Imperialism and Its Offspring

...Lauding the accomplishments of the French mission civilisatrice, he notes that "what is most striking is the extraordinary spirit of give and take between European and African, the recognition by the French ruler of the humanity and dignity of the African, and the willingness of the French to face the full consequences of this recognition...

...The material on Portugal is the weakest in the book, for Easton fails to describe the activities—or even the existence—of the Mozambique and Angola nationalists in exile, and he probably exaggerates the ability of the Portuguese to insulate these restless areas from outside developments...

...In still-dependent areas "where white settlers cloud the future...

...The British might indeed have been "realistic" in dealing with certain nationalist movements—but only after force failed to destroy them...

...Independence for people "just out of the trees...

...The section on Belgium, written before the Congo's independence, is somewhat anti-climactic after the plethora of recent articles condemning Belgium's failure to prepare her wards for self-government...

...217 pp...

...will usually point self-righteously to European achievements in rescuing the various "natives" from atheism, anarchy, ignorance and disease...

...Colonialism" and "European" often become synonymous with "exploitation...

...Probably most illuminating are the accounts of the frightful conditions under which the African lives...

...But this is not to be interpreted derogatorily: Given the large body of information already available on South Africa, an up-to-the-minute account of personalities and passions in this strife-ridden land is far more useful than another rehash of academic material...

...By far the most valuable portions of the book are those dealing with Africa...

...Here Easton discusses the methods by which the various territories were obtained, the contrasting aims of the European powers vis-a-vis their empires, the degrees of success they achieved and future relations between former master and protege...

...And Phillips, who was present during the Sharpeville riots and their aftermath, gives a fine description of the emotion-charged atmosphere...

...For here at last is a thorough, penetrating and honest assessment of colonialism and the problems arising from it...

...Having long been a member of the British Commonwealth, South Africa does not properly belong within the scope of this work...

...The Tragedy oj Apartheid, by the foreign news editor of the Toronto Star, therefore makes an excellent supplement to Easton's study...

...He also discusses the persons and programs of the leading political movements, black and white, and makes the only prediction possible for South Africa: mounting unrest, marked by increased racial explosions...

...In many ways, Phillips' book is the opposite of Twilight—it is impressionistic, "journalistic" and obviously a quickie...

...However, they also receive some sharp rebukes for "a failure in historical insight and a certain moral blindness at the human level...

...Only they themselves know what should be done, and they have always felt that "it is the task of the white man to convert the African to his point of view...

...4.00...

...However...

...That it failed so miserably in the political sphere he blames on an inflexibility and lack of imagination...

...Reiewed by Lorna Hahn Author, "North Africa: Nationalism to Nationhood PROBABLY FEW WORDS in international political parlance arouse more partisan reactions and more heated debates than "colonialism...

...However, he provides sufficient information on the exploitation of the Portuguese African for the reader to be able to draw the pessimistic conclusions which the author fails to voice...

...The author carefully explains, for example, that the new French Community concept did not spring suddenly from the brow of President de Gaulle, but is instead the product of long years of French cooperation with the African, and of ideas voiced by such African leaders as Felix Houphouet-Boigny...

...McKay...

...Easton makes the interesting observation that Belgium, more than any other colonial power, had at least a definite scheme in mind as to what it hoped to accomplish in the economic and educational fields...

...The exhaustive section on "Overseas France...

...Stewart Easton must therefore be congratulated on an almost singular achievement...

...Easton's book, which will long remain a major source of information in its field, leaves almost untouched one crucial area: South Africa...

...Obyiously the product of years of careful research and reflection (despite the pleasant paucity of footnotes), it manages to discuss both colonizer and colonized without condemnation or contempt...

...Rare is the individual in any continent who tries to analyze objectiyely the raisons detre of empires, the record of colonial powers in the economic, political and human spheres, and the evolution of imperialism's offspring, nationalism...

...or that a nationalist can be sincere in wanting to better the lot of his people...

...For...

...Pre-colonial patterns of native life tend to be dismissed as unworthy of serious discussion, and nationalist leaders are regarded as ambitious demagogues who care little for the welfare of their followers...

...which presents a wealth of information previously unavailable in English, is particularly useful in the light of current developments...

...His explanation of how Congo "party" lines coincide almost completely with tribal affiliations should prove most helpful in analyzing future developments in this anarchic "republic...

...Defenders of empire, placed increasingly on the defensive since World War II...

...but if one interprets "colonialism" in the broad sense, South Africa certainly belongs within the framework of discussion...

...The menial jobs, the wretched housing and hospital conditions, the degrading pass system, the humiliating punishments in the prisons—all are shown in morbid detail...

...Easton warns that ultimate independence is probably inevitable...

...The British receive the usual amount of praise for having trained respectable corps of civil servants and for preparing such countries as Ghana and Nigeria for independence...

...One may only hope that books such as this will lead to further thought about South Africa—and other tension-ridden areas—and that this will lead ultimately to some ameliorative action...

...according to the classic argument, can only mean disaster for them as well as for the West, since either anarchy or Communism will enter after the departure of the Captains and the Kings...

...claims the author with much justification, they have always refused to concede that an African can pos-sibly know what is good for him...

...There is no attempt to tie in South African developments with those in the rest of Africa, but the book does not claim to be anything other than "a journalist's experiences in the South African riots...

...Ardent advocates of "the sacred right of self-determination" are also apt to ignore or color pertinent facts...

...forgetting that it was the white man who built the great cities and fought the mosquitoes, and that former African and Asian empires likewise deprived subject people of "self-determination...

...By Norman Phillips...

...And if it is to be achieved with a minimum of bloodshed and bitterness, he suggests that the whites be pressured into granting universal suffrage and increased participation in the colonial administration so that the Africans will have some training for self-government...

...and where the African has precious few political privileges...