AHC: 1 African major power

Perhaps a Tanzania-Kenya colony that becomes independent together?

There was that idea (jointly with Uganda) manifested in the East African Commission which existed well before independence. But it fell apart as a political union because Kenya was wealthier than the other two constituent parts and had a powerful white settler population, unlike the others. Of Obote, Kenyatta, and Nyerere, only the last one was really committed to making it work.
 
all of whom are politically associated with France...

Well, you could make the union with Guinea under Sekou Toure actually work. France has at this point even taken the chalk from their classrooms so they might not do anything about a peaceful union.

Olympio in Togo was anti-French but he hated Nkrumah terribly. Nkrumah threatened to annex Togo but I'm sure France would still intervene in the case of an invasion.
 

iddt3

Donor
Is anyone going to link Male Rising? There are multiple major African powers, and by the 21st century South Africa, Ethiopia, and whatever confederation emerges around the Male will probably all be great powers. Plus France has integrated Sengal, by the 21st Century France might have the majority of it's wealth in Africa, making it arguably and African power.
 

scholar

Banned
Is anyone going to link Male Rising? There are multiple major African powers, and by the 21st century South Africa, Ethiopia, and whatever confederation emerges around the Male will probably all be great powers. Plus France has integrated Sengal, by the 21st Century France might have the majority of it's wealth in Africa, making it arguably and African power.
The OP is looking for a continental superpower, like the US with the Americas in the 20th century.The 1 major power is that the major power controls or has in its sphere the entirety of the sub-saharan continent.
 

Morty Vicar

Banned
With a POD in 1800, create any one African nation, independent or post-colonial, that becomes the strongest nation in Africa(all of sub-Saharan Africa within its sphere of influence, no other nation to challenge regional supremacy) by 2014.

How about muslims in Africa form a grand alliance to resist European colonial powers? They are no doubt defeated by some combined european force, but later when they regain their independence they do so as one entity, with significant resources.

Islam-in-Africa-Map.mediumthumb.jpg
 
I think this is very hard to achieve. There are several candidates that could be important regional powers, but to be a hegemonic power that dominates the entire African continent is hard. The continent is just too big.

If we gerrymander together a new power that has the size and population to dominate, it is likely to big and diverse to assert internal governance. If we utilize any country cohesive enough to achieve good level of industry, it likely is not able to dominate the entire continent (dominate its immediate region and influence the rest of the continent, yes).

A South Africa that avoids apartheid and slowly allows black enfranchisement while continuing on a pro-market course is the most likely candidate. It would have the economic growth, technical knowledge, and infrastructure to dominate while wielding enormous cultural power once the black majority achieves control.

I can think of other scenarios where one or more African countries do much better than OTL, but not to the point where they would dominate the continent. It would be much easier to create one or more mid-tier regional powers that could be seen as a leading or more influential power on the continent.
 
How about muslims in Africa form a grand alliance to resist European colonial powers? They are no doubt defeated by some combined european force, but later when they regain their independence they do so as one entity, with significant resources.
In the wildly improbable instance that Dar El-Islam were to unite as a political entity, surely it would involve most of the Middle East, and would have e.g. Pakistan before it got the Swahili coast, I'd think.

A pan-Arab Caliphate stretching from Morroco to Baghdad is not only possible, but history. Such a caliphate lasting? Not sure. A different caliphate composed of wildly different bits of Africa with lousy lines of communication and NOT including the middle east? I just can't see it.
 

SunDeep

Banned
What about Madagascar? If the Merina Kingdom isn't annexed, they could be capable of pulling a Meiji and becoming a regional power, acquiring significant mainland territories by allying with the Entente and the Allies in the World Wars, maintaining their independence into the post-colonial era and eventually bringing the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa into their sphere of influence. It seems cohesive enough, and it has the abundant resources needed to build an industrial base on its own, with coal, steel, oil and gas reserves in abundance.
 

Morty Vicar

Banned
In the wildly improbable instance that Dar El-Islam were to unite as a political entity, surely it would involve most of the Middle East, and would have e.g. Pakistan before it got the Swahili coast, I'd think.

A pan-Arab Caliphate stretching from Morroco to Baghdad is not only possible, but history. Such a caliphate lasting? Not sure. A different caliphate composed of wildly different bits of Africa with lousy lines of communication and NOT including the middle east? I just can't see it.

I'm not 100% sure on this, just throwing out an idea. No doubt if some or all the various muslim powers in North Africa united under the banner of Islam then other Islamic nations would join in support, as in the Crusades. Ultimately I think Europeans would conquer them, as per OTL, certainly as far as Egypt, but it would then be a nightmare to govern, not to mention keeping the territory from competing european powers. Perhaps they are conquered as separate entities, but have a wave of popular uprisings, something like a very early Arab Spring, but motivated by supression of Islam by the colonial powers. Some combination of parts of OTL Western Sahara, Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya or Sudan could form the new power. Libya would be key here, as it has huge potential oil wealth, and strategic trading position, if they can avoid any insular dictatorships.. Morocco I think has a strong national/ ethnic identity, they would pobably become independent, or otherwise at elast have a strong seperatist movement.
 

Morty Vicar

Banned
What about Madagascar? If the Merina Kingdom isn't annexed, they could be capable of pulling a Meiji and becoming a regional power, acquiring significant mainland territories by allying with the Entente and the Allies in the World Wars, maintaining their independence into the post-colonial era and eventually bringing the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa into their sphere of influence. It seems cohesive enough, and it has the abundant resources needed to build an industrial base on its own, with coal, steel, oil and gas reserves in abundance.

And they are basically immune to the ravages of disease!

I really hope someone gets that reference.. :p
 
Top