Day 27 – Q 3.Problems that still plague Africa today often have their roots in imperialism. Do you agree? Substantiate your answer.
3. Problems that still plague Africa today often have their roots in imperialism. Do you agree? Substantiate your answer.
अफ्रीका को आज भी परेशान करने वाली समस्याओं की जड़ें अक्सर साम्राज्यवाद में होती हैं। क्या आप सहमत हैं? अपने उत्तर को सिद्ध करें।
Introduction:
With the expansion of European industrial revolution need for assured sources of raw materials, guaranteed markets and profitable investment outlets finally led to colonization of Africa by European powers.
Body:
Today, Africa faces numerous challenges like Poverty, Hunger, violence, political instability, Ethnic conflicts, border issues, poor health and education facilities, Lower economic growth. Some of these problems are traced back to European imperialism like
Political problem:
- The blind partition of African borders (Berlin conference 1884-85)caused the disintegration of same ethnic groups into different countries and the merging together of different ethnic groups into same countries. This, in turn, resulted in several intrastate conflicts in Rwanda, Nigeria and Sudan and interstate conflicts like Kenya-Somalia and Ethiopia-Somalia.
- Weak political entities resulting from lack of cohesion among diverse groups. Ex: Nigeria.
- Deliberately pursued policy of uneven development in colonies. Ex: In Nigeria and Ghana, the South developed at a pace faster than the North. This has complicated nation building efforts.
Economic problem:
- Under colonialism, African farmers were required to grow cash crops for export at the expense of subsistence farming and this legacy has continued with features like Cash crop-based, mono-cultural economies, foreign orientation. This has an impact in the current food crisis on the continent.
- Colonial powers did not develop any industries and were focused on just extracting resources. Today African nations require huge investment for industrial development.
Conclusion:
Colonialism has now disappeared from the continent but some of its problems are still haunting the continent and have to be addressed.
Best answer: Akash
