Radical Nationalism in Cameroun: Social Origins of the U.P.C. Rebellion

"The Union des Populations du Cameroun is a particularly interesting subject for a case study in African politics because it went against the dominant pattern of nationalist policies in French sub-Saharan Africa. It demanded the independence of Cameroun from Greater France; it called for reunification with the neighbouring colony of the British Cameroons; it viewed colonialism as based on capitalist exploitation and did not hesitate to say so, and it persisted in this radical challenge despite intense administrative and, later, military repression. By going back to the origins of the Party, Dr. Joseph throws entirely new light on the movement. His analysis is based on a close study of the historical and social factors responsible for the distribution of power among the individual actors on the political stage, and the breadth of his research provides a valuable contribution to the study of decolonization as a whole."