Sir Garfield Todd and the making of Zimbabwe

Description

"Garfield Todd was a native New Zealander who settled in Southern Rhodesia as a Protestant missionary teacher and entered politics to oppose racism and 'save Rhodesia'. Yet he joined the establishment party of white privilege and became Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia in the early days of the Central African Federation - hated by African nationalists. He was a notable reformer of African education, housing and labour conditions, appointed a commission to improve industrial relations but paradoxically brought in the army to quell strikes." "Todd was no racist and held that 'civilization' - the politics of white liberalism - was not a white preserve. He advocated a franchise regardless of race but based on property and educational qualifications. However, he eventually accepted that multi-racial power sharing had run its course and that black majority rule was inevitable. Two years after leaving office he backed the African nationalist campaign for universal suffrage - one person-one vote - and, with his daughter Judith, strongly opposed the policies of the Rhodesian Front, Ian Smith and UDI, up to the birth of Zimbabwe in 1980." "Ruth Weiss gently yet objectively examines Todd's personal character and policies during a life of political turmoil, as well as his close and vital relationship with his family, especially his wife and daughter Judith, who became a powerful and charismatic ally in his struggle."--Jacket.

Subjects

Genres

• Biography.