post-colonial africa main idea: newly independent african nations struggled with poverty, conflict,...
TRANSCRIPT
Post-Colonial Africa
Main Idea: Newly independent African nations struggled with poverty, conflict, and ineffective governments. In recent years
some countries sought better government by holding democratic elections.
Background
• Historical Issues in Africa?– Kingdoms– Slave Trade
• European Imperialism– Berlin Conference– Scramble for Africa
• Pan-African movement– Ignored– Kwame Nkrumah
Why did Europeans give up their colonies after WWII?
• Too Expensive
• Nationalist Movements emerge
What were challenges to unity in newly formed independent African states?
• How “Nations” had been formed• Ethnic Rivalries
– Civil Wars
• Different Languages• Different Religions• Different Traditions• Most peoples first loyalty is to tribe
How and why did dictators gain power in many newly formed independent African
states?• Many heroes of
independence movements create one party dictatorships
• Patronage • Claim multi-party
government hurts unity• Eventually become
repressive• Mobutu Sese Seko • If civil unrest comes, military
leaders seize power in a coup d'état and create new dictatorship
How and why did some African states move towards democracy in the
1990s?• Lack of Cold War funding began to weaken
some of the dictators’ gov’ts• Saw as opportunity to create democratic gov’ts• Western governments and World Bank refuse to
loan money if no democracy• 2005-More than 30 African countries abandoned
one-party systems for elections
Other Issues:
• Struggling Economies – Limited exports– Corrupt leaders/huge
debts
• Disease – Malaria (most common
cause of death)– AIDS
• Desertification
Compare and Contrast Africa and America today.
Africa USA-30-40 million Africans face starvation
-Over 1 million die from famine per year
-In East Africa, roughly 15 million face famine
-Nutrition levels have decreased 30% in the past 30 years
-In 2003, 2 million tons of food relief was delivered
-In 20 years, AIDS has killed 9 million farm workers
-In some areas 30% of the population has AIDS
-US is the most overweight country in world
-15% of American kids are overweight, and rising
-$117 Billion was spent on obesity related illness
-$1 Billion was spent on weight loss drugs
-2/3 of Americans are overweight
-Only 20% of kids exercise today compared to 80% in the 1960’s
-Many schools have snack and soda machines
-AIDS affects 1% of US population