parts of Mozambique so that it was possible to introduce Catholic missionaries, first, the Dominicans, then the Jesuits, who were the first to introduce Christianity in East Africa. However, whatever success this first missionary effort was crowned with, was almost completely destroyed in the 18th century by the corrupting effect of the marriage which had naturally resulted from the association of commercial, religious and political activities of the Church and the State. It was during this time that the prazeiros system was introduced in Mozambique. Prazeiros were Portuguese white and Mulatto settlers and landowners who, not unlike European feudal lords, ruled those Africans who had the misfortune to fall under their authority and control. Their lot was worse than that of slaves. These prazeiros often controlled v/hole districts as personal properties and recognised no law but their own, and only occasionally paid their vassalage to the king of Portugal. Jesuit and Dominican missionaries of the time also came to own vast tracts of land, administering it like any prazeiro, collecting head taxes and when slavery became more profitable, they dealt in slaves. It was out of the prazo system that the great land companies, such as the Nyasa and Manica e Sofala companies developed. It can also be presumed that at least the peculiarly Portuguese and heartless concessionary company system which typifies the major economic enterprises of Portuguese colonialism derived its refinements from the prazos system of this period. Corruption in the prazos system was so rampant that by the third decade of the 19th century even the Portuguese government felt compelled to outlaw it. Among other reasons for its abolition by the Portuguese colonial gavernment, the prazos system was notorious for fostering insecurity for person and property, and for the excessive number of Africans who were compelled to leave the area altogether due to the slaving practices of the manor lords. All of this resulted in the almost complete collapse of the Portuguese administration. However, in order to reimpose Portuguese authority, it was necessary to recruit the cooperation of some of the prazeiros, which meant their reinstatement; therefore, the vicious circle!
Object Description
Description
Title | CENPA-166~04 |
Filename | CENPA-166~04.tiff |
Full text | THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONALISM IN MOZAMBIQUE - Page 4. to be the proverbial "King Solomon's Mines". Again, in this instance, the imperialistic activities of the Portuguese affected an area which included what is today known as Zambia and Zimbabwe or Southern Rhodesia. The capital of Monomotapa's empire was located in Mashonaland and was part of the Makalanga confederacy of that time. During a period of 200 years, the Portuguese were able to derive a great deal of wealth by the simple fact that it had been able to control the flow of commerce from the interior of the country to the coastal city states and abroad. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Portuguese aothority was firmly enough established in the northern and central parts of Mozambique so that it was possible to introduce Catholic missionaries, first, the Dominicans, then the Jesuits, who were the first to introduce Christianity in East Africa. However, whatever success this first missionary effort was crowned with, was almost completely destroyed in the 18th century by the corrupting effect of the marriage which had naturally resulted from the association of commercial, religious and political activities of the Church and the State. It was during this time that the prazeiros system was introduced in Mozambique. Prazeiros were Portuguese white and Mulatto settlers and landowners who, not unlike European feudal lords, ruled those Africans who had the misfortune to fall under their authority and control. Their lot was worse than that of slaves. These prazeiros often controlled v/hole districts as personal properties and recognised no law but their own, and only occasionally paid their vassalage to the king of Portugal. Jesuit and Dominican missionaries of the time also came to own vast tracts of land, administering it like any prazeiro, collecting head taxes and when slavery became more profitable, they dealt in slaves. It was out of the prazo system that the great land companies, such as the Nyasa and Manica e Sofala companies developed. It can also be presumed that at least the peculiarly Portuguese and heartless concessionary company system which typifies the major economic enterprises of Portuguese colonialism derived its refinements from the prazos system of this period. Corruption in the prazos system was so rampant that by the third decade of the 19th century even the Portuguese government felt compelled to outlaw it. Among other reasons for its abolition by the Portuguese colonial gavernment, the prazos system was notorious for fostering insecurity for person and property, and for the excessive number of Africans who were compelled to leave the area altogether due to the slaving practices of the manor lords. All of this resulted in the almost complete collapse of the Portuguese administration. However, in order to reimpose Portuguese authority, it was necessary to recruit the cooperation of some of the prazeiros, which meant their reinstatement; therefore, the vicious circle! |
Archival file | Volume11/CENPA-166~04.tiff |