Introduction Modernization can be described as a transformation process by which a society achieves modernity because of various developments. Colonialism played a role in both accelerating and slowing modernization process in the colonies. This paper focuses on how colonialism contributed towards and against modernization. How colonialism accelerated modernization process Colonialism contributed to modernization to both the colonies and the colonizers. The colonizers had their development in that they needed strong political power and military force in order to effectively fight resistance from the African states. They therefore had to use appropriate measures to expand and reinforce their political power and military force and this increased modernization (Gann and Duignan 1975, p. 162). Secondly, the European countries experienced some economic boost. They exploited the mines of their colonies and got gold among other valuable minerals. They also did set up big plantations in which the Africans provided cheap labor as slaves. This created a lot of wealth for them and experienced developments in their states paving better way for modernization (Makdisi 178). Colonialism also accelerated modernization of religion in terms of Christianity. In most indigenous countries, they had traditional way of worship that was replaced by Christianity in most parts of the world that was introduced by the colonizers (Miswano Para. 2). Colonialism paved way for modernization in the colonized countries in that it brought in exposure to the colonies. They were able to interact with the outside world and come out of their cocoons. This facilitated sharing of information and knowledge, which is power. They had a chance to learn other cultures and even establish beneficial relationships with others. The colonies used to have informal educational systems but the colonizers introduced formal education systems. This education system opened the minds of the people and they were able to think outside the box. There was establishment of schools in which the Indigenous people enrolled. The colonies also benefited from introduction of new technology by the colonizers who sought to improve the infrastructure in terms of roads to ease their movement, introduction of technically better and improved farming equipments that were used in the plantations, building equipments and better industrial machines and tools (Robson and Yee, 2005, p. 64). The colonizers did not only introduce improved technology but they also taught the people in their colonies on better and improved farming techniques as they worked in their plantations. The skills learnt in farming were of great help to the colonies since they applied them in their farms after independence and this accelerated their modernization process. There was also introduction of cash crops by the colonizers. During colonial period, the indigenous people mostly worked as slaves in the plantations where the cash crops were grown, however, after independence they were able to produce the same cash crops and export them. Income generated from the proceeds was used to develop the economy i.e. purchase of better equipments, setting up of factorie