Does the evidence from Africa support the thesis of underdevelopment?
Although Africa is developing fast and there are still a few countries that are trying to make a global impact, It can still be said that the African continent continues to house some underdeveloped and poor countries. The abject poverty that the citizens live under has been a result of political security and war in some countries. This essay will show that the evidence of Africa supports the thesis of underdevelopment. I will show this by focusing on what African politics is and the significance behind studying it. I will also look at African history as well as focus on an African country by the name of Burundi as a case study to answer the above posed question.
It is without a doubt important to study African politics as to abandon the unhelpful preconceptions that have been linked with the continent of Africa. “Average Western views of Africa tend to be rather selective and not always accurate”. (Thomson, 2000: 2) Due to the limited exposure that Westerners receive of Africa via broadcast Journalism as their sole source. It easy for Westerners to assume that Africa is a continent of corruption, famines, disasters and civil war, and although those factors do exist in some countries of the African continent – it is highly wrong to assume that these things shape African politics. It then becomes significant to understand African politics as not to be misled by media selectivity of mud huts, Wild Animals
Amadou Hampaté Bâ is extremely detailed throughout the book, The Fortunes of Wangrin, in explaining the colonial world in West African societies. He provides multiple examples in this work of fiction that precisely describe the factual aspects of African colonialism that we have discussed in class. I will point out a few of the examples that Bâ uses such as: limitations colonial governments set on Africans, the Métis relationships within colonies, and issues that arose, not only between Europeans and Africans, but within the native African communities as well. I will then point out certain details from the book that do not perfectly reflect the components of colonialism that we have studied in lecture.
Europe’s colonisation had major influences upon Africa’s development as a society. The book “Guns, Germs and Steel” written by American Ecologist, Jared Diamond, claims that Africa developed independently and with little major influence from Europe and its people. Moreover, Africa was colonized because of the natural landscape rather then the social and cultural influence from Europe. Controversially, historian Gene Callahan, opposes and describes Africa was developed based was off their own tradition and knowledge rather than through the influence of Europe. Jared Diamond has a valuable perspective on how Europe possibly impacted Africa’s development as a society.
African communities were also educated in industry and political affairs (Doc 3). They received simpler methods of agriculture that helped them gain a surplus of products and comfortable living standards (Doc 2). Powerful nations prided themselves in these benefits they had brought to previously savage
Even in, European countries during this era, the “Scramble for Africa” where the Europeans were fighting for leadership in African
Africa In World Politics: Engaging a Changing Global Order by John Harbenson and Donald Rothchild gives an analysis of how Africa has changed from being a European ruled colonial nation to a nation that it creating a name for itself in the global sphere. Beginning with Africa’s politics during the colonial era through the present. The book provides not only details about Africa but also how the changing world has affected African politics. The main focus of this book is to show the growth Africa has had since its time of colonization. Africa has grown as the world has changed although it has had to deal with internal conflicts and demands for political change due to its authoritarian regimes.
The industrial revolution propelled African imperialism to a level the world had never seen before. During the late 19th century, borders in Europe became difficult to alter and the only way to expand was in other continents like Africa. Europe exposed Africa’s weakness and preyed on them, leaving the continent in disarray. The industrial revolution induced African imperialism for economic prosperity, the rise in cultural and social power, and political motives. Economic prosperity had a major impact on the advancement of African imperialism.
“An in-depth analysis on effects of Imperialism on Rwanda” Nowadays, European countries such as England, France, Germany, Belgium, and many other countries possess a colossal clout throughout the world. It is an impeccable fact that such countries, indeed, have served as a rudiment pivot and step for the world to be advanced to the point where we are since the Industrial Revolution. Such countries, because of it, without a doubt, have a crucial status globally and become the superpower and commercial hub on our planet. On the back side of their gleaming growth, however, there is an invisible part left behind their luminous development: the Imperialism. The term “Imperialism” refers to a policy of extending a country’s authority and political clout by using its military forces and diplomacy.
Throughout the ages, many nations have been known to do whatever it takes to sustain a valuable supply of resources. For this reason, however the exploitation of resources by countries using unfair means is an enduring issue for many groups of people. Exploitation of resources is when the government or outside forces take advantage of a nation’s resources. This issue is significant because it causes civil conflict and war, can impact people of nations terribly, and can destroy industry. Problems created by exploitation of resources can be seen in examples from Sierra Leone, the Congo and British India.
Throughout time diverse regions have considered other societies to be barbaric, causing them to have the desire of “civilizing” them. Many individuals accept the rule of a higher and civilized region as they believe that their alterations will benefit them. Although, by enabling a higher power to acquire authority in another foreign nation, will diminish that regions culture and individuals will not truly possess respect, ultimately causing them to rebel against that foreign power after they comprehend their true nature. Likewise, after the Berlin Conference, which set certain rules for the partition of Africa, numerous European powers desired in colonizing Africa and obtaining control during the early 1800s, which was known as the Scramble
Many stereotypes of African culture have emerged due to western literature and media and first hand accounts of explorers. Things Fall Apart offers a view into the truth and reality of African cultures, which are often misconceptualized by these stereotypes. Acebe shows how African society functions well without assistance from foreign travelers. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe counters the imperialist stereotypes of Africa by keeping certain words in the Igbo language, as opposed to translating them into English, to fight back against the spreading western culture and to embrace their own way of life. He also counters the imperialist stereotypes of Africa by using Igbo proverbs to show how their culture values many of the same things that western
In The Legacy, Basil Davidson discusses the legacies of colonialism in Africa and gives an insight on modern Africa and the successes and downfalls that it possesses. Moreover, he states that many of the issues seen in modern day Africa are not new and have their roots in the long years of European colonialism that profoundly shaped and continues to shape the continent. Throughout the documentary, various themes regarding postcolonial Africa are mentioned in depth. A few of the themes that Davidson highlights are modernization, ethnicism, corruption, inequality, dictatorship, and neocolonialism.
Africa now depends on foreign Investment because they are unable to implement and fund their own projects, African nations are now giving the European powers attention that they needed from them it. It is seen by the way African states give incredible incentives to foreign owners of capital and technology to come to Africa and invest. Deformed labor movement was also used, people’s rights were infringed in a way that they did not have any say with accordance with their life’s and what they wanted, European powers used hegemony in the 20th century, forced labor was one of the cheap method they used on Africans, they needed cheap labor for things such as infrastructure development. African could not disagree to any of these methods because there was this say which was going around saying “African male are lazy” and this fueled the ideology of forced labor as an aspect of progressive rule. (Okia,
The association of poverty with Africa goes together like apple pie and America. From the advertisements of malnourished, African children to our education, or rather lack of education, about African countries in the American school system, the concept of Africa as an impoverished continent has been engrained into our minds. This rhetoric of Africa has lasted over decades, with a substantial amount of aid being given to African countries to rectify this problem. And yet, sixteen of the world’s poorest countries were identified as being in sub-Saharan Africa as of 2013. This insinuates that foreign countries and organizations that provide aid, need to reevaluate why aid isn’t making a bigger impact at fixing the problem.
During the period of imperialism in Africa all of the countries were competing for the title of being the richest and the strongest. In fact, the whole scramble for Africa was an opportunity for countries to enhance their overall economy. For example, King Leopold II of Belgium was determined to get the area of land so he can become more wealthy. France’s politicians thought that an overseas company would strengthen the country when it came to wealth, prestige, and power, so as a result they invested in land more toward the west and north-west. Britain wanted to protect their trading routes which required them to purchase land in East Africa, and they they soon discovered the rewards of the land so the were determined to obtain as much as possible.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS BE A MECHANISM FOR EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. FORTUNATA MULEKUZI REGISTRATION NUMBER: PG201401993 A CONCEPT NOTE SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNIVERSIDADE FERNANDO PESSOA AND OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA 2016 Background to the Problem The phenomenon international relations emerged at the beginning of the 20th century largely in the West and in particular in the United States as that country grew in power and influence. Bloomfield et al.