WAEC Government 2020 Theory — Question 7

Model answer

Differences between the Crown Colony and the Protectorate (any five): (i) The Crown Colony was a form of direct control by a foreign power while the Protectorate were governed indirectly. For example, Lagos was a Crown Colony after it became a Crown Colony after it was ceded to the British by King Dosumu in 1861. (ii) All the activities of the Crown Colony were controlled by the sovereign country while the Protectorate received only protection and acted independently. (iii) An Act of Parliament created a Crown Colony while a Protectorate was established by treaties or agreement and proclamation. (iv) A Crown Colony was a legal possession of the British Crown while the Protectorate remained under the authority of traditional rulers. (v) A Crown Colony was administratively well structured with Legislative and Executive Councils while the Protectorate were largely ruled by precepts of traditional authorities. (vi) A Crown Colony was a territory invaded by a larger power e.g. Britain which sets up its own government in the colony headed by a Governor while a protectorate was a territory protected by a stronger power. (vii) Crown Colonies had no sovereignty but the Protectorate retained their sovereignty and had their defence and external relations handled by the Protector. (viii) A Crown Colony was dominated and exploited unlike the Protectorate which was semi-autonomous. (ix) The Crown Colony was ruled by uniformed British laws while the Protectorate was subjected to traditional institutions. (x) The Africans in the Crown Colonies were British subjects while those in the Protectorates were protected persons. (xi) The Crown Colonies had a lot of infrastructural developments while the protectorate hardly experienced such development. (xii) The administration of the Crown Colony was expensive compared to the protectorate which was run on low budget.