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IXian -> RE: Zimbabwe's agony (4/7/2008 4:54:35 AM)
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Here's my 2 cents:
To understand Africa's plight and Zimbabwe isn't easy, I doubt that anyone, not even respected africans like Nelson Mandela know how to lift Africa's countries out if the (percieved?) rut they've been walking in for the last hundred years or so. In the least there are several questions that has to be answered before even a common perception of the present situation can be established.
a) Has the slavetrade and colonial exploitations been a significant factor for the social and economic disasters in modern Africa?
b) Has most of Africa's wealth allready been exploited?
c) Have any african cultural traits perpetuated Africas condition?
d) Is it possible to claim that Africa as a whole hasn't show any significant improvements since the time the colonies gained freedom?
e) Are there modern western institutions that perpetuate or actively exploit African countries?
e.1) If yes, please distinguise and explain how a institution perpetuate or actively exploit African countries?
e.2) If No, does the former colonial powers /western countries have any responsibilities towards Africa?
Regarding Zimbabwe:
f) Can historical facts legitimize a political policy of redistributing a society's wealth?
f.1) If yes, can such historical facts legitimize any kind of policy?
f.2) If no, how do you deal with the resentments that unevenly distribution of wealth creates?
g) When Mugabe or his sucessors fall, how should Zimbabwe deal with them?
h) Would there be societal consequences depending on how such an aftermath plays out?
h.1 ) if so, can any punishment fit the crime of ruining a country's economy?
i) Would a legal process to punishment those responsible improve Zimbabwe's present condition?
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No I should at least attempt to answer my own questions:
a) Yes, but it's not the only significant reason. There are several others, for example the tribalification of local politics where people fall back on more traditional social mechanisms when they percieve a failure in more western social mechanisms.
Neither should we overlook the fact that Africa is one of the areas in the world with a host of diseases or natural disasters that affect human society and lives. (Note: I didn't specify Human diseases.)
b) Definitively no, the perception of Africa as "poor" is about as accurate as the 16 century european perception of North America as so poor that it's only fit as a dumping ground for religious fanatics. The natural wealth of africa, both in agriculture and minerals rival any other region in earth of the same size.
c) Yes, unfortunately so. I've allready mentioned the tribalification of politics, other traits is sexual morality. ( I'm not a christian or much of an "moralist", especially as I'm writing this in a bdsm webboard. ;) ) The reality is that in many regions of africa sexuality is a much more accepted, both as a bargaining chip and selfexpression. Unfortunately africa is also the home of a the number of sexually transmitted diseases that exist _because Africa is the largest continent on earth with a large primate population _and_ the oldest continent with a human population because we evolved there. This means that equivalent social dynamics in Canada if they had the same healthcare as a African country wouldn't necessarily spark a epidemic because there has been shorter time for human sexually transmited diseases to evolve other places on earth.
d) I grew up in Tanzania during their communism periode while inflation was around 1000% pr month. I can distinctly remember that my parents had to either carry 10-20 one dollar bills to pay for large 20 set dinners or bring 4 suitcases full of Tanzanian 1 Million Shilling bills. And if you didn't give the customs officials at least 2 dollars pr. person you'd spend 4 hours waiting while they "checked your luggage". This wasn't unusual and a everday occurance, neither was this unusual for _any_ east african country including Egypt. Even south africa had such tendencies but if you were white south african your manservant (aka, "colored") to care of it most of the time without you even knowing it.
Today's situation isn't by far so bad. Certainly some areas in Africa is still as bad as before (Sudan, ethiopia etc.) but even in today's Zimbabwe things are in an perverse manner "better". Not because the situation isn't bad, but african's in general _expect more_ of their leaders. For example our gardener (now deceased) in Tanzania was married to a Zimbabwean woman(also deceased) from the same tribe. He couldn't write or read before he converted to Islam, but she had recieved basic schooling and _didn't_ convert. But the most important thing is that all of their 4 children has recieved basic schooling and they aren't exceptions in todays urban&suburban areas in east Africa.
e) Unfortunately yes. Both africans and western economist claim that the IMF(International Monetary Fund) has always been controlled either by financial interests that would prefer africa to not develop an self sufficent economy _or_ it's controlled by economist's with a _naive conservative ideology_ that drives their economic thinking. Secondly, the Aid organisations has in many situations been the driving force for _naive liberal ideology_ economist that in their eagerness to "do god" don't take into account the necessity of a working infrastructure before you finance large projects. (Some second hand examples were hydroelectric dam projects, with electrical turbines that requires specially made spare parts from american or european manufaturers. Combine this with the shipping costs and the need to build a new road through a jungle each time there's a delivery makes it.. unpractical in the least.)
e.1) Se above.
e.2) This is a hard question to answer, I'm not certain myself. But I can find one _personal_ reason. If the west is willing to enter other areas on earth to "create democracy and liberate the population" wouldn't we also have such a responsibility in any other area? Is it really so that africans are "less worth helping" than say Semites like Arabs, Jews and Persians?
Zimbabwe:
Unfortunately I've got to go, so I can't answer the last of my questions now. Please read carefully and remember these are opinions based on AFAIK.
IXian.
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