Colonial Administrators: Cohen & Arden-Clarke

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Andrew Cohen

Andrew Cohen was a key administrator in West and Central Africa. He helped pave the way for independence in colonies.

What was Andrew Cohen's official position?

From 1947, Cohen was the Head of the Colonial Office’s African division and the Governor of Uganda from 1952.

Cohen's attitude to the native populations

Cohen believed in the rights of native African people. However, he also had to deal with racist politicians like Ian Smith in Rhodesia and the National Party in South Africa.
The Cohen Report of 1947 advocated devolving some power to indigenous officials who knew their countries best. This should have increased the cultural sensitivity of British policy, and it is surprising that it wasn't considered standard practice a century earlier.

Fears of apartheid

Cohen tried to create the Central African Federation to stop the growth of apartheid across Africa.
The Central African Federation (CAF) was created in 1953, but it only existed for 10 years.
The Central African Federation united Northern Rhodesia (Zambia), Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and Nyasaland (Malawi).
Local nationalists clashed with the white governors of the CAF, demanding independence and self-determination.
Unwinding British nationalist policy in Africa was extremely complex and the CAF failed. In 1964, it splintered, with Northern Rhodesia becoming Zambia and Nyasaland becoming Malawi.

Work in Uganda

Cohen was the Governor of Uganda from 1952 to 1957.
The Berlin Conference of 1884 had divided Africa into arbitrary countries with arbitrary borders in the scramble for Africa.
Cohen worked towards creating an independent Uganda, growing the University of Makerere and encouraging more political activism. Uganda became independent in 1962.
In 1971, a military coup led by Idi Amin came to power. Over 300,000 Ugandans are thought to have been killed under Amin's dictatorship, and Ugandans of Indian origin were exiled.

Charles Arden-Clarke

Charles Arden Clarke played a key role in the Gold Coast's transition to independence.

Official position

Arden-Clarke was the Governor of the Gold Coast in 1949.

Attitude towards the natives

Arden-Clarke saw himself as a facilitator of self-rule for the Gold Coast.
In 1951, he ordered the release of the leading nationalist in the country, Nkrumah.
However, Arden-Clarke also referred to Nkrumah as 'our local Hitler'.
Another Commissioner in the Gold Coast, Gill, said "What [Nkrumah] has to work with is a population, the vast majority of which lives at subsistence level, is illiterate, animistic and split by tribalism. This population has been given adult suffrage. Independence and the parliamentary system of government have little or no meaning for the illiterates".

Position in the independent Gold Coast

In 1957, the Gold Coast was granted independence and became known as Ghana.
Arden-Clarke became the Governor-General of Ghana in 1957 but only stayed in the post for 2 months.

1High Water Mark of the British Empire, 1857-1914

1.1Development of Imperialism, 1857-1890

1.1.1Empires over Time

1.1.2Key Questions About Empires

1.1.3Expansion into Africa

1.1.4History of Egypt

1.1.5Control of Egypt

1.1.6Control of Sudan

1.2Imperial & Colonial Policy, 1857-1890

1.2.1The British Empire & India

1.2.2The British Raj

1.2.3International Relations with other Powers

1.2.4Scramble for Africa

1.2.5The Informal Empire

1.3Trade & Commerce, 1857-1890

1.3.1Trade & Commerce in the Empire

1.3.2Infrastructure of Trade & Commerce

1.3.3Products of Trade & Commerce

1.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1857-1890

1.4.1Explorers

1.4.2Missionaries

1.4.3Traders & Colonial Administrators

1.4.4Government Attitudes Towards Imperialism

1.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1857-1890

1.5.1Relations with India

1.5.2Relations with South Africa

1.5.3British-Boer Relations

2Imperial Consolidation & Liberal Rule, 1890-1914

2.1Consolidation & Expansion in Africa, 1890-1914

2.1.1Consolidation & Expansion into Africa

2.1.2Consolidation & Expansion in South Africa

2.1.3Historical Interpretations: Expansion into Africa

2.2Imperial & Colonial Policy, 1890-1914

2.2.1Policy in India

2.2.2Policy in Egypt

2.2.3Native Policy in Colonies

2.2.4International Relations with Other Powers

2.3Trade & Commerce, 1890-1914

2.3.1The Benefits of Trade

2.3.2Costs of the Empire

2.3.3Debates Over Trade

2.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1890-1914

2.4.1Key Administrators - Chamberlain & Rhodes

2.4.2Key Administrators - Baring & Milner

2.4.3Key Administrators - Curzon

2.4.4Government Attitudes to the Empire

2.4.5National Efficiency & the Boer War

2.4.6Popular Attitudes Towards Imperialism

2.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1890-1914

2.5.1Challenges in India

2.5.2Challenges in Africa

2.5.3Challenges in South Africa

2.5.4Historical Interpretations of the Boer War

2.5.5Relations & Business with Iran

3Imperialism Challenged, 1914-1967

3.1Expansion & Contraction of Empire, 1914-1947

3.1.1Impact of WW1

3.1.2Palestine

3.1.3Ireland & WW1

3.1.4Impact of WW2 on the British Empire

3.2Colonial Policy & Administration, 1914-1947

3.2.1Administration in India & Palestine

3.2.2Administration in Iraq & the Dominions

3.2.3Imperial Defence

3.3Trade, Commerce & Economic Impact of War

3.3.1Economic Impact of WW1

3.3.2Inter-War Trade & Commerce

3.3.3Economic Impact of WW2

3.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1890-1914

3.4.1Colonial Administrators

3.4.2Trusteeship

3.4.3Gandhi

3.4.4Montagu, Haig & Linlithgow

3.4.5Cameron, Mitchell, Cohen & Furse - African Admins

3.4.6Imperialist Ideals

3.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1914-1947

3.5.1Ireland & India 1914-1947

3.5.2The Middle East and Africa

4The Wind of Change, 1947-1967

4.1Decolonisation in Africa & Asia, 1947-1967

4.1.1Reasons for Decolonisation

4.1.2Decolonisation in East & West Africa

4.1.3Decolonisation in Central & South Africa

4.1.4Decolonisation in Asia

4.2Colonial Policy & Administration, 1947-1967

4.2.1Relations & Business with Iran after WW2

4.2.2The 'Winds of Change'

4.2.3The Suez Canal Crisis - 1956

4.2.4International Relations 1947-1967

4.3Trade & Commerce, 1947-1967

4.3.1The Economic Impact of WW2

4.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1947-1967

4.4.1Colonial Administrators: Cohen & Arden-Clarke

4.4.2Local Leaders in the Independence Movement

4.4.3Pan-Africanism in Nationalism

4.5Post-Colonial Ties, 1947-1967

4.5.1Windrush & Immigration

4.5.2Commonwealth Immigrants Act

4.5.3Residual Impact of the Empire

4.6Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1947-1967

4.6.1Challenges to Colonial Rule Post 1947

4.6.2Kenya & the Mau Mau Uprising

4.6.3Nigeria & Rhodesia

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