Final answer:
The primary clash between peasants and the bourgeoisie in colonial southern Africa arose from economic disparities created by colonial policies that favored European economic interests and disrupted local economies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The peasants and bourgeoisie clashed during the colonial rule in southern Africa primarily because of economic disparities. Colonialism prevented the rise of a wealthy capitalist class within Africa by sidelining Africans from the import-export trade and barring them from starting factories. This policy established a system where a militant authoritarian state, directed by the colonizers, ruled over indigenous political systems. The imposed colonial rule and economic structures were incompatible with the existing African economic systems and customs, leading to tensions and clashes between the two groups.European colonialism in Africa disrupted local economies and social structures. The colonizers extracted raw materials and used forced labor to profit European economies. Traditional industries collapsed under the influx of industrially produced goods from Europe, leading to significant economic imbalance. Colonizers frequently harnessed local chiefs to enforce colonial policies, often against the interests of their own people. The lingering effects of such colonial policies are witnessed in post-colonial Africa's economic problems, including high levels of government corruption, poorly developed industries, and ethnically divided societies. The colonial administration's focus was the exploitation of resources rather than local welfare, promoting tensions between different social classes, including the rural peasants and the emergent bourgeoisie.Conclusion The main reason for the clashes between peasants and the bourgeoisie in colonial southern Africa was rooted in the forced economic changes and social reorganization that benefitted European powers at the expense of local African economies and societies.