Africa 'worse off than in colonial times'

[dArKeR]

Africa is worse off now than it was during the era of colonialism because its political elite are plundering its resources and stashing money in Swiss banks instead of investing it in their own countries.

These comments were made on Tuesday by Moeletsi Mbeki, Chairperson of the South African Institute of International Affairs, and brother of the president.

In his address to the Durban branch of SAIIA, on the theme Africa: Quo Vadis?, Mbeki said Africa was experiencing a downward spiral, with its people worse off than they had been during the time of colonialism.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=vn20040922064524415C535536

What does "colonialism" mean? Does it mean a bunch of rich white people getting together and making a plan to do something? Then using their money to hire other poor people to carry out their plans? (aWol, Cheney, Halliburton, Blackwater... Then people who really want to get rich or have an inspiration for adventure and to help people become pawns... (Kidnapped workers). Then the rich white people go in and kill as many people needed to execute their plan.

What if the rich white rapists never enslaved the African countries and imposed their fascist murdering systems on them would the African countries today be far more advanced than the Slave Masters?

[Machiavelli05]

1. study much African politics?

Colonialism was a period of time which Britain, Netherlands, Italy, France, Belgium occupied most of Africa. Yes the economies were better, they were healthier, safer, so and so forth. However, they received the natural right of any human to independence - however they now live with the problems that result from these powers pulling out and creating a power vacuum. The borders of the countries were decided by Europe (I think you called them the 'white rapist'?) and not by the ethnic tribes that exist - so ethnic tribes are forced to be in one state...and so war in Rwanda, Sudan, Congo result.... whos fault is it? Europe? warlords? human nature? a particular ethnic group?


Also, your words sound like youre a bit of extremist...

[21winner]

2. Take pointing fingers away.

Now is more important than what was.

[el_gato]

4. What was is key to understanding what is.

wallowing in ignorance is a fools game.

[el_gato]

3. 500 years of colonial rape and pillage never ended

It is an ongoing process.

And yes, what happened in the past is key to understanding today.

[Machiavelli05]

5. Simple answers for complex problems

Blaming Africa's problems solely on colonialism is a bit of a simplistic and shallow analysis of the problem. It wasnt the colonialism that has created the problems of today - it was the situation that the colonial powers left behind when they left that created the contemporary problems.

[flaminbats]

6. Asia and Africa have similar problems..

both lack ample natural resources to sustain their exploding populations. Both have growing epidemics and medical problems, and both have been devastated by problems caused by the European slave trade and colonization.

First the U.S. should direct our foreign aid to regions which need it most. Asia and Africa both have rapidly growing impoverished populations, while environmental problems and poverty are uncontrolled in South America. If countries in the western world together placed as much capital in this objective as in fighting wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, I doubt terrorism would continue to be a growing problem.

We must also change our immigration policy to help these regions. The highest proportion of U.S. immigrants come from Mexico, Canada, and Central America. But this does not reflect the fact that Asia, Africa, and South America have the most difficult challenges ahead. Rather than accepting a policy that hurts us with more cheap labor every year, why not have a humanitarian policy that brings in stronger immigrants from highly troubled parts of the world? This will relieve some of these regions of their impoverished populations, while giving these immigrants a new opportunity to lead successful lives.

[bemildred]

7. Throw the multi-nationals out.

And the meddling "Western" intelligence and foreign policy
elites.

Then we'll talk about what Africans should do about
ruling themselves.

The fact is that Africa was much better off before the Western
colonial powers invaded, and the economic colonization continues
to this day.

Mr. Mbeki is right, of course, but it is not "Africa's" fault
that the present situation exists.