The largest numbers of slaves were taken from areas that were the most underdeveloped politically at the end of the 19th century and are the most ethnically fragmented today. Africas economy is rated as the poorest in the world. Economic underdevelopment in africa violence in twentieth. Financial undevelopment is caused by lack of investment in africa. Journal of economic perspectives the atlantic slave trade and colonialism. The second most populous continent which has an abundance of highly valuable minerals. The proposed topic of summer project is scramble of africa. One problem that confronts development is the problem of poverty. Howard nicholas is senior lecturer of economics at the international institute of. Unfortunate events such as slave trade, wars and other bad incidents. Aug 21, 2019 the preferred reasons for africas underdevelopment do not explain the flagrant disregard by the executive arm of government for the rule of law. In chapter one 1 we look at the technicalities involved in writing a research work, and we look at the introduction of our main thrust of study or to. The second argument for underdevelopment is colonialism.
In fact, this year, the british prime minister theresa may remarked that africa and in particular nigeria is home to some of the poorest people in the world. Is it the long history of slave trade, the legacy of extractive. According to postcolonial thought, the relationships between the former european colonizers and african states are essentially still in the. What is the root cause of africas current state of under development. Jun 30, 2016 the idea of economic underdevelopment is a very important one. A critical analysis on the reasons of underdevelopment in africa says security is a precondition for economic development. The preferred reasons for africas underdevelopment do not explain the flagrant disregard by the executive arm of government for the rule of law. The chinese who are coming to do business in africa get rich in 510 years. The continent, consisting of 54 countries, is the least developed continent of the third world despite its possessing immense wealth of mineral and natural resources. Two major exogenous factors often cited for africas development crisis are the so called dual historical injustices the atlantic slave trade and colonialism. The underdevelopment of africa by europe revealing histories.
Slave trade and african underdevelopment vox, cepr. So what are the causes of underdevelopment in africa and possible solutions. Africa publish your bachelor s or master s thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay. Pdf what are the root causes of africas current state of underdevelopment. Is it the long history of slave trade, or the legacy of extractive colonial. It is often pointed out that while the former almost completely arrested and. Different schools of thought have developed in order to find out the causes of africas underdevelopment. Please, sit back and study the below research material carefully. Regardless, the theory that slavery contributed to underdevelopment must be upheld on the basis that slave trade was an under developing factor for the content as a whole. Poor leadership at the centre of africas underdevelopment. Understanding religion in a better perspective part 4 what. Underdevelopment, relating to international development, reflects a broad condition or phenomena defined and critiqued by theorists in fields such as economics, development studies, and postcolonial studies.
This paper explores the factors responsible for the underdevelopment of most african states with an attempt to provide some possible recommendations to. Pdf root causes of african underdevelopment researchgate. States and reasons for social unrest in africa 2011, p. Firstly lets discuss what colonialism is and how did it take place in africa. Root causes of african underdevelopment, journal of african economies, centre for the study of african economies csae, vol.
Different scholars have tried to analyze the root causes of under development in africa in different perspective. As a region, africa needs to address the negligence of sound. Root causes of african underdevelopment ideasrepec. Africas economic performance remains dismal and prospects for the new millennium are bleak. Causes of underdevelopment and concepts for development. Despite its potential the continent is still underdeveloped. Feb, 20 reasons for african underdevelopment lack of official ideology most african countries lack an official ideology. This research work is divided into five 5 chapters for proper understanding and clarification on the nature of dependency and underdevelopment in africa with particular reference to nigeria. Underdevelopment in africa is as a result of many contributing factors which include poverty, illiteracy, very large extended families, corruption and lack of accountability. Oct 04, 2015 3 reasons for africas underdevelopment part 3 the lost of african values and morals. Africa publish your bachelors or masters thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay. It has brought about so many consequences, but of all.
May 03, 2008 the reason behind the underdevelopment of underdeveloped states is the lack of determination, if people and the government work together for the better future of their nation they can do, but problem is this who to start and where to start because the system is very weak. It has brought about so many consequences, but of all, the economy is the most affected sector because the. Would south africa be as developed as they are today w. Building a holistic resilient ghana free from child labour.
Reasons for african underdevelopment lack of official ideology most african countries lack an official ideology. It has brought about so many consequences, but of all, the economy is the most affected sector because the economic sector controls all other aspect of. This is a clear major cause of stunted growth and improvement in science and technology, trade and commerce and so. Poverty is one of the causes of underdevelopment in africa. Theoretical considerations at this time of cold war explained the situation of underdevelopment and the path for development from the viewpoint of western or socialist metropoles. Several reasons have been given for africas underdevelopment. Colonialism means exploitation by stronger country over a weaker one, in order to use its resources and be benefitted from other aspects as well. Economic underdevelopment in africa in contrast with the surging growth of the countries in the socialist camp, the majority of the capitalist countries, is the unquestionable fact that a large proportion of the socalled underdeveloped countries are in total stagnation. One of his main arguments throughout the book is that africa developed europe at the same rate as europe underdeveloped africa. Rodney traces the development of trade, colonial development, and imperialism as the source and cause of the extreme poverty that now can be seen in africa, and which is so starkly seen during the current ebola calamity.
There are various factors that have affected the development of the continent africa, however, some reasons behind the underdevelopment of africa is highlighted below, they include corruption and political instability. Reason for africas u a law on one dustbin per household can curb the sanitation. The structuralist approach looks at development in terms of the power relationship between different nations and. Walter rodney, how europe underdeveloped africa, p. Different scholars have tried to analyze the root causes of underdevelopment in africa. Because of this, much of the continents funds of lack thereof are being directed towards treating this disease, rather than being used for productive investments that would aid. Underdevelopment of africa underdevelopment in africa is a problem that has been plaguing the countries all over the continent for a very long time. Uniprojects aim of providing dependency and underdevelopment in africa project research material is to reduce the stress of moving from one school library to another all in the name of searching for. What caused africas underdevelopment is a complex issue. Essay underdevelopment of africa 635 words bartleby. Africa is a rich continent in resources, but the most undeveloped. Several reasons have been given for africa s underdevelopment. Nov 30, 2014 the roots of west africas inability to quickly eradicate ebola. Africa is rich in natural as well as human resources which are the basis for the prosperity of a given nation.
How colonialism underdeveloped africa history essay. This has necessitated the evocation of dependency theory in explaining africas cum nigerias underdevelopment situation, hence africas underdevelopment has been linked to two categories of factors. Because, underdevelopment is not simply the opposite of development, it is actually a special condition that has risen in the postcolonial third world that creates a hindrance to the. A strict definition of this is absolutely in dispensary before starting a discussion on this topic. Slave trade and african underdevelopment vox, cepr policy. What are the causes of african underdevelopment answers. Root causes of african underdevelopment journal of african.
It is probably an understatement to assert that africa, the worlds second largest continent, is underdeveloped compared with other continents. Underdevelopment in africa journal of social, political and. Root causes of african underdevelopment, departmental working papers 200816, the australian national university, arndtcorden department of economics. Oct 08, 2007 a vital aspect to africas underdevelopment is the aids endemic. The slow pace and underdevelopment of the african continent can be traced to the gradual degradation and loss of african values and morals. In his great book, how europe underdeveloped africa, many important reasons for the current crisis in africa can be found. It fostered ethnic fractionalisation and undermined effective states. Hart 1992 pg 5 without this correct development from an early age this could possibly result in underdevelopment of a child or later problems with integrating into the education system, educational achievement and difficulty developing a sense of self which could result in problems with social situations and developing further relationships. Mar 03, 2015 there are various factors that have affected the development of the continent africa, however, some reasons behind the underdevelopment of africa is highlighted below, they include corruption and political instability. Colonizers used the idea of being at completely separate evolutionary points in development. Without a doubt, africa is one of the most blessed continents on our planet in terms of both natural and human resources.
This widespread poverty serves as a chief cause of underdevelopment in africa. In the end, no african country was ever distinctly free from europes reign. It is argued that bad choices by inept and corrupt political leadership is the reason for underdevelopment in the continent. How europe underdeveloped africa is a 1972 book written by walter rodney that takes the view that africa was deliberately exploited and underdeveloped by european colonial regimes. Africanglobe the late historian, professor walter rodney spent 361 pages of writing in 1972 trying to convince readers on how europe underdeveloped africa. The book was a masterpiece, as it was one of the best literatures on european imperialism, especially as it relates to africa. Extremely large portions of the population in african societies are affected with the aids virus. This is a clear major cause of stunted growth and improvement in science and technology, trade and commerce and so on. These were severely disrupted by europeans to create wealth for themselves. In the debate surrounding much of africas prolonged underdevelopment, an alternative school of thought came into light in the form of the decolonization theory.
Six of the fifteen countries in the lowest percentile of the world justice project rule of law index are from africa. The colonial underdevelopment of africa by europe and the. The causes of underdevelopment in the third world and. The reason behind the underdevelopment of underdeveloped states is the lack of determination, if people and the government work together for the better future of their nation they can do, but problem is this who to start and where to start because the system is very weak. During the early period of development efforts there was little discussion on the historical causes and the real nature of underdevelopment. Dependency and underdevelopment in africa project material.
Physical underdevelopment in children is caused by famine or lack of vital nutrients. Slavery, according to historical accounts, played an important role in africas underdevelopment. A vital aspect to africas underdevelopment is the aids endemic. In economics underdevelopment can be defined as when resources are not used to their fullsocioeconomic potential, with the result that development is slower in most cases than it should be. Africa is home to a very large percentage of the poorest people in the world. Europes past and present exploitation of africa played a significant part. A critical analysis on the reasons of underdevelopment in.
An ideology is a set of ideas that defines a countrys political, economic and sociocultural structures and development strategy. Although africa is rising, poverty is curtailing the continents growth efforts. The idea of economic underdevelopment is a very important one. For instance, the modernist school believes that africa needs to follow the development strategies of the industrialized nations before it can be developed, while the dependency theorists argued that the exploitation of africa by the super powers was responsible for africas. Pdf why africa remains underdeveloped despite its potential. A critical analysis on the reasons of underdevelopment in africa. Why africa remains underdeveloped despite its potential. It is probably an understatement to assert that africa, the worlds. Pdf root causes of african underdevelopment barbara. Before the europeans arrived in africa, africa had vibrant economic, social and political structures. The effects of external factors in underdevelopment are numerous, it depend on the view point of the writer. Used primarily to distinguish states along benchmarks concerning human developmentsuch as macroeconomic growth, health, education, and standards of. The only industrialized nation we have in africa is south africa.
In this article, find 10 factors, among others, that are responsible for the backwardness in africa. Causes of economic dependency when considering the causes of economic underdevelopment and dependency on the part of african countries, it is important to remember that this distinction is the explicit result of exploitation at the hands of colonizers. In critical development and postcolonial studies, the concepts of development, developed, and underdevelopment are often thought of to have origins in two periods. 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. The socalled contemporary development called civilization, does not take place in a vacuum but in a society of people with cultural practices. By the decade of seventies of the 20th century, the theory of the stages of economic growth became redundant and the structural internationalist theory became prominent. Senghor of senegal dismissed the atlantic slave trade and colonialism as economies of slavery. The roots of west africas inability to quickly eradicate ebola. Some of the obvious ones are trade openness, catholicism, islam, historical schooling, ethnic fractionalisation, share of mining, foreign aid and.
91 589 170 1038 829 1228 362 1113 608 753 423 1361 1024 554 1246 1023 949 843 898 295 1318 924 851 692 895 125 1043 345 1081 1307 231 81 1316 159 694 583 1294 180