Whither Southern Africa?
| DOI | 10.1177/002070206702200103 |
| Published date | 01 March 1967 |
| Date | 01 March 1967 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Whither
Southern
Africa?
G.
V
and
M.
P
Doxey*
In
recent
months
the
Southern African
scene
has
once
again
loomed
large
on
the
world
stage.
The
continuing crisis
in
Rho-
desia
touched
off
by
the
unilateral
declaration
of independence
(U.D.I.)
by
the
Smith
regime
on
11
November
1965;
the
long-
awaited
decision
of
the
International
Court
of
Justice
on
South
West Africa;
the
beleaguered
former
British
High
Commis-
sion
Territories
and
their
new-found
independence;
and
the
assassination
of
Dr.
Verwoerd,
have
all
contributed
to
a
re-
newed
and
intense
concern
with
the
future
of
the
sub-contment.
The
problems
of
the
area
are
very
real,
and
the
challenges
they
present
may
prove
crucial
for
world
politics.
To
some
the
issues
are
simple,
a
matter
of
right
and
wrong,
of
morality
and
immorality-
to
others,
more
complicated
strains
of
power
politics
are
involved.
For
non-whites
throughout
the
world,
apartheid
with
its
crude
basis
in
a
doctrine
of
racial
superiority
represents
a
solid
and
continuing
affront
to
their
own
dignity In
these
cir
cumstances,
any
attitudes
towards
Southern
Africa which
the
rest
of
the
world
in
general, and
"white" nations
in
particular,
may
adopt,
are
in
danger
of
being
misinterpreted
by
the
non-
white
nations.
The dilemma which
faces
the
West
is
how
to
create
an
atmosphere
in
which
justice
can
be
done
and
in
which
the
final
outcome
will
not
be
the
division of
the
world
upon
racial
lines;
at
the
same
time,
chaos
and
violence
must,
at
all
costs,
be
avoided.
It
may
be
useful
to
consider
briefly
each
of
the
new
crises
or
developments,
and
one
inevitably
starts
with
the
Rhodesian
crisis
because
it
is
the
most
pressing.
If
it
is
not
settled
in
the
near future
it
could
prove
to
be
the catalyst for
a
turbulent
period
in
Southern
Africa
history
G.
V
Doxey
Department
of
Economics,
York
University,
M.
P
Doxey
formerly
of
the
Division
of Social Sciences,
Atkinson
College, York
University
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