Strategic and Socio-Economic Explanations for Carnarvon's South African Confederation Policy: The Historiography and the Evidence

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Periodical article

Title:	Strategic and Socio-Economic Explanations for Carnarvon's South African Confederation Policy: The Historiography and the Evidence
Author:	Cope, R.L.
Year:	1986
Periodical:	History in Africa
Volume:	13
Pages:	13-34
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	South Africa Great Britain
Subjects:	colonialism confederations history 1870-1879 History and Exploration
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/3171535
Abstract:	Although Carnarvon's attempt to unite South Africa in the 1870s was a failure, his confederation policy marks an important turning point in South African history. The destruction of the Zulu and Pedi polities, - which resulted directly from the scheme, together with the last Cape frontier war and a rash of smaller conflicts, constituted the virtual end of organized black resistance. There is little agreement on the causes of the confederation scheme. C. GOODFELLOW (1966) takes the view that Carnavon's interest in South Africa arose essentially from its strategic importance. A. ATMORE and S. MARKS (1974) offer a socio-economic explanation: the increased demand for labour, the need to make state apparatuses more conducive to capitalist economic development. A detailed study of the evidence supports the latter view. Notes, ref.