Step 57 of 95

Political effects

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Loss of sovereignty: Colonies lost the power to make their own laws, tax policies, trade arrangements, foreign relations
Arbitrary borders: Especially in Africa and the Middle East, colonial borders ignored ethnic, linguistic, and historical realities, creating fault lines for future conflicts
Divide and rule: Imperial administrators often deliberately exacerbated ethnic and religious divisions to prevent unified resistance
Authoritarian governance: Colonial governments were typically much more autocratic than the metropolitan governments running them, since they did not need to win local consent