The crisis of the nation‐state in Africa

This discussion on the crisis of the nation‐state in Africa is an edited transcript of a conversation recorded at Basil Davidson's home in Somerset. He is currently writing a book, provisionally entitled ‘The Nation‐State Dead‐End: Africa and Europe After Imperialism’ which is expected to be completed in 1991. The book draws the historical parallels between Central and Eastern Europe on the one hand and Africa on the other. Each were incorporated into Empires, were eventually decolonised, yet remained within other's spheres of influence. Each attempted to build a network of sovereign states, and although nominally committed to democracy were governed by civil/military bureaucracies. Each came to a dead‐end of violence, with the states losing their legitimacy and needing to find a new way ahead. Finally in the book, one possible route forward is explored, that of decentralisations and devolutions of power to regional and local forms of participation. Although the following discussion concentrates on the situation in Africa the still relevant comparative experience of Central and Eastern Europe is interwoven throughout.