Overcoming the Oppressors: White and Black in Southern Africa

Overcoming the Oppressors chronicles southern Africa's journey to freedom, the overthrow of colonial rule, and the dissolution of white settler suzerainty. It explains how the new republics made of their hard-won freedoms, with only Botswana embracing full democracy and good governance. Today, most of the southern half of the African continent is returning to the patterns of probity and good governance.

Format: Hardback
Length: 416 pages
Publication date: 27 April 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Overcoming the Oppressors is a comprehensive account of southern Africa's journey towards freedom, the overthrow of colonial rule in the northern territories, and the dissolution of white settler suzerainty. The book explores the various stages of these processes in individual countries, detailing their complex and often tortuous struggles to attain political independence.

Rotberg delves into the reasons behind the failure of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, the collapse of apartheid, and the transition of the heavily white-conquered and later white-oppressed domain into the present-day assemblage of proud, politically charged, and largely fragmented nation-states. He provides insights into how and why these transitions occurred, including the diverse fits and starts that marked the process.

However, the book raises important questions about the outcomes of these struggles for freedom. Despite successfully liberating themselves, several new republics quickly dismantled democratic safeguards, established effective single-party states, closed their economies, deprived citizens of human rights and civil liberties, and engaged in various forms of central planning experiments and protected economic endeavors. Botswana, in contrast, embraced full democracy and good governance.

The chapters on contemporary southern Africa shed light on the current state of the region. While many countries are returning to the patterns of probity and good governance that they abandoned in the decades after independence, there are still challenges to be overcome. Corruption persists in many parts of the continent, despite Botswana's example.

Overall, Overcoming the Oppressors is a valuable contribution to the study of southern Africa's history and development. It provides a comprehensive and insightful analysis of the region's past, present, and future, offering valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing southern Africa as it continues to navigate its path towards democracy, prosperity, and social justice.

Weight: 742g
Dimension: 242 x 165 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197674208