A thesis submitted to the school of graduate studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree master of arts mcmaster university august1983. Colonialism means exploitation by stronger country over a weaker one, in order to use its resources and be benefitted from other aspects as well. Colonialism, independence and underdevelopment in africa. It was during this period that river blindness was eradicated from africa. New political thinkers in africa have blamed corruption by african leaders for the underdevelopment of the continent. That walter rodneys how europe underdeveloped africa still reads cogently after almost 50 years has more to do with how little things have changed rather than.
Prior to european contact, african societies are located in the zero. Huge sum of money that would have been used to provide infrastructuralfacilities are stolen by african leaders and send to western countries for safe keeping at the expense of african development. Essay underdevelopment of africa 635 words bartleby. Project muse underdevelopment, development and the future. Slave trade, major source of underdevelopment in africa. Is it the long history of slave trade, the legacy of extractive. Combining the model with the known history of africa, i provide the following account of the historical origins of africas underdevelopment. The persisting relevance of walter rodneys how europe. In most developing countries, disparities pose the problem of redistribution of wealth, but many african countries are simply. Dependency as we all know is a product of underdevelopment which is prevalent in africa in general and nigeria in particular. Actually, this dependency syndrome is the main cause of african underdevelopment.
Keeping in mind the variety of social, cultural and economic conditions distinguishing african societies, the author divides the continent into three macroregions. Why africa remains underdeveloped despite its potential. Another crucial component of underdevelopment is a dimension of exploitation of one country by another ibid, p. Africans are the major cause of their underdevelopment. Imperialism, underdevelopment, africa, sudan introduction the nexus between european imperialism and economic underdevelopment in africa has remained a contentious ground among scholars of african history. However, europeans still exerted a huge amount of influence on how african countries developed.
This is the cause of current african underdevelopment, and the true path to the development is for africa to completely sever her ties with the international capitalist economy. The book seeks to argue that european exploitation and involvement in africa throughout history. This has culminated in panoply of views, opinions and theories on the subject. The estim ation result shows that malaria explains more than one four th of the variation within africa. A model linking africas past to its current underdevelopment. But the world has not denied africa the markets and financial means to compete. The high incidence of underdevelopment of africa is tied to underdevelopment. Are we experiencing a further development of underdevelopment or are we in a steady state, a lowequilibrium trap. Europe and the roots of african underdevelopment to 1885 4.
Is it the long history of slave trade, the legacy of extractive colonial insti tutions, or the. Europes past and present exploitation of africa played a significant part. Modern economic history, as most of the social science literature, has been so written in the beginning as to establish the supremacy of the west. The triple causes of african underdevelopment academic journals. This is the most common and unaffordable situation happen to many underdevelopment nations in african. Pdf how europe underdeveloped africa download full pdf. This paper explores the factors responsible for the underdevelopment of most african states with an attempt to provide some possible recommendations to overcoming the socioeconomic and political problems faced by the continent in a growing inter connected globalised world. In the first place, the wealth created by african labor and from african resources grabbed by the capitalist countries of europe. Pdf why africa remains underdeveloped despite its potential. How colonialism underdeveloped africa history essay. Root causes of african underdevelopment sambit bhattacharyya.
Walter rodney 1973 preface this book derives from a concern with the contemporary african situation. Firstly lets discuss what colonialism is and how did it take place in africa. Africa today is underdeveloped in relation to western europe and a few other parts of the world. Marginal zones of west central africa, journal of african history, 23, 1761. Perspectives on african underdevelopment the journal of. Widespread corruption and lack of accountability are results of underdevelopment of africa. The eurocentric interpretation asserts that the development of the asian, african and latin american countries is a result of positive contribution of the west. Between 1898 and 1911 all across africa, millions of peasants were forced off the land as the continent was carved up into rubber, cotton, coffee, cocoa and nut plantations for european monopolies. The proposed topic of summer project is scramble of africa. The colonial underdevelopment of africa by europe and the.
Pdf root causes of african underdevelopment researchgate. Beyond old and new in african economic history the economic dimension of the african past was a central theme in the development of african history as a discipline, from the appearance of dikes seminal monograph in 1956 and through the heyday of african economic history lasting until the end of the 1970s. Walter rodney 1973 how europe underdeveloped africa. Emmanuel oladipo ojo ekiti state university, nigeria. Colonial terrorism, global capitalism and african underdevelopment. Department of economics, university of british columbia, and. The book is strengthened by its incorporation of actors and issues representing the african diaspora and african americans in particular. Hence, this paper makes a clarion call to the current african leaders to seriously look more inwards and less outwards for african development. Concepts of development and underdevelopment objectives.
It has brought about so many consequences, but of all, the economy is the most affected sector because the. A critical analysis on the reasons of underdevelopment in. Pdf dependency theory and africas underdevelopment. A major question in the economic history of africa is focusing on explanations for the relative poverty of the continent. Dependency and underdevelopment in africa project materials. Africa publish your bachelors or masters thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay. A model linking africas past to its current underdevelopment nathan nunn department of economics, university of british columbia, and the canadian institute for advanced research. One of the more striking recent trends in the study of african history has been the mushrooming of studies focusing on the underdevelopment of africa or some part of it following the publication of walter rodneys how europe underdeveloped africa in 1972. A paradigm shift the ma y 19 issue of t he econo mist, the influential london n ews magazine has africa on the co ver. This paper contends that while the history of africas underdevelopment is often traced to the atlantic and arab slave trade and to colonial rule, african leaders have been heavily responsible the continents underdevelopment and.
Has underdevelopment been a perennial and constant feature of our national history. Economists today use different ways to explain this phenomenon usually either an external or internal approach. But at the beginning of the 1970s, when african countries were visibly weak, terms and conditions of loans were dictated by the ifis and unsurprisingly humancentred african development priorities were sidelined and replaced by what the ifis. Underdevelopment in africa journal of social, political and. In critical development and postcolonial studies, the concepts of development, developed, and underdevelopment are often thought of to have origins in two periods. The data for this research include historical and anthropological sources, government records and published materials. The book comes at a critical time in human history. Development and underdevelopment in the third world.
In this paper, my focus is on underdevelopment equilibria, and their ability to explain the historical underdevelopment of africa. Jun 30, 2016 causes of underdevelopment and development. The underdevelopment of africa by europe revealing histories. Due to the underdevelopment of africa, the brightest minds in africa are constantly on the move seeking pastures greener in other lands. Underdevelopment of africa underdevelopment in africa is a problem that has been plaguing the countries all over the continent for a very long time. It contributes to the ongoing debates on why africa remains trapped in the clutch of underdevelopment many decades after the purported end of colonialism. External approaches usually focus on institutional patterns within economies. Perspectives on african underdevelopment volume 17 issue 3 martin legassick. The mentality of the average african should be rewired such that there will be a reduced dependence on foreigners to come and fix our problems for us. It delves into the past only because otherwise it would be impossible to understand how the present came into being and what the trends are for the near future.
Critical thinking and studies, such as subaltern studies, assist to confront and expose the false claims of universalism that attempts to hide colonial history and imperialist practices. Mr joseph ejukwa, the principal, ethnographer, slave history museum in calabar, said colonialism and slave trade were major hindrances to the development of africa. How europe underdeveloped africa abahlali basemjondolo. What are the root causes of africas current state of underdevelopment. But in many cases, oil rich african countries are also more likely to be exploited by other countries or powerful corporations who always find a way to not pay much needed taxes. For africa to break the impasse of underdevelopment, the paper calls for good governance and the establishment of special agencies to monitor all development projects undertaking by african countries. If africa were as developed as other lands such as europe.
A critical analysis on the reasons of underdevelopment in africa. My opinion to these historical events that obviously occurred before i was born would apply as. These provocative chapters will promote lively discussions among readers while deepening their understanding of african and world history. Pdf what are the root causes of africas current state of underdevelopment. The crisis of underdevelopment in subsaharan africa longdom. What caused africa s underdevelopment is a complex issue.
There are three main schools of scholars that discuss the reasons of underdevelopment in the third world and they also try and provide specific frameworks for overcoming those problems and heading towards a developed state. And, as most of the former colonies belong today to the underdeveloped countries of the third world, we are confronted with the question as to what importance the colonial era plays in the history of these countries. Many africans fought and worked to gain political independence from europe, often inspired by the 5th pan african congress held in manchester in 1945. A critical analysis on the reasons of underdevelopment in africa failed states and reasons for social unrest in africa stephen ekokobe awung essay politics international politics region. Nov 30, 2014 the outcome of the conference was the division of the african continent by the european powers and the colonial subjugation of the african peoples. What roles have the international economic ensembles played in our developmental history. Throughout the period that africa has participated in the capitalist economy, two factors have brought about underdevelopment. Dependency and underdevelopment in africa is our main thrust which we try to relate the above to the nigerian context. These were severely disrupted by europeans to create wealth for themselves. The causes of underdevelopment in the third world and.
943 852 240 1068 1410 229 1577 722 898 1489 13 484 470 722 427 810 321 569 1395 401 815 780 41 521 262 1224 332 463 1369 592 687