Changes in Political and National Boundaries

Precolonial Malawi historical records are obscure as the culture relied mainly on orally told stories.  Because of this, most of Malawi's early history "remains European centered".[1]  Colonial rule began in 1891 establishing its authority over Malawians thereby changing its boundaries and organization as a whole.[2]  African reactions were mixed, with some in Malawi resisting this imposed control, and some tribes accepting peacefully while welcoming the intrusion upon the nation.[3]  This imposed rule saw an integration of British rule with traditional African cultures.  In fact, "although Malawi never attracted a significant European settler population"[4], land ownership and property rights amounted to fifteen percent of the Protectorate's area.  This overspill across boundaries in Malawi triggered the need for labor.  Taxing Africans induced them to seek higher paying jobs.  This search often led to "considerable African migration abroad" which affected social systems and the "growth of national sentiment and activity".[5]  

Having achieved full independence from the British commonwealth in 1964, Malawi's economy experienced healthy growth for several years impacting the nation's stability in positive ways including the nation's morale overall without much resistance to cultural boundaries.  In the late 1970s and during the next fifteen years, however, "Malawi suffered from economic shocks" due to droughts, oil prices, and international borrowing.[6]

National Flag of Malawi
The rising sun represents the dawn of hope and freedom for the continent of Africa (when the flag was created, more countries in Africa were gaining independence from European rule). The black represents the indigenous people of the continent, the red symbolizes the blood of their struggle, and the green represents nature.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Malawi

Holding its first post-independence election in 1961, Malawi remained under the "one-party rule of the Malawi Congress Party until 1994".[7]  After a new constitution was adopted in 1995, "a presidential form of government with an independent legislature and judiciary"[8] was formed, which resulted in a "concentration of power".[8]  Although an introduction to democracy and a multi-party system has aroused "high expectations from the people"[9] of Malawi, its present day political system is failing at meeting them.  According to Patel, "In recent years, all the parties have lost credibility- for reasons ranging from shifting loyalties and allegiances to an almost total disregard for ideology and values".[10]  

Day to day life for Malawians is a continuing struggle due to the corruption in the country's government.  Anti-government protests in 2011 led to British cessation of aid because of Malawi's mismanaging "the economy and failing to uphold human rights"[11] and in January 2014 Malawi experienced the Cashgate affair, "the country's biggest corruption scandal"[12] in history.  

__________________________________________________
1. Roger K. Tangri, "Political Change in Colonial Malawi: A Bibliographical Essay," African Studies Bulletin 11, no. 3 (December 1968): 270, accessed December 2, 2014, http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/stable/523095?seq=2, ¶ 1.
2. Ibid, ¶ 3.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid, 271, ¶ 3.
5. Ibid, 272, ¶ 1.
6. Nandini Patel, "Political Parties: Development and Change in Malawi", Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa, no. 21 (2005): 8, ¶ 4,  accessed December 3, 2014, http://dspace.africaportal.org/jspui/bitstream/123456789/30345/1/rr21.pdf?1.
7. Ibid, xii, ¶ 3.
8. Ibid, 19, ¶ 1.
9. Ibid, 62, ¶ 1.
10. Ibid.
11. BBC News Africa, "Malawi Profile", BBC News Africa, (June 1, 2014), accessed December 3, 2014, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13881367, ¶ 52.
12. Ibid, ¶ 58.