How Europe Underdeveloped Africa Summary

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INTRODUCTION:
The book How Europe underdeveloped Africa is written by Walter Rodney and it was published in 1972. The book explains the relation that existed between Africa and Europe during the 15th Century to after the colonization of Africa. The book takes the view that Africa was deliberately exploited and underdeveloped by the European Colonial Regimes. The time setting of this study is 1500 to the decolonization period of 1960s thus it can be noted that Rodney’s work was a scientific study. He explains this Euro-Africa relationship with six chapters that clearly bring out the main theme of this book which is Underdevelopment of Africa by Europe by use of Historical Development; where he seeks to explain the events that led to Africa’s
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The idea of technological advance in Europe and stagnation of technology in Africa made Africa result to trading with Europe . The introduction of trading companies that were established to move goods to and from the colonies was also responsible for exhausting a great part of the Africa’s resources that were produced by the Africans . There is also evidence in places such as Tanganyika where Africans been forced to grow cash crops for the Europeans on their own land. A Kenyan white settler was quoted saying, “we have stolen their land and now we must steal his limbs” . Also it can be noted that after the economic depression ended the Europe countries went to war and they ended up recruiting the Africans to fight for …show more content…
It is also clear that the problems facing Africa started when Africa started trading with Europe leading to culture contact which brought about the idea of civilization to the African continent. During the trade, unequal trade terms led to the transfer of wealth from Africa to Europe adding to the much wealth the European countries already had. Due to their advancement in technology Europe was able to infiltrate into the African Land and get themselves the natural resources and as well as manufacture products with their machineries and sell the end products and still get the lions share in the profits acquired. Walter says, “Colonialism was not merely a system of exploitation but one whose essential purpose was to repatriate the profits to the so called

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