Why is Africa the way it is?

[GregoryPalamas]

I’ve pondered this question most of my life and I have no answer. Maybe it makes little difference but it troubles me and the world both Catholic and non-Catholic have addressed the problems of Africa over and over for centuries.

Why is Africa so poor? Why do its people suffer endless cycles of starvation and civil war no matter what happens?

Many of the most devout Christians in the world come from Africa, not simply North Africa but from all parts of Africa. At the same time many of the worst atrocities in the world are committed by Africans against Africans. Why?

Despite massive imports of foodstuffs starvation rates in Africa continue apace and this despite the fact that the growing season in Africa is longer than in any continent on average in the world.

Despite a massive amount of natural resources the African continent as a whole lags behind all other continents in the benefits they receive from those natural resources.

Colonializations has been blamed. But colonialization ended years ago. Is it the negative effects of Islam? But Islam is only a major player in the North. Poverty and civil war exist all over the continent. Is is corrupt governments. That only begs the question. Corrupt governments aren’t so much a cause as an effect.

The only somewhat consistent culprit seems to be the negative effects of Socialism. There are entrepreneurs in Africa. There are nascent business leaders. But each time they start to move toward self reliance some “do gooders” someplace attempts to impose their ideas of what is right to do and usually the do-gooders are socialists who have an ideology and not the best interests of the people in mind.

Or maybe African people should be left alone to develop on their own and we shouldn’t expect anything other than poverty, disease, and civil strife for the time being.

What do you all think?

CDL

 

[vampares]

The only somewhat consistent culprit seems to be the negative effects of Socialism.

GD

 

[st_lucy]

At the same time many of the worst atrocities in the world are committed by Africans against Africans. Why?

I agree with some of what you are saying. But I really think that we need to take a step back and look at ourselves. I think that here in the west we are making the same if not worse atrocities here on our own soil. The continual killings of the unborn has not stopped for more than three decades now. I think that someone posted on another thread that it is somewhere between 218 babies a week, A WEEK! I agree what has happened in the past in Africa has been shocking, but we have learned from these actions and many people have rightfully stood up to these horrific acts. But very few are standing up to the horrific act of abortion. In fact abortion is almost encouraged here.

I think that Mother Teresa said it best when she said, We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.

 

[vern_humphrey]

I agree with some of what you are saying. But I really think that we need to take a step back and look at ourselves. I think that here in the west we are making the same if not worse atrocities here on our own soil. The continual killings of the unborn has not stopped for more than three decades now. I think that someone posted on another thread that it is somewhere between 218 babies a week, A WEEK! I agree what has happened in the past in Africa has been shocking, but we have learned from these actions and many people have rightfully stood up to these horrific acts. But very few are standing up to the horrific act of abortion. In fact abortion is almost encouraged here.

I think that Mother Teresa said it best when she said, We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.

I agree we need to start at home and solve our problems.

But that doesn’t mean things are getting better in Africa. And yes, the key is Socialism. The reason is simple – Socialism is (ideally) a system that takes from those who have and gives to those who have not. But it requires power to take – and once the government has the power it needs to take, it has the power it needs to enforce despotism.

And, surprise! surprise! A system that was supposed to take from those who have and give to those who have not is transformed into a system that takes from virtually everyone and gives to the power elite!

 

[Nancie_Lew]

I’ve pondered this question most of my life and I have no answer. Maybe it makes little difference but it troubles me and the world both Catholic and non-Catholic have addressed the problems of Africa over and over for centuries.

Why is Africa so poor? Why do its people suffer endless cycles of starvation and civil war no matter what happens?

Many of the most devout Christians in the world come from Africa, not simply North Africa but from all parts of Africa. At the same time many of the worst atrocities in the world are committed by Africans against Africans. Why?

Despite massive imports of foodstuffs starvation rates in Africa continue apace and this despite the fact that the growing season in Africa is longer than in any continent on average in the world.

Despite a massive amount of natural resources the African continent as a whole lags behind all other continents in the benefits they receive from those natural resources.

Colonializations has been blamed. But colonialization ended years ago. Is it the negative effects of Islam? But Islam is only a major player in the North. Poverty and civil war exist all over the continent. Is is corrupt governments. That only begs the question. Corrupt governments aren’t so much a cause as an effect.

The only somewhat consistent culprit seems to be the negative effects of Socialism. There are entrepreneurs in Africa. There are nascent business leaders. But each time they start to move toward self reliance some “do gooders” someplace attempts to impose their ideas of what is right to do and usually the do-gooders are socialists who have an ideology and not the best interests of the people in mind.

Or maybe African people should be left alone to develop on their own and we shouldn’t expect anything other than poverty, disease, and civil strife for the time being.

What do you all think?

CDL

It’s a good thing that you didn’t say Africa is the poorest continent (although you alluded to that fact by using the word lag) in the world because some Blacks would accuse you of being a racist. One of my teachers (math) made the remark that Africa is the poorest continent in the world and a black student went off on her. Its racist if you say Africa is the poorest continent. She should have said that Africa is “one” of the poorest continents.

 

[vern_humphrey]

It’s a good thing that you didn’t say Africa is the poorest continent (although you alluded to that fact by using the word lag) in the world because some Blacks would accuse you of being a racist. One of my teachers (math) made the remark that Africa is the poorest continent in the world and a black student went off on her. Its racist if you say Africa is the poorest continent. She should have said that Africa is “one” of the poorest continents.

Political Correctness is far more important than accuracy.

 

[WILKM]

I was born and brought up in Zimbabwe and then lived in South Africa for eighteen years. I have been here in Ireland now for seven years.

I am NOT a racist and I could write a lot about this subject but due to political correctness, I am unable to.

I would be interested to see what comments come up.

 

[FightingFat]

Why? Because we raped and pillaged and stole and enslaved until rather recently!

 

[vern_humphrey]

I was born and brought up in Zimbabwe and then lived in South Africa for eighteen years. I have been here in Ireland now for seven years.

I am NOT a racist and I could write a lot about this subject but due to political correctness, I am unable to.

I would be interested to see what comments come up.

Don’t self-censor yourself. Speak out. We’re interested.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Why? Because we raped and pillaged and stole and enslaved until rather recently!

Not that I wish to condone atrocity anywhere, FF, but, ahem, any study of European, Asian, South American, North American, Australian and yes, African history contains rape, pillage, theft and slavery. And who is this ‘we’ you speak of? I have no ancestors who were involved in black slavery, ever. If anything, in the last 80 years or more, my ancestors/ family have put into Africa, through missions and donation, food, clothing, shelter, medical care, etc.

Let’s have a little less of the ‘guilting’ of people generations removed from slavery. Many of my ‘female’ ancestors were raped and treated like chattel but am I demanding reparations, as a woman, for ‘thousands of years’ of female slavery just because I happen to be a woman, and, well, history didn’t give ‘us women’ the type of power it gave to men for millennia? If it were possible to make a reparation to those who were enslaved, by those who were involved, that would be wonderful. . .but it isn’t (until we somehow master time travel).

The Irish suffered terribly at the hands of the English. The Saxons suffered the depradations of the Vikings. Athens and Sparta “duked it out”; the Greeks overan the Minoans, the Romans the Etruscans. Black African tribes enslaved not only other black Africans but whites as well. If we have learned anything it is an appreciation of people as humans. To my mind (and I find many blacks who agree with me), it is degrading to accept things like equal opportunity because of what happened to those of another generation; it is insulting to think of a lump sum of money as ‘reparation’ for somebody’s having an ancestor in the distant past who was a slave, as though the only thing that could make up for past wrong was cold hard cash.

Ever noticed that apologies, sympathy, understanding, enlightenment etc. just don’t seem to mean as much–or even sometimes don’t mean anything-- unless the $$$$ are thrown lavishly too?

 

[freesoulhope]

Why is Africa so poor?

CDL

Money and power. The exploitation of black slaves made more profit. There was an idea that, if you are black, you are less deserving of a dignified life, less human. This idea was promoted to justify slavery. When slavery was abolished and there was nothing left worth while exploiting from Africa, the capitalist organisations involved, left Africa to its decay and divided chaos; this is what you see left of Africa on the news today.

It is not because they didn’t like to work or learn at school.

These days they use the excuse of people not working hard at school as an excuse to shamelessly pay people pitiful wages. As if to say, you become “less of a human”.

This is just my opinion of course.

 

[freesoulhope]

Let’s have a little less of the ‘guilting’ of people generations removed from slavery. Many of my ‘female’ ancestors were raped and treated like chattel but am I demanding reparations, ?

If they have economically crippled you, like they have done to Africa, then maybe you should.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Money and power. The exploitation of black slaves made more profit. There was an idea that, if you are black, you are less deserving of a dignified life, less human. This idea was promoted to justify slavery. When slavery was abolished and and there was nothing left worth while exploiting from Africa, the capitilist organisations involved, left Africa to its decay and and devided chaos; this is what you see left of Africa on the news today.

It is not because they didnt like to work or learn at school.

This is just my opinion of course.

That theory has been used to explain the problems of Blacks in America – and shown to be invalid. For example, it is claimed slavery destroyed the Black family – but there is a wealth of data showing Black families were strong and thriving right into the 1950s.

But even if your theory were valid, how does it explain the plight of those who stayed in Africa and were not subject to slavery?

How does it explain how a thriving, prosperous country like Zimbabwe – which was once a net food exporter – is now (name removed by moderator)overished and forced to import food?

 

[freesoulhope]

How does it explain how a thriving, prosperous country like Zimbabwe – which was once a net food exporter – is now (name removed by moderator)overished and forced to import food?

Somebody took on the mentality of their exploitative western brothers?

Anyhow you have stated that my ideas are incorrect; yet you have failed to explain why.

You seem to think that the economic systems that humans invent, for their own selfish gain, have nothing to do with infuencing curruption in the human heart upon being exposed.

The sin of africans alone, does not explain the economic colapes of Africa; the invasion of western influence and political curruption most certainly paved the foundations for its destruction even if they are not them selves held reponsible for the sinfull attitudes that emerged after their leaving.

 

[freesoulhope]

but there is a wealth of data showing Black families were strong and thriving right into the 1950s.

Where is this wealth of info you are speaking of?

Why is there black getto’s in America? Why is there segragation? And what does the acievments of the black family unit have to do with the economic rapeing of Africa? I think you trying to blur the truth.

What are you going to tell me? Black people dont want good things for them selves? Dont want to work, make something of themselves?

If they dont, if they think of them selves as worthless, then the mental conditioning they have been recieving from a racist world, would explain it.

 

[dwc]

Where is this wealth of info you are speaking of?

Why is there black getto’s in America? Why is there segragation? And what has the acievments of the black family unit have to do with the economic rapeing of Africa? I think you trying to blur the truth.

What are you going to tell me? Black people dont want good things for them selves? Dont want to work, make something of themselves?

If they dont, if they think of them selves as worthless, then the mental conditioning they have been recieving from a racist world, would explain it.

I think you’re reading a lot more into Vern’s posts than there actually is. He said nothing about blacks not wanting to work hard, make something of themselves and want good things.

If you read Vern’s post, he quotes the post to which he is replying. He notes that an argument in that post is a very similar argument used to one used to explain the current state of many black families in America, and then states how that argument was wrong regarding American families – the obvious conclusion being he doesn’t think that argument holds much water to explain current African conditions. That’s why the reference is relevant, whether you agree with it or not.

So, the OP asked why we thought Africa currently has so much poverty, hunger and instability despite the longest growing season and an abundance of natural resouces. Is your response simply that it’s the result of mental conditioning from a racist world? That’s it? It really is that simple?

 

[ribozyme]

I do not believe in Rushton’s racial theories, but does anyone want to comment on this page:

vdare.com/misc/rushton_african_iq.htm

 

[vern_humphrey]

Somebody took on the mentality of their exploitative western brothers?

If that were true, then Zimbabwe should have been impoverished and a net food importer under colonial rule – but at the time of independence, Zimbabwe was fairly prosperous and a net food exporter.
freesoulhope;1994502:

Anyhow you have stated that my ideas are incorrect; yet you have failed to explain why.

The burden of proof is on you to show why your ideas are correct. You have failed to do that.

[You seem to think that the economic systems that humans invent, for their own selfish gain, have nothing to do with infuencing curruption in the human heart upon being exposed.

And chief among those exploitative systems are Socialism and Communism – because they require centralized power to “work” and once that much power is centeralized, it is misused.

[The sin of africans alone, does not explain the economic colapes of Africa; the invasion of western influence and political curruption most certainly paved the foundations for its destruction even if they are not them selves held reponsible for the sinfull attitudes that emerged after their leaving.

Those nations which emerged after colonialism span the spectrum of political freedom – but the more socialized a nation is, the more brutal and corrupt its government.
[/quote]

 

[GregoryPalamas]

Where is this wealth of info you are speaking of?

Why is there black getto’s in America? Why is there segragation? And what does the acievments of the black family unit have to do with the economic rapeing of Africa? I think you trying to blur the truth.

What are you going to tell me? Black people dont want good things for them selves? Dont want to work, make something of themselves?

If they dont, if they think of them selves as worthless, then the mental conditioning they have been recieving from a racist world, would explain it.

I report I found a few years ago, I think by Bill Moyers, stated that prior to WWII Black Americans owned over 17 million acres of farm land. After WWII there was a massive migration north. Now there are very few acres of land owned by blacks, huge numbers are on welfare, and black families have suffered terrible destruction.

But this isn’t about American Blacks. I have still read nothing to indicate that the present devastation of black Africa is anything more than the devastation of Socialism. Still, can this be. Can this misdirected economic system be solely to blame for this poverty?

CDL

 

[Nancie_Lew]

Tribalism would be another reason for Africas problems. Also the Colonial powers created un-natural borders for countries putting different ethnic groups togther when they never got along with each other.