Mrs. Huxley, who had been raised in Kenya, was highly regarded as an observer of her own country and of Africa generally. This fascinating conversation explores the whole subject of decolonialization, including the limitations of Western democracy in a region accustomed to other methods of decision-making, and the question of how a colonial power should go about letting go. EH: "There does come a point when you've got to choose. Either you say, 'We'll wait for an ideal situation, when more people have had time to graduate from universities and there are more skilled people equipped to take over the reins of government.' You can do this. Or you can say, 'That is worse... because it involves shooting a lot of people.' Then there is the question of any kind of future based on good will. If you leave in an atmosphere of bloodshed and violence, you can't expect to attain what you hope to be a commonwealth."