Question

Partition was something done to countries by colonial powers either as a way for them to establish their own territory or when the colonized country was gaining independence. Discuss some of the issues that arose with the mostly arbitrary partitioning of lands by colonial powers. Use real examples in your response.

Answer 1

The partitioning of the countries that were colonized happened because of two reasons, one being the long term interest of the colonists, and the other one being to avoid conflicts after the granting of independence. The problem was that things were not turning out in practice as they were planned, so immediate conflicts and bloodshed occurred at multiple places. The best example is the partition of India. The country was divided into two countries based on religious preference, hoping to avoid internal conflict. In reality, it was the opposite, everything escalated immediately and the Hindu and Muslim populations started to fight against each other, with millions of people ending up dead or displaced. Even after half a century, it is still very tense, and India and Pakistan are constantly provoking each other and threatening with war.