General Discussion

Octafish

(55,745 posts)

50. What JI7 said.

Tue May 20, 2014, 11:17 AM

May 2014

Wasn't always this way. JFK wanted State to work with the PEOPLE over the colonial powers, appointing Michigan's ex-governor to get the ball rolling:

G. Mennen Williams

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Post gubernatorial years

After leaving office in 1961, Williams was quickly appointed to the new post of Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs by President John F. Kennedy, where Williams became known for his frequent refrain, "Africa for the Africans!" He served in this post until early 1966, when he resigned to unsuccessfully challenge Republican United States Senator Robert P. Griffin.

Two years later, he was named by President Lyndon B. Johnson to be U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, where he served less than a year. Williams was elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1970 and was named Chief Justice in 1983.

http://www.reference.com/browse/g.%20mennen%20williams

DUer Jim DiEugenio spoke about all this at the Duquesne conference.

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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