European University Institute Library

Dreams for Lesotho, independence, foreign assistance, and development, John Aerni-Flessner

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 263-280) and index

index present

non fiction

Dreams for Lesotho

bibliography

1013528598

John Aerni-Flessner

Helen Kellogg Institute series on democracy and development

independence, foreign assistance, and development

In Dreams for Lesotho: Independence, Foreign Assistance, and Development, John Aerni-Flessner studies the post-independence emergence of Lesotho as an example of the uneven ways in which people experienced development at the end of colonialism in Africa. The book posits that development became the language through which Basotho (the people of Lesotho) conceived of the dream of independence, both before and after the 1966 transfer of power. While many studies of development have focused on the perspectives of funding governments and agencies, Aerni-Flessner approaches development as an African-driven process in Lesotho. The book examines why both political leaders and ordinarypeople put their faith in development, even when projects regularly failed to alleviate poverty. He argues that the potential promise of development helped make independence real for Africans.The book utilizes government archives in four countries, but also relies heavily on newspapers, oral histories, and the archives of multilateral organizations like the World Bank. It will interest scholars of decolonization, development, empire, and African and South African history. --, Provided by publisher

Introduction -- Political changes and Basotho responses, 1950s to independence -- The colonial era and the rhetorical consensus on development -- Working for development : centralization, youth groups, and the physical infrastructure of independence, 1960-1968 -- The internationalization of Lesotho's development : the 1970 coup -- Authoritarianism, aid, and the anti-politics machine, 1970-1975 -- The road to development