ABSTRACT
‘Separatism’ is used to describe the attitudes and theoretical stances underlying a wide range of the institutions and groupings thrown up by the black and Asian communities. It might be used of black and Asian ‘self-help’ groups, churches, temples and mosques, newspapers, arts centres, schools and Saturday schools, trade associations, social clubs, sports clubs, cricket teams, etc., and political groupings. Similarly, black politicians have approached local government in terms of their potential as representatives of black interests, and largely dependent on black votes. Altogether, the ideology which informed the establishment of black control structures has, in fact, continued to work its way through by extension into other spheres. For instance, the black and Asian movement into the mainstream of British politics has taken place at the end of many years of black interests being virtually ignored by the mainstream parties.
