Also illustrated by the Boer War is that while European states were quite unwilling to go to war against each other over African territories--the French and British seemed near to blows over the Fashoda Incident in 1898--the powers had no difficulties slaughtering African populations for their own national benefit. This disparity, furthermore, could not derive simply from European racial superiority because, as in the case of the Afrikaners, the British fought whites of European descent who also maintained rabid racist policies toward the black majority. How is it that Britain could not conceive of war against France in Africa--as if Africa was not worth a war--but it was quite easy for Cecil Rhodes to demand the conquering of the South African population already in place even before England officially came to Cape Colony?

Popular pages: Europe 1871-1914