Although the rise of nationalist movements in Africa was certainly a contributing factor in the dismantling of the colonial empires, one cannot wholly attribute the ‘demise of colonialism’ to the rise of nationalism. Decolonization occurred rapidly and along similar lines in territories where nationalist movements were in very different stages of development. In the Ivory Coast, for example, nationalist leaders were reluctant and tardy advocates of independence; in Kenya, the nationalist movement was not yet well organized. This strongly suggests that an understanding of decolonization requires special attention to the ‘other side’: the colonial interests involved.

This, then, is a study of the ‘other side.’ Central to the study is the idea that the decolonization process was shaped by an adaptive reaction of colonial political and economic interests to the political ascendency of a nationalist elite and to the threat of disruption by the masses. An analysis of the colonial elite's composition, alignments and bargaining activities is essential to an understanding of the terms of the bargain called independence. In the Kenyan case, the fate of the ‘White Highlands’ was the critical issue for the European farming community, and was of major importance to the other expatriate interests dominating the colonial political economy. The resolution of the land issue marked a decisive stage in the pre-emption of mass unrest and the cooptation of the nationalist elite into their role as guardians of this political economy.