I understand the fact that the slave trade and colonisation highly affected the continent, but fact is African countries weren’t the only ones affected by that so it still puzzles me as to why African nations have failed to spring up like the Super power nations we have today
In: Economics
I just listen to a podcast featuring Magatte Wade, a Senegalese business woman and author about this topic. To grossly oversimplify her point, Africa is where it is because decades of bad governance resulting from the popularity of Liberation (communist) movements during the time when Africa was coming out of colonialization. Because of massive government bureaucracies, it is very difficult (and costly) for the average African to start a business. As a result the only businesses that can operate are massive foreign corporation who bribe officials and extract wealth from Africa. People complain about the foreign companies but the reality is that the people need the services and it is too difficult to get a homegrown solution that keeps the wealth in Africa. An example she mentioned was Orange, the giant French telecommunication company. The Senegalese need cell service and internet access but it is difficult for a Senegalese company to be able to compete with Orange.
This is a very complicated question with no one single answer but I will point to the negative impact of neocolonialism on many African countries. Even after receiving independence in the 60s many African countries continue to be interfered with and exploited by outside powers. This has encouraged lots of cronyism and has lead to good leaders being assassinated or replaced by stooges who stay in power through ties with big companies. I think the Congo is a good example of this if you want to read further on the topic.
I point this out not to say that African countries have no free will or have acted perfectly but to bring attention to the fact that outside interference did not go away after independence but just took on a different veneer.
And of course obligatory Africa is a huge continent and that every country is different.
If there a sociological aspect? So in Africa I understood there was a strong family/tribal allegiance. So any wealth you get, you are obliged to share amongst the wider family. If you have a job, and are recruiting, you employ someone from your family. You need some work done, you get someone from your family to do it. It’s a lot like the cronyism in any political organisation, but it’s family based?
Any truth in this?
People often blame the slave trade and colonization but the reality is that geography is destiny.
Rich countries were always going to be rich and poor countries were always going to be poor.
Africa is crazy rich in natural resources but cursed by geography
Have you seen mining pits in your country? That’s the level we’ve allowed Africa to develop to
I think the better question is, “Africa has a SHIT TON of natural resources, why are they so poor?” The answer is corruption.
Not living like North Americans/Western Europeans doesn’t necessarily mean “under developed,” though somehow that’s become the global standards (insert comment about colonialism here). That being said, if you’re asking why some countries in Africa remain destitute and people suffering, I’d say 1 – political corruption; 2 – global capitalism.
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