Postcolonial Age (original) (raw)

The post-colonial age refers to the period since 1945, when numerous colonies and possessions of major Western countries began to gain independence, in the wake of the end of World War II. The process of decolonization has occurred all throughout modern history of the Western world; namely any time a colonial possession achieves independence or sovereignty, or some form of greater autonomy, that is a valid occurrence of decolonization; however the period since 1945 is particularly notable, largely due to the breakup of colonial empires held by many major European powers.