1947–1960sReputable sourceWell documented

Decolonization: Democracy Goes Global

On the timeline · around 1947–1960s · Democracy for All

What happened

After the Second World War, dozens of former colonies in Asia and Africa won independence, beginning with India in 1947 and accelerating through the 'Year of Africa' in 1960. Most adopted the forms of democratic self-government — constitutions, elections, parliaments — though many struggled to sustain them.

Why it matters

Decolonization spread democratic ideals and institutions across most of the world for the first time, turning what had been a mainly Western form of government into a global standard and aspiration.

Sources

U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian. Decolonization of Asia and Africa, 1945–1960 · Reputable source

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The British Empire → — The end of empire and the rise of new nations

Part of a timelineHistory of Democracy12 events · From an Athenian assembly to universal human rights — 2,500 years of the idea that people should rule themselves, every milestone sourced.View all →