Will Africa Ever Develop?

STM · #1 07-09-2011, 03:54 PM

I posed this question to myself earlier on today (yesterday really but I haven't slept yet), and I was wondering if Africa will ever develop into a functioning continent on the whole. Sure there are pockets of civilisation in countries like Algeria, Egypt, the northern countries, and South Africa, but the countries like Sudan, Chad and Sierra Leone, do they have the capacity for change?

I understand that of course there are so many factors to think about such as basic necessity, stagnant governments and inflation but many African countries have a wealth of resources in diamonds, oil and man power. So why is it taking an eternity for them to head down the route that India, Brazil and China have gone down?

Sekto Springs · #2 07-09-2011, 04:01 PM

STM · #3 07-09-2011, 04:08 PM

It's sad that a whole continent, millions of people are a write off to the rest of the world.

Dipstikk · #4 07-09-2011, 04:15 PM

It's taking so long because the corruption of their governments and the disputes between nations are so deeply imbedded. I've no doubt Africa will unite at some point. Progress is inevitable.

The way you phrased your post makes it sound like you think conflicts like this are inherent to Africa.

Sekto Springs · #5 07-09-2011, 04:19 PM

I didn't mean to come off as an apathetic dick.
I try to be empathetic, but when it comes to things on this scale, I simply cannot. From a purely political standpoint, it's worth debating. But I don't feel anything for Africa or it's people.
I think I've been soured by how the destitution of Africa and similar countries has almost been made into a gimmick by countless organizations. I know some of them are working towards a good cause, but they're caught up in this media storm of ambivalence. It makes it nearly impossible for me to separate those who are trying to do good from those who are just banking on guilt to make money.

STM · #6 07-09-2011, 04:19 PM

No but they are endemic to Africa, it would be a little more than optimistic to suggest it isn't.

scrabface · #7 07-09-2011, 04:27 PM

best way would be to cut all economical and developmental trade/aid. development aid scarcely reaches the population. tanzania p.e. - the government trades its recourses with weapons. the question is, which big corp. do deliver the weapons?
the colonization and globalisation of africa was imo one of the biggest fails of the human race as it haven't stopped yet.

T-nex · #8 07-09-2011, 04:35 PM

I used to support Amnesty. From what I heard, it's a pretty good organization that fights for human rights on a world wide scale. They dont concern themselves with feeding people, but rather trying to fix root causes.

I dunno, I may have just been fooled into believing them, but I trust such organizations above simple 'Feed Africa' organizations. Feeding them will not fix anything, it will just prolong their misery, and give them false hope.

But I dunno what will happen. I don't have faith in the world,and I think places such as Africa will just get worse.

STM · #9 07-09-2011, 04:41 PM

I agree, Africa could right itself in theory but people like Mugabe and the Nigerian Government won't let that happen. They won't let them out of the Dark Ages which is so terrible. I'd love to have the ability and the sheer guts to try and get elected into power of an African country just so I could take a shot as it were. Give basic minimum wage and open up factories and mines for the people to work in. Irrigate and propagate the farms, more bore holes, establish a stronger economy and attract tourism. Oh and try to steer them away from reproducing like Catholic bunnies so HIV decreases. Of course it's all good and well to say the solutions...

Bullet Magnet · #10 07-09-2011, 04:55 PM

Everything the west does to help Africa makes it worse. Everything the west has ever done makes it worse. Do you know that the Rwandan genocide occurred as a result of a decades-long dispute over racial divisions that were entirely fabricated by the Dutch? Our consumerism also exacerbates it, which is one of the themes of Oddworld. Do you know where the ores for our electronic appliances come from? All the same nations of Africa that are embedded in long-term conflict. All those troops sent into the Congo from neighbouring nations was not for peacekeeping, but to get a slice of the action.

Strike Witch · #11 07-09-2011, 05:00 PM

Oh, I'm sure it will develop plagues

Sekto Springs · #12 07-09-2011, 05:02 PM

On the topic of Africa's messy government and terrible conditions, I recommend the film Blood Diamond, based on true events. Though I felt it wasn't nearly as gritty as it could have been in regards to the children militias, which is some fucked up shit. The movie makes the point that the west harms Africa way more than it helps. For every one organization that claims to be helping them, two are finding ways to exploit them.

STM · #13 07-09-2011, 05:06 PM

Hotel Rwanda is one that moved me to tears when I first watched it a few years back, I think I was 11 or something.

I had a great uncle who retired in Zimbabwe (moved there when it was Rwanda) and my Mum said it was the nicest country she had ever visited in her entire life. The place was amazing and a lot of the native Rwandans had good work. My great uncle had servants that he took good care of right up until his death shortly before all this recent mess. He actually knew one of his servants was stealing from him but he said nothing because the authorities would have killed the guy!

I digress, yeh so Hotel Rwanda.

***Nate*** · #14 07-09-2011, 05:30 PM

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I agree, Africa could right itself in theory but people like Mugabe and the Nigerian Government won't let that happen.

For me, the bigger problem is that the other African governments - even the democratic ones - support Mugabe and Gaddafi and all the other tyranical rulers. Possibly it's because they hate white people coming in and telling them how to run their countries, but as long as the African Union supports such despots, there's not much chance of change within any of their countries.

Tadimo · #15 07-09-2011, 07:30 PM

Perhaps the better question is will Africa be allowed to develop on its own?

STM · #16 07-10-2011, 02:33 AM

Well that is an obvious no. China makes a lot of money selling machine guns to the continent in return for stakes in the diamond industry.

Tadimo · #17 07-10-2011, 03:16 AM

:

Well that is an obvious no. China makes a lot of money selling machine guns to the continent in return for stakes in the diamond industry.

Therein (as well as foreign interference from other places) lies the answer to the original question.

Crashpunk · #18 07-11-2011, 10:43 AM

I just don't see a way to could develop. Its sad I know.

Mac Sirloin · #19 07-12-2011, 12:32 AM

I might go work cleaning up dead bodies in Liberia in the next year.

I mean, assuming I beat the cannibals there.

And isn't it more like South Africa is comparably more first world than the north?

STM · #20 07-12-2011, 04:25 AM

I dunno, never been to Liberia, I don't really want to go to Africa on holiday or anything apart from maybe the Tunis Desert. I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself knowing that someone is starving probably not a few hundred yards away. Also it's pretty dangerous for white people.

***Nate*** · #21 07-12-2011, 06:05 AM

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And isn't it more like South Africa is comparably more first world than the north?

More than central Africa, sure. But Nothern, maybe not. Whilst some parts of the country resemble western civilisation, other parts are still super shitty. And even in some of the bigger cities people live behind high barbed-wire fences and never go out at night.