Rhodesia (Multipower Earth)



Rhodesia or rather, the Federation of Rhodesia, is a country in southern Africa, which was federated by the British Empire on August 1, 1913. It was named a Dominion at that time and eventually earned its freedom by the Rhodesia Act of 1981.



History
The Federation of Rhodesia, also called the Union of Rhodesia, has a colonial history that begins in the late 19th century.

In 1913, the separate colonies of Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia, and Nyasaland were federated into the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which changed its name two months later to the Dominion of Rhodesia. This was when the white minority was granted the right to form a parliament, and the Rhodesian Pound became the currency of the colony.

Rhodesians volunteered for the armed forces of the British Empire during both world wars, and after each, British veterans immigrated into Rhodesia in record numbers with programs of free land and 10 years' pension paid up front if they stayed ten years and started a family. This, coupled with the pushing out of natives, suppressed the growth of the natives, while giving critical mass to the minority white population to grow exponentially.

During the second World War, thousands of black Rhodesians served for the Empire, and once they returned home, were denied their pensions they were promised. This started the Rhodesian Civil Rights movement, a mostly peaceful movement agitating for simple things: equal rights, equal opportunity and admission, recognition of their veterans' honor and pensions, and equality before the law. The 1957 Commonwealth Tour of Queen Elizabeth II provided some official recognition of their plight, and spurred a growth of the movement, culminating in the 1958 Veterans of the British Empire Act, recognizing their pensions and requiring a public recognition for all black and coloured Rhodesians who served in World War II, China, and Korea.

This was a big victory for the civil rights movement, which culminated in the 1965 Civil Rights Act, but was given real power in the 1967 Equal Rights Amendment, whose text was summed in the phrase: "All Rhodesians, regardless, of race, color, ethnicity, or national origin shall have equal protection of the law."

Soon after a 5-year affirmative action bill passed, bringing black Rhodesians into the universities and into business en masse for the first time, and the first black and female MPs were elected. The 70s were a time of change and uncertainty and unease amongst a large number of the white population, which soon became the numerical majority of the country for the first time in the late 70s. Children raised in the 1980s in Rhodesia, however were raised integrated with the black, coloured, Indian, and Asian Rhodesians, and as they grew up the racial history became a thing of the past as friendships and relationships, both business and personal, involved people of all races in Rhodesia.

In 1968, the Rhodesian currency was decimalized, with the new pounds and pence featuring local monuments and the monarch, Queen Elizabeth II on the front.

The biggest political development came in 1987 when the constitution was patriated, meaning that Rhodesia was effectively independent, and the United Kingdom could no longer legislate for the country. At the same time, Rhodesia also joined the British Commonwealth, the successor to the British Empire.

The 1980s involved computerization of the economy with the Rhodesian Stock Exchange being one of the biggest beneficiaries, and the early computer networks bringing information to people across Rhodesia quicker than ever. Television grew from the five channels of the 1970s to over 40 by 1989, and over 60 by 1995.

By 2000, Rhodesia had its first female Prime Minister, Evelyn Kuanda, a native Rhodesian who first went to university in 1973, and then became an MP in 1979, then governor of the Province of Midlands in 1985 before returning to private life until 1997, when she again became an MP, then was elected Prime Minister in 2000. She enjoyed wide support across the country, and her term in office is marked by 4% economic growth on average and fondly remembered by many in the country.

Climate
Rhodesia has a tropical climate, modified by elevation. There are generally two main seasons, the rainy season (November to April), which corresponds to summer, and the cool dry season (May/June to October/November), which corresponds to winter.

Some parts of the country, such as the Zambezi Valley, are known for its extreme heat, while eastern highlands in the south usually experience cool temperatures and the highest rainfall in the country.

Economy
The economy of Rhodesia features numerous facets, including mineral and natural resources, tourism, services, and manufacturing.

The Union of Rhodesia exports minerals such as gold, platinum, diamonds, coal, copper, chromite, nickel, and iron ore.

Agriculturally, Rhodesia produces a number of crops, such as maize, wheat, rice, beans, sorghum, pearl millet, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybean, peanuts, various fruits and vegetables, as well as groundnuts, cotton, sugar, sunflower seeds, tobacco, and coffee.

Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is one of the growing sectors of Rhodesia's economy, with Europeans and Americans especially coming to the nation to see its lakes and large animals like elephants, rhinos, and lions, all of which are protected in the 1972 Protected Species Act.

Flag
The Flag of the Dominion of Rhodesia is a modified British Blue Ensign. Centred in the fly of the flag is a depiction of the shield from the Federation's Coat of Arms. The rising sun is taken from the Arms of Nyasaland, the lion rampant is taken from the Arms of Southern Rhodesia, and the black and white wavy lines is taken from the Arms of Northern Rhodesia. In this form, it shows the Federation of all three British Colonies which lasted from 1913 to December 11, 1975 when the Statute of Westminster was passed and the Dominion became effectively self-governing. This flag flew alongside the Union Jack for the duration of the existence of the Federation.

Coat of Arms
The coat of arms of the Dominion of Rhodesia was designed by R.J. Celente (later Prime Minister of the Dominion from 1919 to 1925) and was granted by Royal Warrant on 22 July 1914.

The coat of arms had elements to represent all three territories which comprised the Federation: the rising sun on a blue field in the upper shield and leopard were taken from the arms of Nyasaland; the white wavy lines on a black field at the base of the shield and the eagle are from the arms of Northern Rhodesia; while the dovetail fesse (which links the component parts of the shield), bearing the lion passant, and the sable antelope supporter are from the arms of Southern Rhodesia.

The heraldic description of the Coat of Arms is as follows:

Crest On a wreath of the colours, an Eagle reguardant wings extended Or perched upon and grasping in the talons a Fish Argent.

Supporters Dexter a sable antelope and sinister a leopard.

Motto (in Latin) Magni Esse Mereamur (Let us deserve Greatness)

Shield Per fesse Azure and Sable in Chief a Sun rising Or and in base six Palets wavy Argent over all a fesse dovetailed counter-dovetailed of the last thereon a Lion passant Gules.

Legislature
At the time of Federation in 1913, Rhodesia created a legislature called the Parliament of Rhodesia, with two chambers: the Senate and the House of Burgesses, similar in function to that of the Commonwealth of Australia shortly before. Its Senate had 30 members (10 per territory), and a number of burgesses based on population for the European settlers in each territory. The difference is the intentional hemicycle of the two chambers, but with the traditional green carpeting in the lower house, and red carpeting in the upper house.

In 1964, the composition changed to reflect changing racial attitudes and the peaceful and not-so-peaceful protests by native Rhodesians clamoring for representation. In coordination with the queen, the then-5 provinces were further divided into 18 provinces, with 5 senators per province, and with representatives based on the true population of each province, white, black, Asian, and coloured.

The Parliament of Rhodesia is responsible for legislating all matters with regard to Rhodesia's internal and external affairs, with the Governor-General representing the Queen of Rhodesia, Elizabeth II in day-to-day affairs. Today, there are 323 MPs and 90 Senators in the Parliament. The first native Rhodesian elected to Parliament was Andrew Nkomo, elected in 1966 from Salisbury as an MP. By 1985, over 80 MPs were native Rhodesians, and 20 Senators. The first woman MP was Charlotte Elizabeth Danvers, elected in 1968 from Livingstone.

Administrative Divisions
The original three provinces of Rhodesia at federation were Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia, and Nyasaland.

Later, the federation government divided these territories to more effectively govern the land, resulting in the provinces today.

Religion
Currently, Rhodesia reports that 92% of its population is Christian (Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian), with 4% reporting no religion, and the rest reporting native religions.

Population
Notes: the Black population of Rhodesia had a lower growth rate due to a number of factors, including migration out of the territory of Rhodesia, migration to European and Asian countries, diseases, use of contraceptives and reproductive services. The Asian population grew mostly due to immigration, and natural increase. The white population overtook the native population for the first time in 1971.

Immigration to Rhodesia
Rhodesia did not first attract immigrants from Europe in large numbers until after the two World Wars with the imperial land grant program, where Veterans would get between 50 and 100 acres if they lived there, plus ten years bonus pay up front, if they lived there at least ten years. This program included other allied powers, namely the United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Free French. Asians include both Indian and Chinese from Hong Kong, Singapore, and other British Asian territories.

Race Relations
Rhodesia has not had a perfect record with respect to race relations, much like the entire British Empire that predated the current British Commonwealth. Starting in the late 19th century and to about 1910, the British consolidated power in Nyasaland, formerly the British Central African Protectorate, along with Southern and Northern Rhodesia. The influx of European immigrants with the promises of free land if they stayed 10 years helped encourage poor farmers and tradesmen to the colonies, but strained race relations between the natives and the immigrants. Some natives were forced out and many were killed when they attacked the immigrants.

News stories of the bravery of the army and the civilizing mission drew missionaries and other idealists and progressives from the British Isles along with others, nearly doubling the white population to about 130,000 in 1910. A number of coloured (mixed heritage) children were recorded in the 1910 census, and these children soon formed the basis of the start of racial integration in the colony.

British settlers soon brought in some of the natives and taught them English, as well as bringing in several thousand Indians and some Chinese to the colony to help administer and build the infrastructure up. Construction of European-style homes with large yards, spacious streets, and porches brought a lot of black, coloured, and Asian prosperity in the early days. Historical estimates are not perfectly accounted for, but there are at least 400-500 native Blacks who were taught English between 1900 and 1905, and 1,270 between 1905 and 1910, who acted as interpreters and go-betweens between the British and the natives. Many of these blacks would work for the British, and take small jobs as stewards, drivers, porters, and use those to make a living for themselves. These blacks formed the basis of the new colonial administration, bringing them in, teaching them how to run things in the 'British fashion,' much like the British did in India.

There were several skirmishes in Northern Rhodesia and in Nyasaland, which led to the colonists requesting that the three be federated to better control and administer the land, and so that the army could protect the settlers. In this time, between 1910 and 1920, a number of natives were driven out of Nyasaland, as well as Northern Rhodesia. This is reflected in the slower growth rate of blacks between the 1910 and 1920 census. Many went to Mozambique and into the Belgian Congo. Also, the introduction of contraception to the natives, along with several introduced diseases against which the natives had no immunity served to reduce the native population in this time, which dramatically lowered their growth rates for decades.

After the end of World War I, the British Empire started a program that would pay veterans 10 years' wages, plus 100 acres if they moved down to Rhodesia. A large number did move to farm from southwest England, from Ireland's Gaeltaecht, and from the Scottish Highlands. About a third of these settlers would sell their land and move to the cities, when faced with the difficulties of colonial life, but fulfilling their 10-year obligation. This strain on the natives brought additional troubles, when the colonial government authorized private gun ownership for all settlers. Gun ownership was restricted in this time to white settlers, and unfortunately the law was not unbiased when it came to reporting on the shootings that eventually resulted. About 2500 native Rhodesians served in the army with distinction here, but their contributions to the war effort on behalf of the British Empire was not recognized until 1961, in a proclamation of Elizabeth II on colonial contributions to the war effort.

The number of natives brought into the administration of the colony increased in the 30's and 40's, with several thousand filling numerous positions in every city, village, and town, including Salisbury, the capital. They didn't fill higher positions, though, until the 1950s when several new positions opened up, including the Assistant Minister of the Interior for Farming and Land Use, which went to Robert Muzenda, the first native to serve in Rhodesia's colonial administration. He knew his conduct would be scrutinized, so he served the queen's government well and was even granted a lunch with Queen Elizabeth II in 1958 on her Commonwealth Tour.

Through the end of the second World War, an even larger number of veterans were awarded land for settling in Africa, and with their land and money, moved into the wild frontiers of Rhodesia, putting more strain on the unassimilated natives, which were estimated at about 80% of the black population. Raids, riots, and other violence were met with stiff resistance from the local militias and the British Regular Army, and the Rhodesian Royal Army. Assimilated native Rhodesians and veterans fought against the 'savages' or the tribal Rhodesians, leading to a depopulation of vast tracts of tribal lands. The natives who didn't assimilate never received guns or other advanced weaponry, so they were no match for the British. By 1955, after several years of fighting, most tribes surrendered, and scores of younger native Blacks voluntarily joined the cities and learned English. By the end of 1960, about 45% of the natives had been assimilated into British culture, and the remaining natives assumed a policy of ignoring the British and avoiding them.

The Race Relations Act of 1965 marked a change in official Rhodesian policy, banning discrimination on the basis of 'race, colour, ethnicity, or national origin' in hiring or university admissions. The Veterans Recognition Act of 1966 also recognized the efforts of 8,500 Rhodesian native veterans, awarding them 20 years afterwards in some cases, notably the new African Order of Merit, Military Cross, the Order of British Africa (First and Second Class), Royal Red Cross, Distinguished Conduct Medal, Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, the new Elizabethan Cross, and several other medals. Numerous native Rhodesians were honored with promotions they had been denied, and whole controversial amongst some white Rhodesians, it helped integrate and honor the contributions of natives to Rhodesia and the British Empire.

Today, Rhodesia had ended its affirmative action programs from the 1970s to the 1990s, as most Rhodesians do not actively discriminate against natives this day. There are some very isolated incidents of black on white and white on black racism to this day, but in almost no instance does it ever escalate to violence. The amount of discrimination against native Rhodesians in hiring, promotion, admissions, and even marriage has fallen dramatically since the 1970s.