First published 1992 by Transaction Publishers
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Library of Congress Catalog Number: 91-19903
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gregory, Robert G.
The rise and fall of philanthropy in East Africa: the Asian contribution/
Robert G. Gregory.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-56000-007-4
1. East IndiansAfrica, EastCharitiesHistory20th century. 2. CharitiesAfrica, EastHistory20th century. 3. East IndiansAfrica, EastHistory20th century. I. Title
HV3199.E232A35341991
361.709676dc20
91-19903
CIP
ISBN 13: 978-1-4128-5385-9 (pbk)
ISBN 13: 978-1-56000-007-5 (hbk)
For
R. P. Chandaria
and
K. P. Chandaria
After completing India and East Africa: a History of Race Relations within the British Empire, 1890-1939, which was mainly a political study of the policies of Britain and India toward the settlement of South Asians in East Africa, I decided to undertake a further study specifically on the Asians. There was no comprehensive history of these important people. Eventually two additional volumes were completed: one on the Asians political history with a concentration on the period since 1939; and the other an overall survey of the Asians economic and social history during the nine important decades from 1890 to 1980. The study of the Asians led to the discovery that philanthropy had become a prominent feature of their society and also an important determinant of East African economic and social history. Yet philanthropy, it appeared, had received virtually no attention from scholars focusing on East Africa, and, surprisingly, the subject has received very little attention throughout the non-Western world. Obviously, the Asians philanthropic history deserved description.
Since this study is a by-product of the others, the same sources are pertinent. When the study was begun, Syracuse University had undertaken with the Kenya National Archives a seven-year cooperative project for the microfilming of historical records. Most of the records of the British colonial administration, from the files in the Kenya district offices to the correspondence in the British Colonial Office, and many newspapers and private records were being collected and filmed. In directing the microfilming, which eventually produced nearly three thousand reels, I was able to include nearly all the extant Asian records: those of the communitys political and economic organizations as well as newspapers and private papers.
The research in the British and Asian sources, nearly all of which contain some information on the Asians, consumed a number of years. Fortunately, during one year in East Africa I had the help of three senior graduate studentsCharles Bennett, Martha Honey, and Dana Seidenbergwho were writing Ph.D. dissertations on the Asians. They assisted not only in the examination of written sources in Kenya and Tanzania, including Zanzibar, but also in the interviewing of Asians from these areas and Uganda. Subsequently I was able to undertake further interviewing and the examination of written sources in India and Britain. In all approximately two hundred Asians, most of whom were communal leaders, were interviewed. The records of these interviews, together with the written sources, constitute an invaluable collection of information on the Asians and East Africa.
A number of organizations and individuals facilitated the research and writing. The National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities joined Syracuse University in supporting the micro-filming and the compilation of indexes. Bachulal Gathani, Amritlal Raishi, Nitin Madhvani, R. P. Chandaria, I. T. Inamdar, Hansa Pandya, Pritam Pandya, Dana Seidenberg, William Stinchcombe, Vernon Snow, and my wife Pat, who assisted in almost all the research and interviewing, read all or much of the manuscript. To all these, including the three assistants, and to the many others who cheerfully provided information, I wish to express my gratitude.
Introduction
Social Welfare is not, of course, a new activity in India. It is as old as India itself
Jawaharlal Nehru
These words by Jawaharlal Nehru refer to what is generally termed philanthropy. Meaning literally in its Greek origin love of mankind, philanthropy may be defined as essentially a self-sacrifice on behalf of needy individuals outside the donors extended family. It is expressed mainly by the sharing of wealth but also by the devotion of time and energy for the benefit of others. Ones basic impulse is to care primarily for ones spouse and children and secondarily for close relatives on both sides of the nuclear family. Caring for those who are not closely related is more difficult. The first step beyond the extended family is to serve the needs of those who share the same culture, those who are neighbors, fellow villagers, and, somewhat more remote, those who are of the same caste, the same religious sect, or the same nationality. This requires a higher degree of self-sacrifice, and it is here that philanthropy, altruism, beneficence, benevolence, munificence, voluntarism, or charityterms that society has applied to this form of the sharing of wealth, time, and energybegin.
It is possible for philanthropy to advance to a further stage by embracing the needs of humanity without distinction of culture, race, or creed. It then is a true humanitarianism. This is by far the most difficult stage of self-sacrifice, for it is often beyond the realm of interpersonal association and in conflict with highly esteemed group loyalties including patriotism and nationalism.
Voluntary service or social work, which is often equated with philanthropy, is a somewhat narrower term in that it emphasizes individual action apart from the sharing of wealth. It has been aptly defined as a labour of love given by individuals or groups by free choice and under no external compulsion, to help individuals, groups or communities in social, economic or spiritual need. Lord Beveridge called it a private enterprise for social progress.
The reasons for philanthropy cannot be defined with certainty, but they seem to be inherent in the nature of humans and society. Philanthropy is a response to conditions in the environment that induce suffering and obviate the fulfillment of basic human needs and the realization of common goals. It can be inspired, augmented, and directed by religion, which itself is shaped by factors in the environment. It can also be stimulated and reinforced by rational thought such as that associated with the Enlightenment. Essentially, perhaps, philanthropy is a product of the human power of imagination, the ability to project ones self into anothers position and to develop an empathy that motivates one to charitable endeavor. It seems to have been practiced by all peoples.
