The two decades that followed World War II witnessed the end of the
great European empires in Asia and Africa. Robert Tignor's new study of
the decolonization experiences of Egypt, Nigeria, and Kenya elucidates
the major factors that led to the transfer of power from British to
African hands in these three territories. Employing a comparative method
in order to explain the different decolonizing narratives in each
territory, he argues that the different state policies toward the
private business sector and foreign capital were the result of
nationalist policies and attitudes and the influence of Cold War
pressures on local events.
Using business records as well as official government sources, the work
highlights the economic aspects of decolonization and weighs the
influence of nationalist movements, changes in metropolitan attitudes
toward the empire, and shifts in the international balance of power in
bringing about the transfer of authority. The author concludes that the
business communities did not play decisive roles, adhering instead to
their time-honored role of leaving political issues to colonial
officials and their nationalist critics. Tignor also finds that the
nationalist movements, far from being ineffective, largely realized the
primary goals of nationalist leaders that had been articulated for many
decades.
Originally published in 1997.
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