I have been reading about Madagascar’s history recently.It seems like if it played its cards right, it could have remained independent, and quite nearly did. Similar more to Siam/Thailand in terms of playing the great powers against each-other when allowing them to gain various influences and investments in your nation to prevent one outright dominating you. king Radama I was one of the most important rulers in the history of Madagascar. He ruled from 1810 to 1828 and is remembered for trying to modernise and unify the island under the rule of the Merina kingdom. The central peoples of Madagascar who dominated the highlands (while minorities mostly lived in the coastal regions and lowlands)He actually succeeded in unifying Madagascar into one large kingdom rather than a series of petty kingdoms easy to colonise and pick off. And modernised his army with European imports and training (thus steamrolling any other Madagascar ethnic groups petty kingdoms with superior technology and strategy)Before Radama I, Madagascar was divided into many separate kingdoms and communities. His father, Andrianampoinimerina, had already begun expanding Merina power in the central highlands. Radama continued and greatly expanded this project.He made a treaty with the United Kingdom in 1817. In exchange for ending the export of enslaved people, the British provided military training, weapons, and advisers.He modernised every important field rapidly. Making schools to educate the young across Madagascar. Opening trading ports and trade deals with European nations. Creating an official administration and bureaucracy to address taxation and other state issues.Sadly he died goung.in 1828 at the age of 35. His wife and successor, Ranavalona I, reversed many pro-European policies and limited foreign influence. Enacting a long period of isolation (kind of like japans intentional isolation)
>>18465949>it could have remained independent, and quite nearly did.Cuckes by the collapse of the Indian Ocean trade (Portuguese bombed the Swahili coast) and being isolated as one of the few remaining African states post Berlin conference is a super difficult position to be in. Even Thailand was fucked and had to make major concessions.
This weakened Madagascar to the point it allowed the French to annex it in 1896. The country now weakene by decades or rulers who intentionally isolated the island kingdom. Weakened its internal unity so some petty kingdoms had effective independence along the coast for France to exploit these divisions, and a severe backwards lack of technology in war to defend themselves due to this isolation (irs over sixty years later, imagine how different guns he came from King Radama’s time in the 1820’s to the 1890’s.If Madagascar’s Radama lived long, groomed other modernising successors. What could Madagascar have become? Potentially a massive mix of Thailand and Japan I imagine in terms of geopolitics and economic potential.It lacked major industrial resources like coal and iron, similar to Japan.However it has major benefits>HUGE fertile agricultural land>diversity climates and biomes for varied cash crops>in terms of defence yku have a strong mountain defended core, then southern coastal lowlands for good port cities>Madagascar has a highly strategic location in the western Indian Ocean because it sits off the southeastern coast of Mozambique, near major maritime trade routes that connect the Middle East and Persian Gulf, eastern and Southern Africa, India and Southeast Asia, global shipping lanes toward Europe and Asia>the Mozambique Channel is especially important. This channel is one of the key sea lanes for oil tankers, cargo ships, and naval movement traveling around southern Africa, particularly for ships avoiding or connecting with routes through the Suez Canal.To this day Madagascar is actually the massive global supplier of vanilla. Supplying 70-80% of the world’s vanilla beans.Just a lot of advantages squandered by shitty isolationist backward retards gaining control in Madagascar, weakening it to the point th French could annex it, then French colonial extractive rule enforcing a corrupt and backwards government and economic model
>>18465952True, but there was certainly potential for a stronger, more internally unified and developed Madagascar to resist total domination. Accept European dominated treaty ports and deals and such. And by the time of the world wars and decolonisation you’re in a high leverage position to renegotiate things
>>18465958>Just a lot of advantages squandered by shitty isolationist backward retards gaining control in Madagascar, weakening it to the point th French could annex itYoy have to realize that also letting people in was a way for them to subvert the state too? That was pretty common back in the day. There was always a risk in opening up (even to this day).
>>18465963Of course it was. But that’s why it’s a balancing act. You need to let them in enough to strengthen yourself without becoming either outright dependent on them to even exist (because at that point they will just replace you if you make a decision they dislike) but don’t let them in so much they control the countries institutions and systems themselves.IRS why it’s important to make deals with both the British and French regarding treaty ports and trade deals. That way if one directly threatens you, they’re also threatening the economic prosperity of their rival great power. Is a war with a major power really worth it over Madagascar? Even a limited engagement? Not really
>>18465979I’ll add. The French invasion of Madagascar wasn’t even because they felt it was strategic or particularly valuable. It was peak imperial prestige decision making about painting maps. They saw Madagascar was weak and vulnerable and opportunistically took itEven a decent modernised Madagascan army would have been enough to deter them Ethiopia style. The French COULD still take it. But the question is… why? A lot of French desd die a middling colony they now need to also control and suppress dissent in
>>18465982>But the question is… why? A lot of French desd die a middling colony they now need to also control and suppress dissent inPlenty of other empires had similar "but why" wars of expansion or conquest. Madagascar being unsecured means that a potential third party can either swoop in themselves or basically be the top trading partner.
>>18465985Not by the 1890’s. Borders were pretty settled by then.It’s why Italy and Germany were mad because they were late to the colony game. An economically linked Madagascar connected to French and British commerce would not be taken by Britain or France. It’s likeliest invaders are then instead Germany or Italy.Italy wojld probably fail but get sanctions if they succeedGermany would succeed. It’s kind of too big and important to sanction heavily. So most likely it’s just cut off during WW1.Not sure if Britain takes it from there or releases it as an independent (puppet) nation
ranavalona i did nothing wrong she continued to modernize the kingdom and was simply against stupid christian terrorists trying to collapse society through jew worship
Madagascar is too interesting to be such a shithole, I'm sure the Austronesian admixture gives it superior genetic potential to mainland Africa
