The Black Continent

It was reported—in a couple of short paragraphs printed at the bottom of an inside page in a few major newspapers—that on the day preceding President Carter’s arrival in Nigeria, South African Prime Minister Vorster made a statement bearing thereon. The presidential journey, Vorster said, was a move in “a new partition of Africa.” How he elaborated this diagnosis I do not know, but these few quoted words have led me to a good deal of thinking, and rethinking.

Historians applied the phrase “partition of Africa” to the scramble of the West European powers for African territories and perquisites that took place in the 1880s. By the Berlin Conference in 1884-5, and through numerous protocols, accords, treaties, conventions, military threats, and minor military engagements, Africa was carved up and dealt out to Great Britain, France, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and Italy. The United States and Russia were not among the players in that 1880s game, although Russia gave an occasional huff or puff.

JB

About the Author

James Burnham

It was reported—in a couple of short paragraphs printed at the bottom of an inside page in a few major newspapers—that on the day preceding President Carter’s arrival in Nigeria, South African Prime Minister Vorster made a statement bearing thereon. The presidential journey, Vorster said, was a move in “a new partition of Africa.” How he elaborated this diagnosis I do not know, but these few quoted words have led me to a good deal of thinking, and rethinking.

Historians applied the phrase “partition of Africa” to the scramble of the West European powers for African territories and perquisites that took place in the 1880s. By the Berlin Conference in 1884-5, and through numerous protocols, accords, treaties, conventions, military threats, and minor military engagements, Africa was carved up and dealt out to Great Britain, France, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and Italy. The United States and Russia were not among the players in that 1880s game, although Russia gave an occasional huff or puff.