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Why is the African continent poor? [View all] Jesus Malverde May 2014 OP
Galeano brilliantly described this phenomenon in his "Open Veins of Latin America," struggle4progress May 2014 #1
THE RAPE OF AFRICA CAUSED THE POVERTY. Europeans came,stole, slaved, killed, abused,and bravenak May 2014 #2
And they drew borders that had no basis in cultural reality, Warpy May 2014 #6
You should read the book "Leopold's Ghost" about the Belgium Congo. Javaman May 2014 #52
I have that book and had to put it down. tenderfoot May 2014 #56
It will do that. nt Javaman May 2014 #60
That is the truth in a nut shell. And now they are unwilling to help the victims of their greed. And jwirr May 2014 #46
. JI7 May 2014 #3
Sums it up quite clearly. n/t 2naSalit May 2014 #4
Interesting graph thanks... Jesus Malverde May 2014 #14
What JI7 said. Octafish May 2014 #50
Every stride Latin America has made has been from ridding the influence of outsiders. DemocraticWing May 2014 #5
And there was a post on DU last week that showed us how many of our CIA agents etc. are now jwirr May 2014 #47
Africa: “the battlefield of tomorrow, today.” Maedhros May 2014 #54
Thank you for posting it to my post as this old lady has trouble doing it. jwirr May 2014 #58
Why, you're welcome! Maedhros May 2014 #62
Thank you for this post. nt woo me with science May 2014 #61
Didn't the book "Guns, Germs and Steel" have... grasswire May 2014 #7
As anthropologists go, Jared Diamond makes an excellent ornithologist. LeftyMom May 2014 #9
I think you should read the books in question Scootaloo May 2014 #20
I read them. That's why I think he's awful. LeftyMom May 2014 #39
Because the infrastructure that does exist is built for resource extraction and not local needs, LeftyMom May 2014 #8
Because Africa is at the bottom of the Trickle Down benefits list of neo-liberalism and colonialism. Tierra_y_Libertad May 2014 #10
^ this. nt TBF May 2014 #29
Africa has many problems Art_from_Ark May 2014 #11
Colonialism facilitates micraphone May 2014 #12
Oh yes, the "They sold their own people" claims Scootaloo May 2014 #21
Benin had slaves before the Europeans came Art_from_Ark May 2014 #67
Poor infrastructure, trade barriers, poor leadership, poor opportunity. Sen. Walter Sobchak May 2014 #13
And don't forget that they looted the continent of millions of malaise May 2014 #15
My father would have agreed JustAnotherGen May 2014 #31
Mine too malaise May 2014 #33
Not just poverty, why so much mayhem, murder, rape and torture? seveneyes May 2014 #16
Scarcity leads to the violence and especially between competing tribes. And as to the rape a virgin, jwirr May 2014 #48
If you consider Africa is the starting point Shankapotomus May 2014 #17
I saw someone ask the same question about brazil. Jesus Malverde May 2014 #18
Exactly Shankapotomus May 2014 #19
Yeaaaah, the "Northern Theory" is a favorite of "racialists." Scootaloo May 2014 #24
You see the same phenomena in asia Jesus Malverde May 2014 #26
You don't, actually Scootaloo May 2014 #28
India is not all tropical... Jesus Malverde May 2014 #30
Another problem with that theory is that North America gets pretty cold, Nye Bevan May 2014 #34
Interesting counterpoint...nt Jesus Malverde May 2014 #35
They did, it just doesn't get recognized or didn't survive. politicat May 2014 #59
Yes. General speaking adapting to cold weather bred innovation and technology. DCBob May 2014 #23
It would have to, right? Shankapotomus May 2014 #25
Anyone know the word "colonialism" or maybe "exploitation"? (Why are there homeless Americans?) WinkyDink May 2014 #22
Culture, institutions and peoples AngryAmish May 2014 #27
World Bank smacked Africa good with loans Whisp May 2014 #32
Asia was in a similar situation a few decades ago. pampango May 2014 #36
China is putting $2 billion into fighting its neocolonialist image in Africa Jesus Malverde May 2014 #37
"...there are signs that China’s role in Africa is changing." We can hope. Thanks for the article. pampango May 2014 #38
One might argue that china's involvement in africa has been more productive Jesus Malverde May 2014 #40
I have not seen anyone make that case but it may be possible. pampango May 2014 #42
I'm under the impression they have built Jesus Malverde May 2014 #43
As your article indicated, their investments have largely been related to resource-extraction. pampango May 2014 #44
Billions from Beijing: Africans Divided over Chinese Presence Jesus Malverde May 2014 #45
Thanks. Interesting and balanced articles. n/t pampango May 2014 #51
The North-South orientation of the continent, coupled with a desert in the North ... dawg May 2014 #41
Eurpoe mostly. The North America didn't help. nt rrneck May 2014 #49
the gold and diamond trade is not taxed or regulated ? larkrake May 2014 #53
Because European invaders stripped the assets and took them back to europe... truebrit71 May 2014 #55
Europe, sure. And North America War Horse May 2014 #57
maybe they learned from history , plus there is the whole need to have some acceptance JI7 May 2014 #63
The same reason why places like Detroit and Haiti are poverty stricken and crime filled. 951-Riverside May 2014 #64
This thread is amazing Capt. Obvious May 2014 #65
Because they've been exploited for their natural resources? alarimer May 2014 #66
they are kind of connected aren't they ? JI7 May 2014 #68
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