Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1645 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-03
• Binding: Paperback
• 768 pages

R. W. Johnson, Sunday Times
'A series of often vivid country snapshots . . . Meredith is a sure guide to this colossal, sad story'

Piers Brendon, Sunday Telegraph
'As a popular introduction to the subject it could hardly be bettered'

Richard Dowden, Spectator
'This book is important . . . [It] is also great narrative . . . A spectacularly clear view of the African political jungle'

Customer Reviews

A Must Read!
I read this book earlier this year, and it is a must read for all people interested in African Politics in the past 50 years. I recomend it especially for the younger generation who want to know about a politics in a continent that so much as happened on from decolonization to war, famine, greed, hate but also progress.
It covers all the different parts of africa, the challenges that african countries posessed, the leaders that failed and succeded, the power of the armies in african politics and the subsequent result of all these actions.
It is important to read about all the different countries, the different individuals and political leaders and parties, the ideology of all these differen't leaders and their parties and the impact they still have in africa today.
A very important book that all africans should read!

Extremely well-written recent history that makes you sad and mad
In only 688 pages Martin Meredith succeeds in capturing the recent history of more or less the whole of (sub-Saharan) Africa, throwing in a few countries above the Sahara for good measure. After a brief introduction, he starts off at independence of most countries, and what you read does not make you happy. With only very few exception new rulers with initially good intentions turn within no-time into greedy, ruthless killers that divide the loot (read "the treasury"and "the natural resources of their countries") among themselves, their close familiy, their tribe and their cronies. When things get too obvious, a military coup follows, after which the new leaders do exactly the same. And in the meantime the common people suffer, be it from the lawlessness of Somalia, the genocide in Rwanda, the economic ruins in Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe, or the denial of Mbeki in South Africa that HIV causes AIDS. And these are only a few of the countless examples that make you feel quite depressed. Despite all the foreign aid that is being poured into a continent that has such rich resources (gold, diamonds, oil and a host of minerals), the economic situation of most people has only deteriorated since independence. and this is also in stark contrast to for example Southeast Asia that has gone through an economic explosion.

I regularly work in Africa in collaborative scientific research projects on infectious diseases and I see abysmal hospital facilities, people (including colleagues) dying from diseases that can easily be cured and hot-shots whose only attitude is "what is in it for me?" (and they are so shameless that they actually ask you that question). But I also see tons of very dedicated people -mainly in the lower echelons-, trying to make the best of the meagre resources they have available, people who thoroughly know how to enjoy life and are as hospitable as can be. I always tell them that they are too friendly and slightly naive in believing the promises made. If in the west we would have a ruler like Mugabe, we would have kicked him out years (and put him in prison for good measure).

In my opinion education is key to solving the problems of Africa: educated people are people who can make their own decisions, are able to critically evaluate their options and ultimately can decide together what is best for their country. And yes, maybe in some instances it will be necessary to re-consider borders so that they coincide better with historical delineations between tribes and religions. But it will ask for vision, courage and patience and the question is whether there will be sufficient time available...

The State Of Africa
'The State if Africa' is an extremely detailed account of African politics in the last 50 years. It looks at the whole continent in a roughly chronological order and has some wonderful photo plates to illustrate the various 'dictators' and issues explored. I found some chapters more engaging than others and these provided explanation of key events in good detail to provide an in-depth understanding. Other chapters sadly were bogged down in acronyms and detail that only true African scholars would find of interest (hence the 4 stars). Overall, this is a well researched and presented introduction to post independence Africa that sadly leaves you feeling not a great deal has changed and that this is a continent left ravaged by tyranny and corruption. Not a particularly positive book, but an in-depth and well articulated one.