Role of colonialist and other external parties in Continued African Problems
In the 1880’s, European powers divided Africa amongst themselves without the consent of the African people giving birth to the colonization Era of Africa. During this era, Africa was introduced to new policies by the colonial masters to enable them govern the continent. These policies were not well received by a majority of Africans and the struggle for independence began in earnest. The mid 19th century saw African countries begin gaining independence and attaining self rule.
Over the years, Africa has continued to struggle with recovery from colonization as well as managing its internal affairs. Many of the problems Africa is facing today can be traced back to …show more content…
Unequal Distribution of Resources
Colonialists picked a favored ethnic group, armed and financed it, and invited it to dominate and plunder the others in return for obeying the colonialists' orders. While some people exaggerate the effects of this, Africa, like the rest of the world, was driven by interethnic war long before the colonialists came there is no denying that the Europeans made it worse. When the neighbors have killed your father, you remember it, and you want revenge, even after the Europeans who gave your neighbors the guns have gone. Thus, new and bloodier wars between Hutu and Tutsi, have erupted after the Europeans went home.
Human Rights
The status, privilege, and wealth of colonial ruling populations were often maintained and upheld through the use of policies that violated the human rights of those living in the colonized areas. Unjust policies subjected colonized populations to the loss of their lands, resources, cultural or religious identities, and sometimes even their lives. Examples of these brutal policies include apartheid in South Africa, declaration of a state of emergency in Kenya during the Mau Mau war among other unjust …show more content…
Domestic governmental systems and structures were controlled and operated either from abroad or by a select domestic, privileged group. Consequently, when liberation came, these states lacked the internal structures, institutions, and 1egalitarian way of thinking needed to create good governance systems. The result is that many postcolonial states, although independent, are still ruled by repressive and restrictive regimes. For example, Melber (2002) states, "(t)he social transformation processes in Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa can at best be characterized as a transition from controlled change to changed control’’.
The Cold War
It was this fear of Soviet influence in Africa, particularly on the part of the United States, that created such a major problem for African nations. Western powers viewed African independence through the lens of the Cold War, which rendered African leaders as either pro-West or pro-East; there was little acceptable middle ground. Naïvely, most African leaders believed that they could navigate the political land mines of the Cold War through political neutrality.
Nonetheless, as Africans declared themselves nonaligned, pro-West, or Marxist sympathizers, Cold War politics deprived them of the freedom to truly shape their political paths. Combined with the strong residue of the colonial political structure, African leaders designed their internal and external politics
In the 1880’s, European powers divided Africa amongst themselves without the consent of the African people giving birth to the colonization Era of Africa. During this era, Africa was introduced to new policies by the colonial masters to enable them govern the continent. These policies were not well received by a majority of Africans and the struggle for independence began in earnest. The mid 19th century saw African countries begin gaining independence and attaining self rule.
Over the years, Africa has continued to struggle with recovery from colonization as well as managing its internal affairs. Many of the problems Africa is facing today can be traced back to …show more content…
Unequal Distribution of Resources
Colonialists picked a favored ethnic group, armed and financed it, and invited it to dominate and plunder the others in return for obeying the colonialists' orders. While some people exaggerate the effects of this, Africa, like the rest of the world, was driven by interethnic war long before the colonialists came there is no denying that the Europeans made it worse. When the neighbors have killed your father, you remember it, and you want revenge, even after the Europeans who gave your neighbors the guns have gone. Thus, new and bloodier wars between Hutu and Tutsi, have erupted after the Europeans went home.
Human Rights
The status, privilege, and wealth of colonial ruling populations were often maintained and upheld through the use of policies that violated the human rights of those living in the colonized areas. Unjust policies subjected colonized populations to the loss of their lands, resources, cultural or religious identities, and sometimes even their lives. Examples of these brutal policies include apartheid in South Africa, declaration of a state of emergency in Kenya during the Mau Mau war among other unjust …show more content…
Domestic governmental systems and structures were controlled and operated either from abroad or by a select domestic, privileged group. Consequently, when liberation came, these states lacked the internal structures, institutions, and 1egalitarian way of thinking needed to create good governance systems. The result is that many postcolonial states, although independent, are still ruled by repressive and restrictive regimes. For example, Melber (2002) states, "(t)he social transformation processes in Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa can at best be characterized as a transition from controlled change to changed control’’.
The Cold War
It was this fear of Soviet influence in Africa, particularly on the part of the United States, that created such a major problem for African nations. Western powers viewed African independence through the lens of the Cold War, which rendered African leaders as either pro-West or pro-East; there was little acceptable middle ground. Naïvely, most African leaders believed that they could navigate the political land mines of the Cold War through political neutrality.
Nonetheless, as Africans declared themselves nonaligned, pro-West, or Marxist sympathizers, Cold War politics deprived them of the freedom to truly shape their political paths. Combined with the strong residue of the colonial political structure, African leaders designed their internal and external politics