StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Underdevelopment in Africa - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Its population confront the dual threats of poverty and disease and economic reform programs simply do not seem to be working. Tunde Obadina, the Director of Africa Business Information Services, cites economic facts and figures which underscore the bleakness of the situation…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER97.4% of users find it useful
Underdevelopment in Africa
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Underdevelopment in Africa"

Africa suffers persistent underdevelopment. Its population confront the dual threats of poverty and disease and economic reform programs simply do not seem to be working. Tunde Obadina (2008), the Director of Africa Business Information Services, cites economic facts and figures which underscore the bleakness of the situation. Whereas the average per capita income in the industrialized world stands at over $27,000, in Africa the figure is just over $500. The implication is not just that the developed countries are, on the average, 51 times richer than Africa but that at a modest GDP growth rate of 3%, a figure which most African countries have been unable to attain, it would take Africa 120 years to arrive at the current developmental status of the industrialized countries (Obadina, 2008).

Waiting 120 years, however, is hardly a feasible option. A solution is needed but solutions are dependant upon understanding the causes of persistent underdevelopment in Africa. A critical analysis of the situation indicates that while there is no single cause for persistent underdevelopment in Africa, corruption and totalitarian dictatorships may be identified as the primary causes.Within Africa, the legacy of colonialism is the most popular explanation for the continent's continuing underdevelopment.

Certainly, as J. Brea (2008) explains, colonialism with its tendency for the "haphazard" division of territories and creation of states, not to mention its exploitation of the continent's natural resources, is a factor in Africa's underdevelopment (para. 1). In essence, the haphazard creation of nations is at the root if the failed state phenomenon which several African nations suffer from and, as such, is a root cause of political instability and hence, the inability to implement economic development policies (Brea, 2008).

Nevertheless, it is hardly the primary cause of continued underdevelopment.Continued underdevelopment in Africa and the continent's persistent failure to improve its economic status is primarily due to corruption, enabled by absolute totalitarian dictatorships. As Senyo Adjilbolosoo (2005) argues, Africa has received billions of dollars in aid and foreign investment during the post-colonial period. Both the IMF and the World Bank have actively intervened for the purposes of implementing economic development policies, as have numerous other non-governmental organizations.

Despite the stated, little, if any, economic progress has been made. The reason lies in blatant governmental corruption. Significant percentages of the continent's wealth and aid money inevitably make their way to the private accounts of the continent's dictators. Furthermore, given the near-total lack of democracy, there is no accountability. The implication here is that corruption, at the highest levels of government, can continue unabated (Adjilbolosoo, 2005). More importantly, corruption stands as an obstacle to the implementation of economic and social development policies, thereby, significantly contributing to the continued underdevelopment and impoverishment of the continent and its population.

While one cannot ignore the role which HIV/Aids, civil war and environmental degradation have played in Africa's continuing underdevelopment, corruption emerges as the primary cause. This argument does not mean to minimize the extent to which the HIV/Aids pandemic has wreaked economic havoc upon the continent, especially Sub-Saharan Africa, but it intended to draw attention to the fact that corruption stands as a formidable obstacle to the implementation of, not just development programs but, HIV/Aids prevention programs (Adjilbolosoo, 2005; Brea, 2008).

In the final analysis, therefore, and even while conceding to the fact that there are multiple causes for Africa's persistent inability to develop, corruption and totalitarianism are the primary causes.BibliographyAdjilbolosoo, S. (2005) Economic underdevelopment in Africa: The validity of the corruption argument. Review of Human Factor Studies, 11(1), 90-112.Brea, J. (2008) Africa's greatest challenges: 10 reasons for Africa's Under-development. World News. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://worldnews.about.com/od/africa/tp/africachallenge.

htm Obadina, T. (2008) Getting a measure of African poverty. Africa Economic Analysis. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://www.africaeconomicanalysis.org/articles/gen/povertymeasurehtm.html

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Underdevelopment in Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words”, n.d.)
Underdevelopment in Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1502501-underdevelopment-in-africa
(Underdevelopment in Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words)
Underdevelopment in Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1502501-underdevelopment-in-africa.
“Underdevelopment in Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1502501-underdevelopment-in-africa.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Underdevelopment in Africa

Slavery Legacy anf Its Influence on Economic Development of U.S. South

Slavery not only led to Underdevelopment in Africa but also, in the United States.... Name: Instructor: Task: Date “The legacy of slavery continued to influence the economic development of the U.... .... South for decades following the American Civil War”.... Introduction The resultant features of slavery in the U....
3 Pages (750 words) Assignment

Political Underdevelopment in Africa

An essay "Political Underdevelopment in Africa" reports that millions of Africans live in extreme poverty and go hungry each passing day.... hellip; This paper discusses the relationship between social, economic and political Underdevelopment in Africa.... The paper discusses the relationship of the key economic issue of corruption with political Underdevelopment in Africa.... Africa, Democratization, political underdevelopment Political Underdevelopment in Africa Introduction There are daunting challenges currently facing the continent of Africa....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

The Effects of the African Slave Trade

Initially, the Arabs had the slave trade only as a supplement to their more lucrative commerce in africa with Sudanese gold and other rare and exotic woods.... The slave trading was intensified especially when the plantations on the islands off the coast of africa (Sao Tome, Principe, Cap Verde) were successfully established.... The underdevelopment of African countries even lingered until today even if the slave trade already ended more than a century past....
5 Pages (1250 words) Term Paper

Is Poverty of the Third World the Fault of the First World

Is poverty of the third world the fault of the first world?... Introduction Even after huge development in science and technology, poverty is still haunting the world.... Even in developed countries poverty is not a myth but a fact.... According to Usborne (2008), “28 million people in the US will be using government food stamps to buy essential groceries in the fiscal year 2008, the highest level since the food assistance program was introduced in the 1960s” (Usborne, 2008)....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

Poverty in Africa the oil-rich Country

Scholars express divergent views about the reasons for poverty and Underdevelopment in Africa.... It is slightly difficult to understand poverty in africa as it is hugely endowed with vast natural Major oil producer countries in africa are Nigeria, Angola, Sudan, equatorial, Guinea and republic of Congo.... Major oil producer countries in africa are Nigeria, Angola, Sudan, Equatorial Guinea and republic of Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, Chad....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Major Consequences of European Colonization of Africa

European countries were competing for huge quantities of land in africa in search of resources and this led to partitioning of the African continent.... European countries were competing for huge quantities of land in africa in search of resources and this led to partitioning of the African continent.... Mammo elucidates the fact that the rate of development in africa cannot be considered to have been substandard as compared to other parts of the world....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Harrod-Domar Growth Model

The research has identified several assumptions of Harrod-Domar growth model.... The first one is that H-D model is an investment-driven growth model.... Additionally today we often referred to this model as AK model whose aggregate production function is Y=AK.... hellip; The researcher uses Harrod-Domar growth model to partially explain whether net saving rate promotes economic growth....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

Political Underdevelopment in Africa

This report "Political Underdevelopment in Africa" discusses the relationship between social, economic, and political Underdevelopment in Africa.... hellip; Various social issues have a relationship with the issue of political Underdevelopment in Africa.... This expose discusses the relationship between social, economic, and political Underdevelopment in Africa.... Case in point, low education levels have a connection to political underdevelopment in the continent....
6 Pages (1500 words) Report
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us