Publisher description for Colonialism, development and independence: the case of the Melanesian islands in the South Pacific [by] H. C. Brookfield.
Bibliographic record and links to related information available from the Library of Congress catalog
Information from electronic data provided by the publisher. May be incomplete or contain other coding.
This 1972 book takes Western Pacific island territories as a case study in the behavioural understanding of colonialism. It is argued that colonialism has many forms, and is not ended with the lowering of the metropolitan flag. It represents a conflict of systems, as worldwide forces impinge on local systems and seek to bring them into an essentially dependent relationship with metropolitan centres. The drive for independence is seen as the opposition to these forces, beginning with resistance to invasion, continuing through efforts to adapt the innovations and manage their impact, and going on to modern forms of political and economic nationalism. The book is based on field work and documentary research extending more than ten years; the emphasis on field evidence is unusual in a book of this nature.
Library of Congress subject headings for this publication:
Melanesia -- Economic conditions.
Melanesia -- Politics and government.
Melanesia -- Social conditions.