The press and the 'scramble' for West Africa 1884-1900

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Periodical article

Title:	The press and the 'scramble' for West Africa 1884-1900
Author:	Nzemeke, A.D.
Year:	1989
Periodical:	Africa: rivista trimestrale di studi e documentazione
Volume:	44
Issue:	3
Pages:	369-381
Language:	English
Geographic term:	West Africa
Subjects:	press scramble for Africa
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/40760401
Abstract:	The European press played an important role in the history of colonialism in West Africa. The Berlin Conference of 1885, which was a landmark in the process of the scramble for Africa, was called precisely to guard against possible dangerous confrontations between European States with interests in West Africa. This intent was nearly defeated because of the publicity which the press began to give to the scramble. A virtual press war broke out, both at the national and international levels, over who should have what and how much each should have. This article deals particularly with the coverage of the scramble for West Africa in the British and French press. In France, public opinion, systematically built up by the press, always supported official colonial policy. The British government generally enjoyed a similar support, but consistently fell out of grace when it came to measures touching the management of the newly acquired territories. Notes, ref., sum. in French and Italian.