Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-jr42d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-20T03:13:23.345Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The three-party system in Dahomey: II, 1956–1957

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 January 2009

Martin Staniland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

By the end of 1955, territorial politics in Dahomey were dominated by three parties, the P.R.D. of S. M. Apithy, the M.D.D. of Hubert Maga, and the U.D.D. of Justin Ahomadegbe and others. Each party relied upon electoral support in clearly defined regions: the P.R.D. depended on the south-east, the M.D.D. on the north, and the U.D.D. on the residual areas of central and south-western Dahomey. The U.D.D. claimed, however, to be a new kind of party, transcending the narrow regionalism of its rivals and commanding ‘mass’ support rather than the uncertain and conditional support provided by ‘vote contractors’.

The loi-cadre reforms of 1956—7 led to an intensification of party activity, since they provided for the creation of territorial executives founded on electoral majorities and at the same time introduced universal suffrage. The 1957 Territorial Assembly elections were therefore a testing-ground for the tactics and strength of the three parties. Under pressure from the P.R.D., the U.D.D. adopted selection procedures like those of its rival. Outside the main towns, its campaigning was similar, concentrating on local issues to the exclusion of the wider questions on which the U.D.D. had hoped to take its stand.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of African History , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , July 1973 , pp. 491 - 504
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1973

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 The final figures were: Apithy-Aplogan, 64,344 votes; Maga-Gbaguidi, 60,600; Adandé-Ahomadegbe, 40,637; Toko-Maurat, 10,592; Darboux-Soumanou Mama, 2,963. The total turnout was 46.6 per cent (179,734 out of a registered electorate of 384,868) (France-Dahomey, 3 Jan. 1956, 13 Jan. 1956).Google Scholar

2 Zinsou was from Ouidah: in 1951 he and Kpakpo had topped the poil in the subdivision centrale and in the Parahoué subdivision of Athiémé, and came second in Grand Popo. The U.D.D. drew a number of its leaders from the Mina population of the western coast.Google Scholar

3 See Morgenthau, Politcal Parties, 66–73;Google ScholarThompson and Adloff, French West Africa, 78–82.Google Scholar

4 France-Dahomey, 9 Mar. 1956, 13 July 1956, 24 July 1956, 24 Nov. 1956, 12 Dec. 1956, 2 Feb. 1957, 6 Feb. 1957.Google Scholar

5 Robinson, Kenneth, ‘Senegal: The elections to the Territorial Assembly, March 1957’, in Mackenzie, W. J. M. and Robinson, Kenneth (eds.): Five Elections in Africa (Oxford, 1960), 295.Google Scholar

6 Coleman, James S., ‘The emergence of African political parties’, in Haines, C. Grove (ed.), Africa Today (Baltimore, 1955), 234.Google ScholarCf. Schattschneider, E. E., Party Government (New York, 1942), 35: ‘A political party is first of all an organized attempt to get power. Power is here defined as control of the government. That is the objective of party organization.’Google Scholar

7 Report, Commissariat de Police, Abomey, 6 Mar. 1957, APA/483 (Direction des Affaires Intérieures, Cotonou).Google Scholar

8 The electoral system was based on Law 52–130 of 6 Feb. 1952 (see Robinson, in Mackenzie and Robinson, Five Elections in Africa, 297–8). The electoral arrangements for Dahomey in 1957 were set Out in France-Dahomey, 2 Mar. 1957.Google Scholar

9 Cf. Robinson, in Mackenzie and Robinson, Five Elections in Africa, 298;Google Scholar and Lewis, W. Arthur, Politics in West Africa (London, 1965), 64–74.Google Scholar

10 France-Dahomey, 3 Oct. 1956, 13 Oct. 1956.Google Scholar

11 Le Périscope (Porto-Novo), Dec. 1956/Jan 1957; Governor of Dahomey to High Commissioner, French West Africa, 9 Apr. 1957, 155/APA (Direction des Affaires Intérieures, Cotonou—hereafter cited as ‘Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957’).Google Scholar

12 Cf. Glélé, Naissance d'un Etat Noir, 139.Google Scholar

13 Pamphlets, , L'U.D.D. s'interroge sur la Loi-Cadre (Cotonou, 1956),Google Scholar and Conclusions de la session d'étude de l'U.D.D. sur la Loi-Cadre (Cotonou, 1956) (privately communicated).Google Scholar

14 France-Dahomey, 31 July 1956. Cf. the report on the Territorial Assembly's debate on the loi cadre, France-Dahomey, 29 Aug. 1956, 1 Sept. 1956.Google Scholar

15 Glélé, Naissance d'un Etat Noir, 139–40;Google ScholarFrance-Dahomey, 5 June 1956 (statement by Ahomadegbe);Google ScholarLe Pér, scope, May/July 1956; Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957.Google Scholar See Morgenthau, Political Parties, III.Google Scholar

16 Glélé, Naissance d'un Etat Noir, 139–40; Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957; Le Péricope, May/June 1956. Ahomadegbe's own position on affiliation is not clear. According to Governor Biros, he and Traoré were the main instigators. But Glélé emphasizes that, ‘Ahornadegbe himself did not want affiliation to the R.D.A. Affiliation was imposed on him by the executive committee, which was looking for some protection’. He had delayed a decision by ‘dilatory manoeuvres’ (op. cit. 140). Glélé further stresses that affiliation was ‘dictated by domestic problems’; it was a matter of tactics, not one of ‘ideology or conviction’ (op. cit. 140–1).Google Scholar

17 Le Périscope, May/June 1956 (statement by Council of Elders); Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957.Google Scholar

18 Le Périscope, May/June 1956.Google Scholar

19 In the same elections the U.D.D. took nine of the thirty-one seats in the Porto-Novo municipality and four of the twenty-three in Parakou (France-Dahomey, 21 Nov. 1956).Google Scholar

20 See statements in France-Dahomey, 20 Jan 1956, 27 Mar 1956, 15 Sept. 56.Google Scholar

21 France-Dahomey, 17 Apr. 1956, 20 Apr. 1956; Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957.Google Scholar

22 France-Dahomey, 19 Jan 1957.Google Scholar

23 Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957. See Lombard, ‘La vie politique’, 36–7.Google Scholar

24 Commandant de Cercle, Savalou-Governor, 8 Mar 1957, APA/480 (Direction des Affaires Intérieures, Cotonou—afl administrative material cited hereafter is from this source).Google Scholar

25 The north was allotted eighteen seats, for five constituencies. The M.D.D. put up sixteen candidates in its own name, plus two ‘independents’ for Parakou. The M.D.D. was opposed in every constituency except Natitingou. On election day, there was a turnout of 45·6 per cent (102,078 out of a total electorate of 223,396). The M.D.D. (including the Parakou list) obtained 66 per cent of votes cast in the north. But one constituency alone (Natitingou) provided 65 per cent of all the M.D.D.'s votes. The party in fact won only six seats, the remainder going to independents. As Governor Biros remarked, Maga was ‘the big loser’ in the election (Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957).Google Scholar

26 Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957.Google Scholar

27 Intelligence report, 6 Mar. 1957, APA/467, Cotonou.Google Scholar

28 Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957; intelligence reports, 5 Mar. 1956, APA/444, Cotonou, 2 Mar. 1957, APA/430, Athiémé; report, Commandant de Cercle, Porto-Novo (sic), 4 Mar. 1957 68/P.V./C.Google Scholar

29 Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957.Google Scholar

30 Police intelligence reports, 4 Mar. 1957 68/P.V./C, Porto-Novo, 8 Mar. 1957 72/P.V./C (APA/477), Porto-Novo.Google Scholar

31 Police intelligence reports, 4 Mar. 1957, 68/P.V./C, Porto-Novo, 9 Mar. 1957(?), APA/495, Porto-Novo.Google Scholar

32 Police intelligence report, 8 Mar. 1957, 72/P.V./C (APA/477), Porto-Novo.Google Scholar

33 Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957. The Commandant de Cercle, Ouidah, said that, for the voters in his district, Apithy was ‘a fetish in a lounge suit’ (Report, Commandant de Cercle, Ouidah, 3 Apr. 1957, APA/787, Ouidah).Google Scholar

34 Police intelligence report, 9 Mar. 1957(?), APA/M495, Porto-Novo.Google Scholar

35 Namely, MM. Apithy, Sani Agata, Ahouanménou, Oké Assogba, and Kayossi.Google Scholar

36 Intelligence report, 5 Mar. 1957., APA/445, Cotonou; Governor-High Commissioner. 9 Apr. 1957.Google Scholar

37 Report, Commandant de Cercle, Ouidah, 3 Apr. 1957, APA/787, Ouidah; police intelligence report, 6 Mar. APA/483, Abomey. In Abomey the P.R.D. had the support of at least one canton chief, Justin Aho, and also of the president of the Association des Fits de Chefs, Napoléon Aho Glélé.Google Scholar

38 Police intelligence report, 4 Mar. 1957, 68/P.V./C, Porto-Novo; intelligence reports,5 Mar. 1957, APA/444, APA/445, Cotonou.Google Scholar

39 Police intelligence report, 8 Mar. 1957, 119, Cotonou.Google Scholar

40 Police intelligence report, 9 Mar. 1957, 123, Ouidah; report, Commandant de Cercle, Ouidah, 3 Apr. 1957, APA/787.Google Scholar

41 Police intelligence reports, 4 Mar. 1957, 68/P.V./C, Porto-Novo, 6 Mar. 1957, APA/483, Abomey.Google Scholar

42 Intelligence report, 6 Mar. 1957, APA/467, Cotonou.Google Scholar

43 Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Mar. 1957.Google Scholar

44 Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957.Google Scholar

45 Ibid.

46 Report, Commandant de Cercle, Ouidah, 3 Apr. 1957, APA/487, Ouidah.Google Scholar

47 Governor-High Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957.Google Scholar

48 Ibid. The U.D.D. blamed its defeat on intimidation by the P.R.D., administrative bias, and support of Apithy by the larger French firms (L'Action Sociale et Populaire de Cotonou (Cotonou), 1 May 1957). The Governor was certainly hostile towards the left-wing of the U.D.D., demanding in his report on the election that ‘the territory be relieved forever’ of ‘the professional agitator’ Mamadou Traoré. On the charge of partiality, he wrote: ‘The truth is that the wild men of the U.D.D. felt the wind of defeat and, being unable to admit their mistakes, blamed them in advance on the administration’. (GovernorHigh Commissioner, 9 Apr. 1957.)

49 Intelligence report, 7 Mar. 1957, APA/471, Cotonou; police intelligence report, 4 Mar. 1957, 68/P.V./C, Porto-Novo.Google Scholar

50 By allocation proportionate to votes cast, the U.D.D. would have taken three seats for Porto-Novo, two for Cotonou, two for Ouidah, four for Athiémé, four for Abomey, one for Pobé-Kétou, and two for Savalou.Google Scholar

51 I would like to thank Charlotte Logan for her help in the preparation of this article.Google Scholar