Why is Africa a Failure?

[PostmanPot]

...ill leave you with the above. Maby you can prove me something icw this?

Anything specific you're looking for?

Good night.

 

[PostmanPot]

To the best of my knowledge, no-one has given a succinct and wholly satisfying answer to this yet. In terms of the difficulties in studying it, it's a hard-core social science question, there are a billion variables at play. Most of these variables cannot be isolated because of their nature and milieu; or because those studies into this question which are proposed have a hard time passing ethics(read "political correctness") committees.

To expand:

Corrupt governments, failed central planning, geopolitics, human rights violations, despotism, illiteracy, superstition, tribal savagery, military conflict, poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition, bad water supply and sanitation and poor health services.

 

[Piepalook]

Oh goodness but your stupidity is funny. I can hardly type for laughing so hard.

I would love to know when you think this "new way of thinking" came about? Have you ever heard of Enlightenment?

Here is something of a factoid .. Whites have been in Africa for around 300 years. That's from around the 18th century. Enlightenment happened around the 18th century.

Enlightenment is generally regarded as the time when the "new way of thinking" became widespread.

Therefore, Africa has been exposed to the "new way of thinking" for as long as the rest of the world.

But even if that were not the case, Africans in South Africa have definitely been exposed for at least 100 years. That is enough generations to adopt the ideas. But they haven't. Why?

Two simple words: Arrogance, Stupidity.

P.S. Some Africans actually learned the lessons and have done very well with them. They are, unfortunately, in the minority.

It's been 356 years since Van Riebeek landed at the Cape.

 

[BandwidthAddict]

It's been 356 years since Van Riebeek landed at the Cape.

I meant to say at least 300 years. Of course North and West Africa have been "visited" for much longer.

 

[Piepalook]

I meant to say at least 300 years. Of course North and West Africa have been "visited" for much longer.

I just wanted to set the record straight.

 

[PostmanPot]

I would love to know when you think this "new way of thinking" came about? Have you ever heard of Enlightenment?

Around 2000 years ago.

Yes I have heard of enlightenment, I take it you're referring to the Age of Enlightenment, a movement in Western philosophy.

Here is something of a factoid .. Whites have been in Africa for around 300 years. That's from around the 18th century. Enlightenment happened around the 18th century.

Been in Africa exploring it for a brief time, and then exploiting it and the people, indoctrinating them etc. Europeans had been indoctrinated much earlier. I wonder if Europeans would have become enlightened if they were being exploited and hadn't been indoctrinated.

Enlightenment is generally regarded as the time when the "new way of thinking" became widespread.

Therefore, Africa has been exposed to the "new way of thinking" for as long as the rest of the world.

Widespread enlightenment did not occur in Africa at the same time it did in Europe. Perhaps a few Africans who came into contact with explorers were enlightened, provided they could understand English, and the explorers could understand whichever tribal African language. It was still a while until Europeans began showing real interest in Africa.

But even if that were not the case, Africans in South Africa have definitely been exposed for at least 100 years. That is enough generations to adopt the ideas. But they haven't. Why?

Two simple words: Arrogance, Stupidity.

Three or four generations of South Africans compared to the thirteen generations of the Europeans, who were not being exploited, used as slaves, oppressed etc.? Heh.

P.S. Some Africans actually learned the lessons and have done very well with them. They are, unfortunately, in the minority.

Yes, uptake is bound to be slow considering the history of Africa.

 

[Debbie]

My feeling is that the answer has more to do with "attitude" than "altitude", so to speak.

 

[UnoPanelvan]

Sure we can dance, provided you teach me how to first (e.g. present the facts that prove it is not possible for black people to achieve the same as white people), and you don't do any name-calling while we're at it.

Just look at Africa, A vision of succes and prosperity stares you in the face. I was surprised today to learn tha Rwanda and the other countries in the Bush tour are doing well. (With help of course)

One main reason for failure?

President Thomas Yayi Boni of Benin thanked Bush for the hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. aid aimed at fighting poverty, malaria and HIV/AIDS in his country. He also asked for help with Benin's struggling cotton exports.

Bush said he chose Benin to start his six-day Africa tour because its leaders were determined to fight corruption and were careful to make sure U.S. aid dollars were properly spent.
"This is such a good lesson. One of the reasons I've come here, sir, is that leaders around the world have got to understand that the United States wants to partner with leaders and their people, but we're not going to do so with people who steal money, pure and simple," Bush told Boni.

PS. Now maybe some would note: South Africa is not listed in the tour, ie wont be visited by Bush.
SA have yet to explain what happened to the Aids AID.

 

[CyraxHB]

I agree, its weird the way africa is lagging behind even when it has tons of resources, its almost as if evolution stalled a bit in that part of the world.

The whole of europe was utterly destroyed in world war 2 and it only took a few years to rebuild it all and become as first world as ever. Africans need to stop blaming the past for their misfortunes and work to make the future better. But we all know how thats going to turn out.

 

[BandwidthAddict]

Around 2000 years ago.

Yes I have heard of enlightenment, I take it you're referring to the Age of Enlightenment, a movement in Western philosophy.



Been in Africa exploring it for a brief time, and then exploiting it and the people, indoctrinating them etc. Europeans had been indoctrinated much earlier. I wonder if Europeans would have become enlightened if they were being exploited and hadn't been indoctrinated.



Widespread enlightenment did not occur in Africa at the same time it did in Europe. Perhaps a few Africans who came into contact with explorers were enlightened, provided they could understand English, and the explorers could understand whichever tribal African language. It was still a while until Europeans began showing real interest in Africa.



Three or four generations of South Africans compared to the thirteen generations of the Europeans, who were not being exploited, used as slaves, oppressed etc.? Heh.



Yes, uptake is bound to be slow considering the history of Africa.

1. You need to do some reading on what Enlightenment was.
2. You need to do some reading on African history especially to do with white traders, pirates, explorers and missionaries.
3. You need to do some reading on European history.

I will give you two hints:

• 330 AD - Ethiopian King Ezana of Axum makes Christianity an official religion
• Whites were "being exploited, used as slaves, oppressed etc" for a very long time

I already knew what your answers were going to be, I was just recalibrating my idiotemeter. Zero-by-zero deviance.

 

[noxibox]

S. Korea after the Korean war was a messed up country. It had more internal problems than this whole continent and had no natural resources such as coal, oil or gold to trade.

Probably something strongly in their favour. No incentive to interfere, promote war and dictators. Does it help that wealthy countries turn a blind eye to weapons for resources? Deliberate promotion of corruption as long as they get the resources they're after? During the cold war support for any vicious dictator as long as they were anti-communism?

Why give South Korea as an example? Why not North Korea, Vietnam or Cambodia? What about South America?

Although even South Korea was put in jeapardy by the faulty economic policies of the World Bank/IMF.

It is probably far too early to be judging. African countries as they stand were largely manufactured by colonialists, and as independent countries they are fairly new.

 

[PostmanPot]

Just look at Africa, A vision of succes and prosperity stares you in the face. I was surprised today to learn tha Rwanda and the other countries in the Bush tour are doing well. (With help of course)

One main reason for failure?



PS. Now maybe some would note: South Africa is not listed in the tour, ie wont be visited by Bush.
SA have yet to explain what happened to the Aids AID.

Nice to see Bush putting in what his country previously took out.

 

[PostmanPot]

The whole of europe was utterly destroyed in world war 2 and it only took a few years to rebuild it all and become as first world as ever.

Poor analogy.

Africans need to stop blaming the past for their misfortunes and work to make the future better.

Agreed, although the past could be a reason for their attitude. Many African countries are now working hard to make the future better.

But we all know how thats going to turn out.

How?

 

[UnoPanelvan]

Nice to see Bush putting in what his country previously took out.

Unfortunately there is some things he cannot put in although he never took it out either.

 

[PostmanPot]

1. You need to do some reading on what Enlightenment was.
2. You need to do some reading on African history especially to do with white traders, pirates, explorers and missionaries.
3. You need to do some reading on European history.

Sure, would you like to point me to any specific documents?

I will give you two hints:

• 330 AD - Ethiopian King Ezana of Axum makes Christianity an official religion
• Whites were "being exploited, used as slaves, oppressed etc" for a very long time

One country out of many. Now that's what I call a small percentage. And yes, there were quite a few successful African countries prior to European invasion.

Could you point me to some documents on white slavery?

I already knew what your answers were going to be, I was just recalibrating my idiotemeter. Zero-by-zero deviance.

Let's try to be mature, please.

 

[CyraxHB]

Poor analogy.



Agreed, although the past could be a reason for their attitude. Many African countries are now working hard to make the future better.



How?

Well, the ANC claims to be trying to make SA better but BEE has caused a big chunk of the country's brains to jump ship, Eskom says we wont have enough electricity for 10 years thus telling the world not to invest for 10 years, incompetence in government departments, etc etc etc.

They can "try" as hard as they like but the fact remains, things are getting worse everywhere in africa. Just look at all the wars and bloodshed going on. With all that, how can the outcome be anything but bad.

 

[UnoPanelvan]

Poor analogy.



Agreed, although the past could be a reason for their attitude. Many African countries are now working hard to make the future better.



How?

1 In your eyes
2 Working hard? You mean corruption is work?
3 No Change, maybe some Ups but more downs. As soon as things improve there are those that will start a tribal war to be in charge. Then the cycle will repeat itself over again.

Proof? Kenya, Darfur..........

 

[PostmanPot]

Unfortunately there is some things he cannot put in although he never took it out either.

Subtle references to that, again?

 

[PostmanPot]

Well, the ANC claims to be trying to make SA better but BEE has caused a big chunk of the country's brains to jump ship, Eskom says we wont have enough electricity for 10 years thus telling the world not to invest for 10 years, incompetence in government departments, etc etc etc.

They can "try" as hard as they like but the fact remains, things are getting worse everywhere in africa. Just look at all the wars and bloodshed going on. With all that, how can the outcome be anything but bad.

Please do not derail this thread.

If you would like to talk about ANC incompetence, you're welcome to start another thread.

 

[UnoPanelvan]

Nice to see Bush putting in what his country previously took out

Find any familiarity with above quote? Tip read what you post.