MC_A Concise History of Africa

A Concise History of Africa

administrative units, the territories run by commandants de cercle , who controlled officers at local level. The plan was to modernize and remake societies, enabling the people to benefit from Western science and education. It was to eradicate the African institutions the French found regressive and root out ignorance and superstition. The French made less use of indigenous rulers than did the British, who adopted the status quo, finding it cheaper and more effective

than installing new administrations, their experience with the Indian Civil Service proving it could run an entire sub-continent most efficiently. On the whole, the British were more relaxed than the French, planning in the long run to integrate public services, set up democratic institutions, and encourage locally owned and operated industry. There were some memorable troubles, but on the whole, the British were slower than the French to use force to stamp out opposition. In the final

days of the British empire, largely peaceful transitions were achieved, with fewer bitter wars. Transition, however, was not easy in areas that had been heavily settled by Europeans, and settlers were not prepared to see countries like Kenya, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), and South Africa go without a struggle. The French system was cumbersome, difficult, and expensive, so expensive that Paris demanded the colonies be self- financing. Officials encouraged cash

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