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Dissertation Information for Reuben O. Mekenye

NAME:
- Reuben O. Mekenye

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- History

SCHOOL:
- University of California, Los Angeles (USA) (1996)

ADVISORS:
- Edward A. Alpers

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Michael Frank Lofchie
- Christopher Ehret
- William H. Worger

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: The African struggle against South African periphery imperialism, 1902-1966: The case of Lesotho

Abstract: This thesis examines the African role in the defeat of South African periphery imperialism regarding Lesotho. The 1910 union of South Africa hoped to include Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland, and even present Zimbabwe. However, by the Schedule of the South Africa Act, 1909, the incorporation of those territories was postponed until some future date.

Contrary to the Euro-centric interpretation of events that England made a conscious decision against incorporation to ensure the welfare of the Basotho, I adopt a critical African-centered approach to argue that it was the united African opposition which initially led to postponement and in subsequent decades made incorporation unattainable. To that end, the African opponents of incorporation also mobilized and built a network of friends both in Southern Africa and in England to plead their case to imperial officials.

I demonstrate that the traditional British imperial attitude that incorporation would only occur after the Africans affected had been "consulted" and the British Parliament given its "consent" was usually a direct consequence of Africans' restating their opposition. In Lesotho, the African opposition was spearheaded by the chiefs-dominated Basutoland National Council, the Progressive Association, and the Lekhotla la Bafo. That opposition, coupled with the increasing repression and discriminatory legislation in South Africa and that country's persistent push to eliminate British influence (especially after 1948), strengthened the African struggle against the inclusion of Lesotho in the Union.

Later international events including the impact of the Second World War, the creation of the United Nations Organization and the admission of newly independent nations as members, furthered the African cause. Together with the emergence of the new super-powers of the Soviet Union and the United States which opposed the old colonialism, and the intensification of anti-imperialist struggles throughout the world, these post-war events helped shift Britain's attitude regarding incorporation. By actively participating in these regional and international events through the emergent African nationalist organizations, including the Basutoland African Congress and Basutoland National Party, the African struggle led to the independence of Lesotho in 1966.

MPACT Scores for Reuben O. Mekenye

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C = 0
A+C = 0
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TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2009-01-19 19:41:20

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Students under Reuben O. Mekenye

ADVISEES:
- None

COMMITTEESHIPS:
- None