Admin Policy - 1947 - 67 Flashcards
Key concept of decolonisation
managed decolonisation
In west africa?
Nigeria, gold coast
east africa?
kenya, uganda
asia?
burma, india, singapore, malaya
Reasons for decolonisation after WW2?
Economic impact of WWII - all Imperial powers emerged poorer than entered, none could afford to fight nationalist movements
International situation - USA and USSR hostile to imperialism. UK economically dependent on USA
Nationalist movements
Europe - by 1950s, W Europe dramatic recovery, full employment, rising living standards - less dependent on colonies. EEC emerged 1957, Britain joined 1973. Support for Empire esp from business dwindled
Specific problems - not so much a postwar shift in thinking but individual circumstances
Africa generally
Emphasis on colonial development to contribute to post-war economy
Colonial Development Corporation
Policy in Gold Coast?
- gb thought gold coast most advanced colony
- 1946 - Burns constitution = legislative council with 12 gb nominee and 18 elected africans HOWEVER, GB Governor = power remained with GB
- protest and unrest and GB realised Convention People’s Party would have to be brought into govt. (ccp wanted independence as ghana)
- 1950 - Nkrumah jailed - independence leader
- 1951 - Nkrumah jailed incentivised CPP to win 1/3 of seats in Legislative Assembly
- 1952 - Nkrumah released and made Prime Minister - had control over internal affairs and was very popular
- 1956 = plebiscite in nearby Togoland was in favour of Gold Coast unification
- 1957 - new elections and GHANA INDEPENDENCE - Nkrumah first Prime Minister till 1957
Policy in Nigeria?
- people = sir arthur richards governor of nigeria + Nnamdi Azikwe who created National Council of Nigeria - NCNC 1949
- 1946 - Richardson Constitution - greater representation for native people HOWEVER GB GOV GENERAL AND EXEC COUNCIL RETAINED POWER
- regionally and ethnically divided - tricky to manage so gb thought division into regional states good idea
- so… west, east, south states craeted each with own legislative council for regional matters
- semi self governing
- 1951 - right to vote
- 1960 - federal elections and INDEPENDENCE
Policy in Malaya?
- Attempt to re-establish control in Malay Peninsula 1945 difficult due to tensions between ethnic Chinese, Indians, and Malay peoples
1946 - United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) Malay peoples’ rights
Chinese minority represented by Malay Chinese Organisation (MCO) and Malay Communist Party (MCP) - strikes 1945-8
1947 - Malay Union planned - equal citizenship to all ethnic groups while Singapore remained Crown Colony
1948 - Federation of Malaya 1948: narrow citizenship, required proficiency in English and Chinese, Executive Council - seven official, seven unofficial, British High Commissioner -real power
1955 - Legislative Council - 62 members representing states & ethnic groups - ethnic Chinese grievances
1948 - State of Emergency - fearing rebel attacks on rubber plantations - empowered to use military force, arrest suspects, impose order - 1948-52: troubles, British High Commissioner Gurney assassinated October 1951.
- Order restored by 1952
- 1952-4, Malays and Chinese united against British rule
- 81% votes 1955 elections. British feared military rebellion
- independence 1857
Malaya agreed to collaborate economically, Sterling Area - replaced colonial for economic influence
Policy in Singapore?
- high degree of internal control, British had brought in Chinese population
- 1947-8, own government with Legislative and Executive Council, 6/25 Legislative Council seats elected
- only British subjects (23,000) had the vote
In Malaysia 1963-5 - Communist insurgency
- Legislative Council enlarged to 32, 25 elected by increased electorate (300,000)
First Council dominated by Singapore Progressive Party - conservative - 1955, new left wing parties emerged e.g. UMNO/MCA
Left wingers wanted self-rule - 1957 full internal self-government after Communists suppressed
- State of Singapore Act 1948
1959, Lee Kuan Yew of PAP (communist leanings) came to power - 1963 added to Federation of Malaya as Malaysia
- expelled 1965 - independence
Policy in Burma?
- Violent AFPFL nationalism led by Aung San
- Originally planned slow withdrawal
- talks with Attlee Jan 1947
- Constituent Assembly elections April 1948 - huge AFPFL majority
- July 1947, Aung San & 6 ministers assassinated by rival faction
- Independence Jan 1948, followed by civil war, Burma rejected Britain & Commonwealth
- big exporter of rice
Policy in Southern Africa?
- Southern Africa: white settler minority control since Statute of Westminster, racial policies entrenched
- 1948 Afrikaner Nationalist party -> Apartheid
African National Congress led opposition to apartheid - brutal suppression of protests - 69 killed Sharpeville March 1960
- Relations with SA strained sue to: apartheid
- British refusal to hand over Bechuanaland (Botswana, independence 1966), - Basutoland (Lesotho, 1966), Swaziland (1968)
- 1961 SA voted to become Republic, leave Commonwealth
- Attempt to counter-balance South Africa by colonial possessions in region, had helped with war effort.
- Central African Federation idea emerged.
Northern Rhodesia: copper
Southern Rhodesia: agriculture, white settler population substantial
1961, white settlers in Southern Rhodesia support for Rhodesian Front party, led by Ian Smith - pro-independence but white state. Won elections, Smith declared independence (illegally) 1965. 1969 became Republic, then guerrilla war whites-Africans.
Policy in Central Africa?
- Nyasaland: economically undeveloped
- Central African Federation 1953-63: protections for African rights, some African representation in Federal Assembly, but African nationalism emerged, nationalists imprisoned
- 1960-1, Northern Rhodesian nationalists released
- 1964 Northern Rhodesia independent as Zambia, Nyasaland independent as Malawi
