Political Reasons for the Formation of the Federation

Mutare during the Rhodesian era.

• The settlers wanted the amalgamation of Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland at first
• The idea was then accepted by many settlers in 1945
• It was however rejected by:
  1. Settlers who preferred close cooperation such as Gore Brown
  2. Africans in Northern Rhodesia who did not want the racial policies which were in Zimbabwe
  3. The government of Britain so as to protect the Africans
• After the idea of the Federation was accepted by representatives from Northern Rhodesia(Roy Welensky ) and Southern Rhodesia (Godfrey Huggins), the British government had to endorse it too
• After the defeat of Afrikaner in 1948, the British wanted to protect themselves in case of another attack and also from apartheid
• African protests from 1945-1948 posed threats for the settlers and there was need for a wide political base
• The amalgamation would benefit from increased white population to defend itself from Afrikanerdom
• The Federation was used to reinforce British imperial dominance
• It was also used as a way of blocking racist Afrikaaners doctrine from advancing Northwards from South Africa
• The federation was intended to establish multi-racial societies in Central Africa where there would be black and white partnership permanently as argued by the British Government
• Blacks would be given political and economic opportunities they did not have before
• However the settlers in Central Africa did not agree with the above views of an equal society
• Welensky argued that the partnership will always be dominated by whites and never by balcks
• Africans did not also agree with the idea of a partnership as they viewed Europeans would use them as a ladder to climb on them

To access more topics go to the History Notes page.