Africa: Doomed or debilitated?
Perhaps a debate about Africa will generate enough heat and opposing viewpoints to tempt old and new friends alike.
We have recently touched on the subject tangentially and there are clearly significantly divergent views that do not necessarily align with the usual political beliefs of individuals. I'm not even sure we can agree on the key causes of that sad continent's malaise.
To state my position, I cannot countenance the previously advocated variants of imperialism as I fundamentally believe that peoples cannot appreciate democracy and freedom until these are earned - peacefully, or otherwise. Imposing such values (and there is a discussion to be had, pertinent herein, that perhaps these are values exclusive the the western tradition and therefore not transferable without cultural imperialism) plants them into weak and shallow soil.
Yet whilst the old imperial paternalism has largely been removed from Africa, haven't we just replaced it with economic imperialism? African produce is heavily protected against, as it is mainly agricultural. African resources are largely stripped out by non-domiciled multinationals, which facilitate the process by feeding the seemingly insatiable appetite of Africans at all levels for corruption. Or, corruption by our western standards - for many, this is the way business is done and perhaps we would be wrong to think otherwise.
Having been a battleground for 19th century powers, Africa Independent rapidly became a battle ground for the Cold War. Some of the worst excesses of the "Revolution" and its proponents saw light in this benighted land, as well some of the least dignified projects of the Free World. We still happily sell vast amounts of arms into the continent whilst simultaneously throwing aid at the poverty occasioned from the fighting thus enabled. Sometimes, in a happy circle, the aid money comes back as payments for the arms shipments.
My solution then, would be to exclude Africa entirely from the world economy until stable, secular democracies have taken root. (I define by the western measure as that is my position). That means no trade in or out, and no aid. The continent is big enough and diverse enough to be able to supply all its own needs, within itself, if the countries therein stabilise themselves enough to maintain trade links.
Yes, the ensuing famines, wars and disasters will be devastating, but surely short-lived. Populations kept barely alive by aid and suppressed by arms shipments will surely overthrow the tyrants now deprived of their tanks and Swiss bank accounts. The agony will have an end, rather than the endless cycle of deprivation now seen.
A continent of squabbling, prejudiced tribes managed after a thousand years, to become the Europe we know today. In the main, we had little external colonisation or interference. I submit that the African character - even more diverse - must be forged in a similar fire, by Africans themselves, through the appeal and adoption of their own extraordinary cultural heritage, so that they may cast a destiny as an equal partner in the modern world. It cannot be done by us. At present, like a despairing parent facilitating the drug abuse of their stubborn and unwilling child, we are just making the continent's problems worse - notwithstanding our happily profiting from its squalor and thus having quite an incentive for the basket case to keep injecting. We profit from the endless dying, and can console ourselves that we are good people too.
I am however, keen to be proven wrong in my view.
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Originally Posted by Furunculus
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