Historical Dictionary of Madagascar (African Historical Dictionaries) Book

Although Madagascar has had a long and complicated political history, there is a real shortage of scholarly work in English on the island. Situated in a strategically important corner of the Indian Ocean, Madagascar has played a major role in trading networks for hundreds of years. Its population and language reflect this situation, being composed of both Malayo-Polynesian and African elements. The recent history of Madagascar has included one of the first and most important rebellions against colonial rule, a period of rule by a "Marxist" regime, and a recent transition to democracy whose success is still uncertain. This work contains information on several of the topics necessary to understand past and present Malagasy society and politics. The introduction summarizes the history of the island, while entries cover the histories of the major ethnic groups and the most important pre-colonial political units. It contains entries on the important figures and events of the colonial period and nationalist movement, and on post-independence regimes. Among the events covered are the 1947 nationalist rebellion, the "May Revolution" of 1972, and the installation of a Marxist regime in 1975. The dictionary closes with a survey of the major figures involved in the fall of the Democratic Republic of Madagascar and the transition to democracy of 1991, and a description of the new institutions of the new regime. The dictionary also contains information on the organization of the Malagasy economy, major products and resources, past and present trading partners, a detailed chronology, and a large bibliography of works in English and French.Read More