Politics of Decolonization: Kenya Europeans and the Land Issue 1960–1965 (African Studies, Series Number 17)

Decolonization in the Third World has most often been approached by tracing the ties of nationalist movements to the attainment of independence. This book attempts to revise the perspective. It presents a model of decolonization centring on the idea that the process was shaped by the reaction of colonial interests to the ascendancy of a nationalist elite. Rather than tracing the upward development of a nationalist movement, it traces the downward manipulation of that movement into a colonial system. The study concludes that instead of being a separating step to remove colonial influence, decolonization in more important respects ensured the continuity of the colonial political economy. The book is of interest to scholars, students and others interested in decolonization, white settles, East African affairs and land reform, as well as the general reader following current events in Africa. Cover......Page 1 Frontmatter......Page 2 Contents......Page 6 Dedication......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 9 Map......Page 11 Introduction: Kenya as a case study......Page 12 1 - Consensual decolonization: conditions, process, and the salient aspects of the Kenyan case......Page 15 2 - Background to decolonization: trends and groups in the European community......Page 30 3 - 1960, initiating the bargain: the lobbying on the land issue and the dividing of the European community......Page 57 4 - 1961, negotiating the bargain: accelerating the bargaining, deepening the divisions......Page 86 5 - 1962, making the bargain: the resolution of the land issue and the dissolution of the European groups......Page 116 6 - 1960--1970, sealing the bargain: the implementation of the Kenya land transfer schemes......Page 146 7 - Conclusion: Europeans, land and decolonization......Page 175 Notes......Page 187 Selected bibliography......Page 220 Index......Page 230 Gary Wasserman. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. 209-217.