Multi-Racialism in Africa

Abstract

M /[ ULTI-RACIALISM, understood as the existence within a given territory of racial groups with a strong sense of their own separate identity, may lead either to an explosive situation or to a constructive one. The touchstone is the degree to which the racial groups are prepared to work together for mutually advantageous ends. If either a dominant white minority or a dominant African majority uses, or is expected to use, its possession of political power to place the other group under permanent handicaps in carrying on its chosen way of life, the result is likely to be either an exodus or a series of more or less violent efforts to change the status quo. If, however, each racial group accepts the contribution which the others can make to the economic and political development of the country, racial rivalry for power can be replaced by a working together in which the skills of the minority groups are used to the advantage of the whole community. Tanganyika offers the best current illustration of this latter kind of partnership. Under the skilful leadership of Julius Nyerere, the Tanganyika Elected Members Organization, consisting of ten Africans, ten Europeans, and ten Asians, became the closely knit team which carried that country swiftly and smoothly from its first election in the autumn of I958 to internal self-government two years later. Although the electoral system used in October I960 will more nearly reflect the numerical preponderance of Africans within Tanganyika, Nyerere's awareness of his country's need, particularly in administration and the economy, for the contribution which local Europeans and Asians can make, coupled with the latter's confidence in their acceptance as an important part of the community, augurs well for a continuance of this harmonious working together. There are other parts of the continent where Africans and Europeans are contributing jointly to the development of their territory. In the Ivory Coast, Felix Houphouet-Boigny has maintained a close working relationship with resident Frenchmen since he won their confidence, and that of the French Government, after his break with the Communists in I950. Several of them are Ministers in his present Cabinet, despite some opposition to their position from the younger members of his party. The situations in Ghana and Nigeria are quite different, for in these countries white administrators are brought in or retained in order to fill particular posts for which local Africans are not yet qualified. It is noticeable that in Ghana there are more white technicians and administrators than before 457