The New West Africa State System

Abstract

In seeking to understand the extremely interesting processes of change that are taking place in contemporary Africa, and the new forms of state that are emerging, we—non-Africans, and "Westerners" in particular—must give up altogether any idea that we can any longer control these processes or manipulate these states. This assumption, that we are entitled to try to manage African affairs for our own British, French, American, etc., purposes, too often recurs in the talks and writings of "Westerners"—a regrettable inheritance from our imperial past, which does us no good. Granted we can no longer behave as rulers, we tend to behave as governesses, or maiden aunts, giving unwanted advice. Our real responsibility is simply to understand, as intelligently and sympathetically as possible, these processes of change, recognizing that their eventual outcome must depend upon the decisions of Africans—peoples, parties, governments—not, as in the past, on the decisions of external powers.