Middle Africa: African Nationalism: A Critical Report

Both as a concept and a social movement, African nationalism contains three major elements: 1) a pervasive antagonism to alien domination, particularly that of the European powers; 2) a quest by Africans for “moral status”—first in their homelands and then in the world—which is partly the result of their response to Western humanism; 3) the continuing influence and strength of the religious-cultural values that are indigenous to African life. As for the first of these—resentment of alien domination—its main function is to create a sense of African fraternity, a common outlook that helps give coherence and continuity to the numerous nationalist movements. Historically, it should be remembered, Africa has experienced two kinds of colonialism—that administered from the capital of a European power and that controlled by white settlers on the spot. Accordingly, opposition to colonial rule has been of two kinds.*

“Classical” imperialism as administered by a European state has, at least occasionally, provided a channel for registering African grievances and gaining limited concessions; and while meager enough when compared to the nationalist demands, such amelioration does create possibilities ...