THE DEATH OF AFRICA

by Peter Ritner ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 28, 1960

The forceful, frightening study of Africa today as she stares at chaos is also more demanding reading than John Gunther's Inside Africa and-while essentially it is the same problems that emerge- the approach is more drastic and the conclusion is implacable- Africa cannot save herself without both foreign aid and guidance (American). ""The specter of white baas and black boy"" is far from laid; for all her abundant charms, she is a pauper continent and the population increase has resulted in more and more people who are hungrier and hungrier. Here and there are the evidences of imported modernization- the new, raw cities, but her people are unready for the Technological Revolution as such. While the obsolescent colonial system has had its day, it still is a diehard controlling force in certain countries (the healthiest, the Union of South Africa, and its Afrikaner domination; the Belgian Congo, where they try to handle backwardness with beatings), while the twelve newly emergent nations are by no means able to handle their autonomy; i.e. Ghana where ""Nkrumah is Captain of a nation-ship in the eye of a typhoon""... Ritner, an editor of the new publication Current, has spent considerable time in Africa and traveled through almost all of her countries and territories; over and above the firsthand information he has acquired, he also has a tremendous background of social-political-economic commentary at his command, here mobilized in a disturbing fact-finding and opinion presentation which sees no alternative ahead for Africa except revolution, destruction, or Chinification. There is no possibility that ""things will work themselves out"" and he makes a strong appeal (along with a concrete program) to America to save a continent about to be submerged by psychological dislocation, political disruption, economic deprivation. Mr. Ritner writes with momentum as well as conviction.

Pub Date: March 28, 1960

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Macmillan

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1960

Categories: NONFICTION