216BOOK REVIEWSSouthern Africa By A. J. Christopher Folkestone, Dawson, 1976, 292pp.,£8,00.Historical geography within Southern Africa, the author points out, has beena neglected subject in the twentieth century, and this book is an attempt tocorrect this deficiency. He has concentrated his attention almost exclusivelyon European settlers and their interaction with the land. Within the limitationshe has set for himself, Christopher has done a highly competent job. He hastraced the changing patterns of land use from the first settlement in the 1650sto the urban industrial era of the twentieth century, and the information heprovides should be of considerable value to students of Southern Africanhistory. He explains the relative lack of appeal of Southern Africa for Euro-pean immigration as compared to the United States and to British settlementcolonies elsewhere in terms of the poverty of the physical environment, muchof which was suitable only for highly dispersed pastoral activity, and to thepresence of a large indigenous population. The latter had a dual discouragingeffect Š Europeans did not desire to come in larger numbers, and South Afri-can Whites did not want poor labourers from Europe when they had availablea large cheap African labour force.Concentration on white settlement, however, produces a one-sided view ofSouth African history. The reader will find in this work little of the sturmund drang of inter-racial contact during the last three hundred years. The onechapter that he devotes to African and European contact is the least satisfac-tory part of the book. There are many dubious statements. He says that theHottentots were 'content' to work for European farmers ŠŁ a curious choiceof words. And to maintain that Europeans avoided the dense African popula-tion zones up to the 1860s (p. 139) seems to ignore the collisions on the easternfrontier during that period. The author expresses the hope that some otherwriter will take up the theme of African imprint on the landscape. This re-viewer heartily concurs that such a study is very much needed.University of California, Los AngelesJ. S. GALBRAITHAfrican Nationalist Leaders in Rhodesia: Who's Who By R. Cary andD. Mitchell. Bulawayo, Books of Rhodesia, 1977, illustrated, 310pp.,Rh$9,00 (pbk Rh$3,00).Prominent African Personalities of Rhodesia Salisbury, Cover PublicityServices, 1977, illustrated, xi, 196 pp., Rh$6,00.To those seeking answers to a whole host of questions facing Rhodesia andwho are concerned about the future of our country, these books are well worthpurchasing, if only to study the history and experience of a number of the peo-ple included. I also offer a word of appreciation to the authors for theirefforts; it must have been a time consuming operation requiring a great dealof cross-checking and not always in the easiest circumstances.For me the volume by Cary and Mitchell does answer some of the ques-tions that are repeatedly asked in Rhodesia today. One of the first that comesto mind is, 'Are there African leaders capable of running a government in thiscountry?' Secondly, 'Is there the material to provide Officers of State as wellas Civil Servants at the levels capable of running a moderately successfulgovernment?' In answer to the first question I would have no hesitation inBOOK REVIEWS217saying the answer is in the affirmative. This book discloses three if not fourmen who would, in my opinion, be capable of heading a Government and quitea few more who would be capable of handling a Ministry, but the first ques-tion is, of course, tied up with the second one and here I am on much moreuncertain ground. Without discrediting any former holders of office in Rho-desian Governments, we have had two experiences in the last twenty-fiveyears where men of no experience whatever of government, have moved upfrom the ranks of Members of Parliament and become Prime Minister, viz.Garfield Todd and Winston Field. There have been many examples of menwith little parliamentary experience finding themselves as Cabinet Ministers,and indeed, the whole of Winston Field's government was without ministerialexperience. An even more forceful example than that was the case of the lateCaptain Frankie Harris who was not even a Member of the House whenHuggins made him the Minister of Agriculture.I go into detail for the obvious reason: this question arises, 'If men arecapable of becoming Prime Minister as well as Minister, why can they not alsobe top Civil Servants, etc. etc?'; and here is the reason for my doubt in an-swering the second question. Any experienced Cabinet Minister will knowthat even with long parliamentary experience becoming a Minister is not theeasiest of jobs; but if one has had no experience whatsoever of Parliamentand then suddenly becomes a Minister, the position would be quite impossibleif it were not for the backing and support of an experienced and loyal CivilService. It is their task to see their Minister is fully informed; and within theconfines of the Ministry concerned they should be in a position to speakfrankly and honestly to their Minister. Whether or not he takes that adviceis up to him but the role of the civil servant is to advise his ministerial masterof the facts of life. Here is the crux of the matter and reflects my concern asto whether or not a high standard of government could be maintained in viewof the fact that so few black Rhodesians have risen to any senior position inthe Public Service. I have no doubt in my own mind that those who arenegotiating the possibility of a Settlement to the Anglo-Rhodesian dispute areas fully alive to this problem as I am. The question remains, 'What steps havebeen taken to prepare Africans for these higher responsibilities?'Reading the record of some of the more important figures in this book,one conclusion is almost inescapable, and that is how difficult it is for a blackRhodesian and a Nationalist to emerge as a leader of his people. I do notrefer only to the problem of tribal loyalties and traditions, because whilstI believe that these do exist, they need not be insurmountable. What I havein mind is the almost impossible position that faces any aspiring Africanleader by virtue of the fact that since 1965 when the State of Emergency wasdeclared prior to U.D.I., no African could really put forward a programmefor the progress of his people without running the real risk of conflict withthe authorities. A dispassionate examination of the situation discloses thatfrom the introduction of the 1969 Constitution onwards the African leaderhad nothing to offer. The ultimate goal of the 1969 Constitution was that theAfricans, in the dim and distant future, would be entitled to fifty per cent ofthe representation in Parliament; and bearing in mind that representation inParliament was based on the amount of income tax paid, it is no exaggerationto ask whether any worthwhile promises could be made? If this is examinedin the light of what was happening to the rest of the African continent, wasit not inevitable that any African leader who stood for moderation or preachedit, was going to be very easily outbid by those who, on the basis of numbers,demanded the whole loaf not to be shared with anyone?In spite of help given by this book, the reader will still experience diffi-culty in assessing from where the next generation of leaders will emerge. I am218BOOK REVIEWSinclined to the view that if there is a successful negotiation in the near future,it is almost certain that the gentlemen whom I would describe as the 'OldGuard' of the Nationalist movement are likely to be in charge of any newregime in Rhodesia. However, I do believe that others are available. It is aninteresting reflection on the changing times to see an African of the statusof Bishop Muzorewa say that having to go to gaol first is really no longer aprerequisite to leading your country!I would conclude by saying that I hope it will not be too long beforethe authors produce a revised volume to expand somewhat on the qualitiesof the generation to follow. I could not resist a wry smile when I read MrMusarurwa's remarks (p. 14) on African Nationalism and I quote: 'At a timewhen Africans in that country [Uganda] had started the war for self rule andindependence against British Colonialism . . .' Is it not strange that the vastmajority of Europeans were quite convinced and, I believe, still are to thisday, that British Governments, either Labour or Conservative, have had onlyone ambition and that was to shed their colonial responsibilities in Africaas soon as possible. I think this view is endorsed by the fact that the doctrineof paramountcy of African interests did apply to most British colonial terri-tories that I knew of.SalisburySIR ROY WELENSKYThe Guide to Rhodesia Edited by G. H. Tamer. Johannesburg, WinchesterPress, 1975, 337pp., illustrated, no price indicated.Mosi-oa-Tunya : A Handbook to the Victoria Falls Region Edited by D. W.Phillipson. Salisbury, Longman Rhodesia, 1975, 222pp., illustrated,Rh$7,50.Area Handbook for Southern Rhodesia By H. D. Nelson et al. Washington,United States Government Printing Office, 1975, xiv, 394pp., US$7,05.These three books are of very different character. Tanser's is a conventionalguide book which deals with the practical problems confronting tourists (suchas passport formalities, hunting licences and car hire) as well as with thehistorical and geographical background. It is, of course, none the worse forthat; and it does neatly comprehend within two covers all that the literateand intelligent tourist would normally require.Phillipson's book is very much more learned work Š but nonethelessof great value to anyone who wants to know more of this very interestingand very well-researched area around Victoria Falls. Phillipson providesseveral background chapters and more specialized topics are covered bysuch experts as, amongst others, G. Bond, J. Desmond Clarke, J. O. Vogel,R. H. N. Smithers. This is a model of what a detailed study of a region canbe and it could well be copied for other regions in Central Africa.The third book is one of the series of handbooks prepared by the ForeignArea Studies of the American University, Washington, which is designed asbackground reading for diplomatic, military and other government personnel.It provides a well-balanced, objective survey of the history, politics andeconomy, a fairly up-to-date bibliography and a useful index. At the price,it is a bargain for the general reader who wishes to be well informed.R.S.R.