The Scramble for Africa: 1876-1912

WH Smith Literary Award (1992); Alan Paton Award (1992)

In 1880 the continent of Africa was largely unexplored by Europeans. Less than thirty years later, only Liberia and Ethiopia remained unconquered by them. The rest - 10 million square miles with 110 million bewildered new subjects - had been carved up by five European powers (and one extraordinary individual) in the name of Commerce, Christianity, 'Civilization' and Conquest. The Scramble for Africa is the first full-scale study of that extraordinary episode in history.

The Scramble for Africa: The White Man's Conquest of the Dark Continent from 1876 to 1912, is a fascinating book on the European division of African territory, known as the Scramble for Africa. In this competition for territory, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy and Spain all carved territories out of the African continent, for various reasons. Spreading the "three C's" (Christianity, Civilization, Commerce) was an important motivation for many European explorers, General's and Politicians to get involved. Overt racism was another. Naked competition and greed were also major factors.