As requested.......my copied and pasted opinion (bowing to Casper) on why Africa appears to be still in the dark ages....or as so succinctly put "A shithole"
First let me put my opinion into perspective, I have visited Africa once, for two weeks holiday, living in regular houses, travelling on buses,sharing the food,
going native for two weeks....not doing the tourist route
Prior to my visit I had married a Zimbabwean women 5 years earlier, and had become aware of certain cultural characteristics.
Other than that visit I have never left the UK.
It is possible if you have any imagination to consider the history of africa from an unbiased neutral stance....to consider the facts dispassionately.
No other continent has ever lost the vast numbers of its youth over such a long period of time.......40 million plus are the upper numbers....over a sustained period......A devastating loss by any standard, and one that must have argueably affected its advancement to some degree.
Following and over lapping that period of african history most of the continent was subjugated by an
obviously different invader. Not like the Roman domination of Europe who assimilated into the population and who assimilated the population into the dominant class.....in africa there was a sharp divide....Whites ruled, blacks were subordinate, almost totally.
Whites dominated every aspect of the continent, every position of power, police ,army, law, all authoritive positions, Priests, teachers, Farming, Mining, and mainly financial........
Whites controlled every aspect of countries they ruled, even the lines drawn to define borders, disconnecting tribal regions, thrusting conflicting tribes together in one country.....in Zimbabwe the Ndebele and Shona.
The whole infrastructure of africa was controlled and maintained for the ruling elite who retained their dominance by any means available.....these ruling elite were originally mercenaries, soldiers of fortune, taking the riches abroad, enriching the colonial countries far away.
Later these same people became attached to the countries their forbears had settled in...... the infrastructure remained geared for european profit..........cash crops, minerals......most enterprise was to suit the european market place.....with enough uplift of the blacks to keep them happy.
Africa was booming.....enriching the invaders....the indigenous people....and the money men in Europe and America.
Then the blacks wanted more say.....they wanted to rule in their own destinies...............so the institutions of government,the organisational classes............after a struggle....upped and left.....
theoretically.
So a continent without a
modern ruling class, an alien system thrust upon them ....who had no people prepared to step into the positions vacated by the whites....were cast adrift to solve the problems.
The financial institutions remained in european hands.....the biggest businesses remained in european hands.....the control of the african economy remained by and large in the hands of far off western companies who needed to satisfy shareholders....not africa.....or the people of africa.
The West have nominally left the countries they colonised, but they still control the majority of big businesses, still manipulate governments into power by backing them financially, or topple others who look unfavourably at the west.
Mugabe the tyrant was backed by Westminster over a less agreeable alternative
Joshua Nkomo
So at Independance most African countries were ill prepared to run countries that were European defined areas, combining tribes with ancient conflicts, and seperating tribal lands between different countries.........And with no history of government on the western style imposed as a condition of Independance.
Newly formed nations saddled with debt, struggling to gain stabilty, but with no finance other than tied
Loans and Aid from their colonial masters.
If you take another look at Africa with history in mind......it takes on a different complexion.
My summary of why Africa still remains "A shithole" is that they are still not getting a fair crack of the whip Internationally.Europe and America have built unfair protectionist trade barriers, protecting their own producers, imposing quotas on imports.The International Monetary Fund and World Bank are in western hands....and bow to western business.Prices of exports from africa are kept artificially low.
That will do for now..........OK Casper ?
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