Analyse discours Nnamdi

Harold Wilson was twice the prime minister of United Kingdom between 1964 and 1970 then, between 1974 and 1976. The text that we are going to analyse is a speech of Wilson referenced in the book “Purpose in Power, Selected Speeches”. So, we are in 1965, a few years after WW2 and Britain has colonies all over Africa, and Wilson is having a speech at the television to talk about the illegal declaration of Rhodesia, a country situated in south Africa colonized by Britain which is known nowadays as Zimbabwe. This speech is a kind of declaration to defend the honour of the Queen and try to get Rhodesia back in the good path. Through this analyse, we are going to see how Britain reacted ang fought against that declaration. In the first part we will focus on the declaration itself, then, in the second part we will see how Britain struggles for democracy and Rhodesian’s welfare.

The fact is that in 1665 Britain is trading with Rhodesia for three years, Wilson and its predecessors warned that if Mr Smith, the Rhodesia’s prime minister would illegally declare independence it would be considered as an act of rebellion to the Crown so there would be huge consequences from both sides “(…) independence, illegally taken, would be an act of revolt against the Crown. And we have warned them against the consequences that would follow.” In that quote we understand that Britain is really attentive to its colonies and the allegiance to the crown, more over Rhodesia is among commonwealth so it has to respect its charter. But Mr Smith didn’t pay attention to theses warning and decided with his government to declare independence and let the country to a sad situation.

The thing is that according to Wilson, “The Rhodesian people have been deceived into thinking that there was no alternative between this illegal society and being ruled by an unprepared African majority tomorrow.” So, if we go in that way, we can say that this people has been manipulated for political purposes. But Wilson doesn’t seem to fell that way, according to him he has been clear and he told to Rhodesians that “they were alternatives and I told them what they were”

At this moment the consequences of the act of declaration were vague, British government didn’t know exactly what to expect “I do not know what the dark consequences of this cation will be” says Wilson line 17.

But the respond of British government and the House of Commons hasn’t be long, the case has been treated very seriously and important representant of governments get themselves gather to plan a response, and it is the Foreign Secretary who has flown to New York. The Foreign Secretary is a senior Minister of the Crown within the government of the United Kingdom, and head of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, he is also a senior member of the British Cabinet. And at this time, it was Michael Stewart who serve twice in the first cabinet of Wilson.

“The Foreign Secretary has flown to New York this evening to represent Britain in the discussions which must follow at the United Nations” line 17 to 18, United Nations in an intergovernmental organization that aims to maintain international peace and security. So that meeting took place to decided what to do against Rhodesia’s illegal independence, what measure should be taken to “return to the rule of law”. Saying this, Wilson shows that he considers now Rhodesia as a country

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