The foreign policy of Kenya, 1963-1978
This thesis analyses Kenyan foreign policy between I963 and 1978 and provides a case-study of foreign policy-making in a developing state. It shows how the colonial heritage influenced the orientation of foreign policy through political, economic and cultural means. An examination of the domestic political structure shows that an elite group around Jomo Kenyatta controlled the policy-making process and gave little opportunity to competing elites to alter the country's foreign policy and development goals. These goals were pursued within the framework of the former colony's dominant aid and trading patterns and thus raised questions concerning neo-colonialist control and the dependence of Kenya upon the West. In East Africa, Kenya sought peaceful relations to maximise economic benefits. The country capitalised upon its predominance caused by colonial and settler policies and formalised its position in the East African Community. Its relative strength, however, combined with political differences unsettled its neighbours and contributed to the Community's demise. The unresolved territorial dispute with the Somali Republic, added to the difficulties with Tanzania and Uganda, presented major problems for Kenya's
Wright, Stephen John
HC Economic History and Conditions ; JA Political science (General)
The foreign policy of Kenya, 1963-1978. This thesis analyses Kenyan foreign policy between I963 and 1978 and provides a case-study of foreign policy-making in a developing state. It shows how the colonial heritage influenced the orientation of foreign policy through political, economic and cultural means. An examination of the domestic political structure shows that an elite group around Jomo Kenyatta controlled the policy-making process and gave little opportunity to competing elites to alter the country's foreign policy and development goals. These goals were pursued within the framework of the former colony's dominant aid and trading patterns and thus raised questions concerning neo-colonialist control and the dependence of Kenya upon the West. In East Africa, Kenya sought peaceful relations to maximise economic benefits. The country capitalised upon its predominance caused by colonial and settler policies and formalised its position in the East African Community. Its relative strength, however, combined with political differences unsettled its neighbours and contributed to the Community's demise. The unresolved territorial dispute with the Somali Republic, added to the difficulties with Tanzania and Uganda, presented major problems for Kenya's
foreign_policy kenya analysis kenyan foreign_policy provide case_study foreign_policy making develop state show colonial heritage influence orientation foreign_policy political_economic cultural mean examination domestic_political structure show elite_group around control policy_making process give_little opportunity compete elite alter country foreign_policy development goal goal pursue within_framework former colony dominant aid trading pattern thus raise_question concern neo colonialist control dependence kenya upon west east_africa kenya seek peaceful relation maximise economic benefit country capitalise upon predominance cause colonial settler policy formalise position east african community relative strength however combine political difference unsettle neighbours contribute community demise unresolved territorial dispute republic add difficulty tanzania uganda present major_problem kenya