Winds of Change Blow Across Africa
Winston Churchill declared shortly after the second world war that winds of change were blowing across the African continent. The speech in which he made this statement is commonly seen as a watershed moment, the day that the colonial powers realized that Africa was ready to determine its own future and it would be in their best interests to heed the call for political independence that was sweeping the continent. The reality that the European powers had to face was that they were broke and could no longer support their own economies let alone their colonies. The United States bailed Europe out with free oil at the close of the war and with the Marshall Plan after the war ended. The United States, as a former colony had no interest in supporting the global colonial empires of the fallen European powers and thus did not provide funding to hold the system together until Europe recovered to the point where they could pick up where they had left off.
Though they could not afford to run the colonies, the European powers could still derive economic benefit from harvesting the raw materials. Some of the largest companies which provided millions in financial support for the war effort survived the war relatively intact and had millions more available for funding political campaigns. With sympathizers in power and the matters of the colonies light years away, European political leaders with their hands full and energy focused on local reconstruction gave these large companies free reign to influence international policy. Naturally, the large corporations would act to protect their investments and sources of income.
Business does not do well at making money in conflict unless they are directly contributing to the war effort. The colonies provided raw materials and in order to get those out there had to be peace. The decision was made to identify Africans with who they could do business, moderates who called for peaceful transition and "understood" that Europe would still have to participate in the economies for the long run. This crop of young Africans was sent to various European countries for further education, trained to be administrators and then returned and installed.
I use the term installed because they were the only ones recognized as leaders and given positive press so the locals did not have the opportunity to hear from radicals who's ideas did not mesh with those put out by the European capitals. The idea was to create an environment in which the Africans would feel like they were entering a period of self determination and would have full control of their futures.
Colonial legislative councils were created and Africans were elected to represent the locals. After about a decade and a couple of election cycles it was almost time for independence. The Europeans were also a little crafty. The realized that the systems they were putting in place were technically democracies and those tend to be messy. In order to ensure a smooth transition they had to find something the locals in each country would rally around. Moderate individuals with a reasonable amount of charisma were identified, framed and jailed. Somehow, news about these individuals "leaked" to the press and the African legislators naturally rallied around their jailed colleagues.
The jailed leaders were released in dribbles and those that came out were revered by the legislators and paraded in front of the soon to be electorate. Naturally, when these manufactured heroes spoke in public they set the release of their colleagues as the context within which African legislators and aspiring politicians approached their constituents to ask for support. I am a patriot, I am with you and like you I demand the release of so and so.
The people now had heroes to rally around, people they missed and wanted. Any smart African politician joined the band wagon. Thus the stage was set for the transfer to independence in name. Experienced legislators were in place and the people had jailed leaders they wanted released. The people got what they wanted and the jailed leaders were released with great tales of tribulations they suffered in jail.
Their standing propelled them to the helm of political leadership and the parties they headed were invited into talks with the colonial powers and deals were brokered for independence with the recently released leaders being given all the credit.
Naturally the people identified these leaders as the fathers of the nation and rallied around them, they transcended politics and parties. Shortly after independence any remaining parties molded into the ones led by these leaders and the stage was set for dictatorships that created the legacy that burdens us to this day.
Though they could not afford to run the colonies, the European powers could still derive economic benefit from harvesting the raw materials. Some of the largest companies which provided millions in financial support for the war effort survived the war relatively intact and had millions more available for funding political campaigns. With sympathizers in power and the matters of the colonies light years away, European political leaders with their hands full and energy focused on local reconstruction gave these large companies free reign to influence international policy. Naturally, the large corporations would act to protect their investments and sources of income.
Business does not do well at making money in conflict unless they are directly contributing to the war effort. The colonies provided raw materials and in order to get those out there had to be peace. The decision was made to identify Africans with who they could do business, moderates who called for peaceful transition and "understood" that Europe would still have to participate in the economies for the long run. This crop of young Africans was sent to various European countries for further education, trained to be administrators and then returned and installed.
I use the term installed because they were the only ones recognized as leaders and given positive press so the locals did not have the opportunity to hear from radicals who's ideas did not mesh with those put out by the European capitals. The idea was to create an environment in which the Africans would feel like they were entering a period of self determination and would have full control of their futures.
Colonial legislative councils were created and Africans were elected to represent the locals. After about a decade and a couple of election cycles it was almost time for independence. The Europeans were also a little crafty. The realized that the systems they were putting in place were technically democracies and those tend to be messy. In order to ensure a smooth transition they had to find something the locals in each country would rally around. Moderate individuals with a reasonable amount of charisma were identified, framed and jailed. Somehow, news about these individuals "leaked" to the press and the African legislators naturally rallied around their jailed colleagues.
The jailed leaders were released in dribbles and those that came out were revered by the legislators and paraded in front of the soon to be electorate. Naturally, when these manufactured heroes spoke in public they set the release of their colleagues as the context within which African legislators and aspiring politicians approached their constituents to ask for support. I am a patriot, I am with you and like you I demand the release of so and so.
The people now had heroes to rally around, people they missed and wanted. Any smart African politician joined the band wagon. Thus the stage was set for the transfer to independence in name. Experienced legislators were in place and the people had jailed leaders they wanted released. The people got what they wanted and the jailed leaders were released with great tales of tribulations they suffered in jail.
Their standing propelled them to the helm of political leadership and the parties they headed were invited into talks with the colonial powers and deals were brokered for independence with the recently released leaders being given all the credit.
Naturally the people identified these leaders as the fathers of the nation and rallied around them, they transcended politics and parties. Shortly after independence any remaining parties molded into the ones led by these leaders and the stage was set for dictatorships that created the legacy that burdens us to this day.
posted by Bongo at 5:20 PM
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