The Blackbeards and the Khamas

The origins of a conservative welfare doctrine in Botswana under Seretse Welfare State in Botswana, 1965-1980.’  I have always understood that Seretse was disillusioned,  understandably, with both the Labour and Conservative parties in the UK.

I was therefore surprised by Seekings contention that ‘the ideology that he helped to articulate in the late 1960s and 1970s resembled closely the ‘One Nation’ conservatism articulated by young Conservatives such as Ian Macleod.’ Wondering therefore who did influence Seretse, apart from John Syson, I cast around and  remembered an article in an English magazine, Picture Post of 1956 or 1957. which had included a photo of Ruth in the Serowe post office ‘with her friend, Audrey Blackbeard’. This was of some interest because much of the white trader community in Serowe at that time was extremely hostile to Ruth.