51 lines
2.1 KiB
Markdown
51 lines
2.1 KiB
Markdown
The **Agbekoya Parapo Uprising** was a [peasants'
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revolt](Peasants#List_of_Peasant_Rebellions "wikilink") and [class
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war](Class_War "wikilink") from [1968 to
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1969](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_Western_Africa "wikilink")
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within what we now call [Western
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Nigeria](Federal_Republic_of_Nigeria "wikilink"). The uprising was
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highly successful and led to a better of economic conditions for farmers
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in the area and a significant expansion of political rights.
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## Background
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Western Nigeria had been one of the worlds most profitable areas for
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[cocoa production](Agriculture "wikilink"), produced by a system of
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[farmers' cooperatives](Worker_Cooperative "wikilink") rooted in
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indigenous culture. The state had hoped to expand its tax base by
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regulating and [taxing](Taxation "wikilink") this economy. They began to
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manage the cooperatives through 'marketing boards' (decreasing
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productivity, as bureaucracy became more and more common), and installed
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officers to collect taxes. Corruption set in very quickly, as officers
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headed extortion rings and demanded bribes, and the government only saw
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the farmers as pawns to be manipulated for political gain.\[1\]
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## Events
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Peasants began to march from town to town, attacking government symbols
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of power, such as offices and courts, while executing government
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officials. Prisoners were freed from jails and violence with the police
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and military escalating, with the government eventually caving in to the
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peasants demands.\[2\]
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## Results
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The uprising led to five major changes, which benefited the peasants:
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- The removal of the corrupt officials administering local villages
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- Reduction in the flat tax rate
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- The end of force
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- An increase in the price of cocoa
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- The improvement of [roads](Transportation "wikilink") leading to the
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villages\[3\]
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## References
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<references />
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1. [Wikipedia](Wikipedia "wikilink") -
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<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agbekoya#Background>
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2. [Wikipedia](Wikipedia "wikilink") -
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<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agbekoya#The_Revolt>
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3. [Wikipedia](Wikipedia "wikilink") -
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<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agbekoya#Aftermath> |