MIT Study Reveals Why Africa Is Still Poor

[Doubleplay]

Whether in reality is arguable but the fact remains, by Portuguese law, black and white were equal. After the the military coup in Portugal in 1975, the Portuguese pulled out of Mozambique, which although no apartheid was still caught up in the anti colonialism as well.

In reality during the Colonial times in Mozambique(or no where for that matter) colored and whites were never equal.
It was no different than apartheid which lasted a little bit longer.

 

[freefall]

In colonial times anywhere the colonizers and the native populace were never equal. Hence the colonization.
If I viewed you as my equal how could I justify murdering you and taking all your stuff? Virtually every human conflict calls for dehumanizing the opponent to one extent or another.
Liberals regard main-stream republican voters as knuckle dragging mouth breathing hillbillies.
Never -Trump Republicans regard them about the same way.
Said voters regard the liberals as misguided pawns of genuinely evil forces who are determined to destroy the one nation that is humanity's last best hope for enlightened survival.
They regard the never-Trumpers as conceited, corrupt profiteers who hope to amass enough capital before it all burns down to be able to hire people to keep the crocodile from their door. Failing that, they hope to be eaten last.
Possibly, and a bit more charitably, they secretly hope that Trump Wins and can effect change that will save the country, all the while proclaiming their own moral superiority.

 

[uplander01]

I don't see Africa changing, and I don't know if I see that as a problem. Russia and China sure are going to suck it dry though, then what?

 

[freefall]

I don't see Africa changing, and I don't know if I see that as a problem. Russia and China sure are going to suck it dry though, then what?

Then no one will want it anymore, and other than a few missionaries will abandon the Africans to disease and inter-tribal warfare.

 

[BJH65]

In reality during the Colonial times in Mozambique(or no where for that matter) colored and whites were never equal.
It was no different than apartheid which lasted a little bit longer.

In reality the blacks in Mozambique during that time were by Portuguese law considered equal to whites, considered Portuguese citizens with equal voting rights. No different than apartheid? Really. Is it possible that some people who were more technologically advanced looked down upon those who were not? Certainly. But by law they were equal and the framework was there in stark contrast to other colonized countries in Africa. To draw a parallel to apartheid is a stretch. Unfortunately, for the Portuguese, Mozambique was also caught up in the anti colonialism sentiment of the times.

 

[spike.t]

Trying to find an interview with Zuma I have saved somewhere...it will explain to people his way of thinking and his perception ..which is how a lot of elder African males probably think...ones in power in any capacity...which is kinda different to what people posting on here think...

 

[Dewald]

So how would you explain South Africa going from being a first world country under the previous regime where the Rand was stronger than the USD and having one of the top 3 militaries in the world, to its current status?

I can answer you, but that will win me a most certain ban…

 

[spike.t]

Trying to find an interview with Zuma I have saved somewhere...it will explain to people his way of thinking and his perception ..which is how a lot of elder African males probably think...ones in power in any capacity...which is kinda different to what people posting on here think...

Found it....

READ THIS - a very good perspective and thats the reality.
—————————————————-
HELEN ZILLE ON JACOB ZUMA...
........
HELEN ZILLE ON JACOB ZUMA
"... At the heart of it, this tragedy is rooted in the enormous complexity of our collective decision to impose a modern constitutional democracy on what is largely a traditional, African feudal society.

Former president Zuma is a traditionalist, totally unfamiliar with the concepts of constitutionalism, thrust into the role of president - whose primary duty is to serve and defend the Constitution. A total misalignment.

He often said, including to me, that the concept of corruption was a "western thing" - and from his vantage point, I eventually understood what he meant. Whenever I went campaigning in a traditional area of South Africa, under the control of a chief, I was first obliged to go and seek permission from the chief, and usually bring a gift to seek his favour. I always felt terribly uncomfortable doing so. After, all I did not have to ask anyone's permission to exercise a constitutional right anywhere in South Africa, let alone bring a gift to exchange for that "permission". But I was told every time that I had to do so, in order for the people to feel free to come to our meetings and listen to our message, and so I did.

The idea that people are born with inalienable rights that no one can take away from them, and that elected leaders are there to protect and defend these rights, is indeed a "western thing". In traditional societies, the notion that the chief grants you favours if you seek his favour, is far more prevalent - and it is easy to see how this easily morphs into "corruption". The leader looks after his own, making the idea of "nepotism" a very "western thing" as well.
Jacob Zuma didn't understand all this, and said so openly.

I will never forget him wondering out loud, at an extended Cabinet meeting, how it was possible that judges could tell him what to do.
"I was elected," he said. "The judges weren't. How come they are in a position to tell me what to do?"
This genuinely puzzled him, and he was not afraid to say so. It should have been predictable that he would end up in jail for contempt of court, even before his multiple acts of corruption caught up with him.

At the height of the Nkandla scandal, when we could get no answers out of Parliament on this crucial matter of public interest, the DA decided to walk to Nkandla to see for ourselves. En route, hundreds of people poured out of their poverty-stricken homes and shacks to block our way, because they were protecting "their president".

The irony struck me deeply: Zuma had unlawfully used tens of millions of public money to upgrade his luxurious homestead, set amidst grinding poverty, yet the people there came out to defend their "chief" instead of demanding accountability from him. He was their president. He was entitled to use public resources, and receive gifts in return for favours.

Perhaps more than at any other time, I saw the misalignment between the inherent assumptions of a constitutional democracy and traditional African cultures, which are more aligned to feudalism than the accountability that we demand from our leaders.

The story of Jacob Zuma is one of the personal tragedies that arises from our attempt to take a shortcut through history - which is what we are trying to do in South Africa. The events of this week were a victory for constitutionalism and the rule of law - and in that sense, a huge step forward for South Africa. The enormity of these developments need to be recognised for what they are in our context.

But back to the person who is Jacob Zuma. He achieved the pinnacle of power in a constitutional democracy, and used it like a tribal paramount chief - ending up in jail as a consequence.

If I had his phone number now (and if I knew he has a phone in his cell), I would reach out to him too, and wish him strength and courage, as he did to me at my lowest ebb. Not because I think he has been wronged. He was accorded due process of law and must serve his sentence. But because I know Zuma, the person, not the politician."

- Helen Zille is the chairperson of the DA federal council, a former Western Cape premier, and former DA leader.

 

[Dewald]

In reality during the Colonial times in Mozambique(or no where for that matter) colored and whites were never equal.
It was no different than apartheid which lasted a little bit longer.

That is not true. All races had equal rights and were citizens. Read Adelino Serras Pires’ great book “winds of havoc” on the fall of Moçambique

 

[Jason Miller]

We are the problem, we want to change things. Africa is happy the way it is.

They want our money,,, oh do the want our money! So if they are happy the way they are lets cut off all "charity". Of course I am biting the hand that feeds me in a way by just saying that

 

[Safari Dave]

The U.S.A. was once a colony of England.

Somehow, about 250 years ago, we were able to dig ourselves out of oppression...

 

[Safari Dave]

Maybe intelligence has something to do with it...

Countries by IQ - Average IQ by Country 2024

worldpopulationreview.com

Mortality of mentally retarded children to 17 years of age assessed in a prospective one-year birth cohort - PubMed

Mortality among children with mental retardation (IQ less than 71) and mental subnormality (IQ: 71-85) up to the age of 17 years was studied in the 1966 one-year birth cohort of Northern Finland. The 12,058 liveborn children included 97 children, 8.0 per thousand, with severe mental retardation...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Stubbleduck]

The video really covers much of the material in the various comments on this thread. In addition many of the writings of Thomas Sowell such as "Ethnic America", "Conquests and Cultures", "A Conflict of Visions",
and "Wealth, Poverty, and Politics" cover various facets of the issues facing Africa.

 

[flying sailor]

So how would you explain South Africa going from being a first world country under the previous regime where the Rand was stronger than the USD and having one of the top 3 militaries in the world, to its current status?

Palm wine?

 

[Oldnerd]

Corruption in the government would have to be a major influence.
Everyone has heard speculations or tales of societies or cultures found in tropical regions.

 

[spike.t]

Didn't know whether to put this here or politics thread....

One Farm In Zimbabwe, 24 Years Later

www.thezimbabwean.co

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Didn't know whether to put this here or politics thread....

One Farm In Zimbabwe, 24 Years Later

www.thezimbabwean.co

That’s a depressing read but a good reminder. Thanks for sharing

 

[freefall]

Coming soon to open fields in America.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

An interesting comment... I read a book once about wildlife management in Kenya and one of the comments he made was that the proliferation of the local NGOs has created a subculture of relative wealth that would vanish if the 'problems' that they were working on were actually solved... so in order to maintain the wealth, the problem must never be solved...

This is pure Eric Hoffer from The True Believer - "Every good cause begins as a movement, becomes a business and eventually degenerates into a racket"

I think that about many social issues within the United States. Someone's going to lose money big time if the problem ceases to exist.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I think that about many social issues within the United States. Someone's going to lost money big time if the problem ceases to exist.

My Montana elk hunting outfitter told me a story that his grandfather liked to tell. Back during the depression in the 1930s, local ranchers and townspeople were hired to help battle forest fires. It paid good money, as long as there were fires to fight. Grandad said, “We fought the fire and fought the fire and it still went out.”