Basil Davidson's "The Search for Africa" (Book Note)

 

"The Search for Africa" is a collection of eighteen essays written by Davidson between 1953 and 1992, each placed in a contemporary context through updated introductory comments. Throughout these pages, familiar ideological and interpretative viewpoints from Davidson's previous works reappear. This positions him as a prominent voice in understanding Africa, having likely imparted more knowledge about the continent to the West since World War II than any other commentator, while maintaining the respect of Africans.

 

Davidson frames the book against the backdrop of the challenging conditions prevailing in many African societies towards the end of the 20th century. While he acknowledges more stable times in Africa's history, characterized by social order and collective confidence, he traces the descent into the abyss of slavery and colonialism, the optimism of independence, and the subsequent disillusionment as neocolonial legacies persist.

 

The book contends that solutions to contemporary African problems must come from within the continent itself. Davidson emphasizes the importance of understanding Africa's history to derive what he terms "the lessons of internal culture." These lessons can guide Africans towards a better future, free from the ills of political, economic, and cultural imperialism, as well as racial prejudice.

 

The first section of the book, titled "Claims," highlights the accomplishments of past African cultures. It depicts Egyptian pharaonic civilization as an African phenomenon influenced by other African societies. The spread of Islamic culture from northern Africa and its blending with indigenous communities through extensive trade networks is also discussed. The essays demonstrate the achievements of African societies in tropical agriculture, metallurgy, and social organization, attributed to consultative rule and an effective system of checks and balances.

 

However, these achievements were diminished around the 1600s due to the burgeoning slave trade, which altered Europeans' perceptions of their African neighbors. Respect and tolerance were replaced with a belief in the inherent inferiority of Africans. This attitude was further exacerbated during centuries of European technological advancement, causing the non-material accomplishments of Africans to be disregarded. Davidson argues that Africa's path forward involves rediscovering and valuing the successes of indigenous African political experience and implementing them on a broader scale than the current nation-states.

The second section of the book, titled "Antipathies," delves into the colonialist dismantling of African life and intellect. It scrutinizes the inception of apartheid and what Davidson labels as "legalized servitude" in South Africa. Additionally, it explores imperialist oppression in Angola and the Congo.

 

Davidson's observations in 1969 of the burgeoning pluralism in the colony of Northern Rhodesia serve as a precursor to the third part of the book, "Sympathies." This section showcases Davidson's journalistic prowess, particularly in "Voices from the Front," where he recounts his experiences in guerrilla warfare alongside his friend Amilcar Cabral, the revolutionary leader later assassinated by the Portuguese, in the Portuguese colony of Guinea. Davidson's affinity, both physical and ideological, with the liberation movements active across Africa at the time is palpable. His narratives of their struggles are marked by sympathy and emotional resonance.

 

In the fourth part, "Debates," the focus shifts to a period closer to the present. Davidson attributes much of Africa's current turmoil to the enduring legacy of colonialism, which ingrained autocratic, arbitrary, and oppressive governance, entrenched privilege, and fostered centralized administration that failed to acknowledge the diverse cultural tapestry of the population. The decolonization process and transition to independence were often tumultuous, at times even culminating in the calculated institutionalization of colonial chaos. This manifested in unfavorable trade agreements and the creation of crises in food production, urban development, and industrial investment. In a 1976 essay, Davidson proposes a remedy to this dire situation—a reinvigoration of African history after the prolonged period of colonial estrangement. He advocates for a shift of power from centralized authority to local self-governance, along with the promotion of regional associations based on traditional ethnic lines.

 

The book culminates emphatically in the final section, "Arguments," where Davidson presents two bold perspectives that encapsulate his overarching agenda. Firstly, he underscores that the ancient Greeks, renowned for their recognition and respect of the achievements of pharaonic Egypt, also acknowledged that pharaonic culture had deep-rooted origins in inner Africa. This alignment of ancient Greek historical analysis with Davidson's own viewpoint challenges the longstanding Western bias against attributing value to African civilizations, if they were acknowledged at all. Secondly, in "The Curse of Columbus" Davidson contends that Christopher Columbus, celebrated fervently in the 500th anniversary year, was, in truth, the architect of the transatlantic slave trade. It was through his endeavors that much of the Western world ultimately adopted the notion of African inferiority to justify their enslavement. Davidson regards this readiness of Europeans to accept moral degradation in exchange for economic gain and political dominion as a grievous moral failing that should weigh heavily on the Western conscience.