Different schools of thought have come out with the causes of underdevelopment in africa. It contributes to the ongoing debates on why africa remains trapped in the clutch of underdevelopment many decades after the purported end of colonialism. May 06, 2016 well, i will call the shots as i see and the way i see, there are two major courses of underdevelopment in kenya. In such countries, as asia, africa and latin america where financial problems and economic stagnancy exist, people lived below the poverty line. Root causes of african underdevelopment sambit bhattacharyya. The external factors according to radical scholars or neomarxist are slavery, colonialism and neocolonialism. The most common cause of underdevelopment in a country is lack of education. According to professor ragnar nurkse, economic development has much to do with human endowments social attitudes, political conditions and historical accidents, implying that underdevelopment is a.
Feb, 20 reasons for african underdevelopment lack of official ideology most african countries lack an official ideology. Unlike the development economic development from feudalism in western europe, the systems of capitalism in africa were introduced under the context of european imperialism and colonialism. Theoretical considerations at this time of cold war explained the situation of underdevelopment and the path for development from the viewpoint of western or socialist metropoles. Even within africa itself, disparities exist between the northern and southern parts of africa, owing to the availability or nonavailability of essential resources to improve development. Development and under development in world sociology. In fact, this year, the british prime minister theresa may remarked that africa and in particular nigeria is home to some of the poorest people in the world. The causes of under development and the challenges. Causes of underdevelopment in developing countries answers. Africas contribution to european capitalist development the precolonial period 3. Causes of underdevelopment and concepts for development. However, that hope never stand the true test of time.
There are other causes as well, such as foreign ownership of the countrys resources, but education is the most important. Effects of atlantic slave trade and colonialism on africa. According to mills 2011, 2010, africa is poor today mainly because its leaders have chosen poverty over development of its people. Countries with a well educated populace tend to be developed. Furthermore, whilst using the example of africa, it may be possible to refer to a countrys political state. On the causes of the african slave trade and african underdevelopment luis angeles july 8, 2011 abstract this papers analyses the causes behind africas unfortunate transformation into the source of the worlds slaves over the early modern period. Lack of an ideology therefore has led to a lot of confusion in developing states. The crisis of underdevelopment in subsaharan africa longdom. Africa, while providing a selective survey of poverty reduction strategies implemented in both prsp and nonprsp countries in the continent. The causes of underdevelopment in developing countries include. Africa is home to a very large percentage of the poorest people in the world. Africans are the major cause of their underdevelopment.
During the early period of development efforts there was little discussion on the historical causes and the real nature of underdevelopment. But the most common cause of under development is the dependency upon developed countries, and terrorism. Countries that have been most successful in attacking poverty have encouraged a pattern of growth that makes efficient use of labor and have invested in the human capital of the poor. Different scholars have tried to analyze the root causes of under development in africa in different perspective. The independence of african states from colonial rule began from the middle part of the 20th century signaled strong prospects and hope for a better and prosperous continent. Underdevelopment in africa is as a result of many contributing factors which include poverty, illiteracy, very large extended families, corruption and lack of accountability. The high incidence of underdevelopment of africa is tied to underdevelopment.
Pdf what are the root causes of africas current state of underdevelopment. May 03, 2008 causes of under development are not same in all under developing nation states, somewhere corruption is the major cause, somewhere lack in resources are the major cause, and somewhere wrong policies are the major cause of under development. Colonial production, extraverted and coercive as it already was, was ruthlessly reorganized to produce record amounts of primary agricultural and mineral commodities for the imperial armies and economies. This paper explores the factors responsible for the underdevelopment of most african states with an attempt to provide some possible recommendations to overcoming the socioeconomic and political problems faced by the continent in a growing inter connected globalised world. For instance, the modernist school believes that africa needs to follow the development part of the industrialized nations before it can develop. Unbalanced development, colonialism, strategy, land, when, causes. While focusing on social history, this work also employs the french annales school approach, which rejects the overspecialization of. A critical analysis on the reasons of underdevelopment in africa. The causes of the crisis of underdevelopment in postcolonial africa. Poverty is one of the causes of underdevelopment in africa. In critical development and postcolonial studies, the concepts of development, developed, and underdevelopment are often thought of to have origins in two periods. Underdevelopment in subsaharan africa is caused by both internal and external factors. There are other important factors which are responsible for low income and poverty of the people of the developing countries. Is it the long history of slave trade, the legacy of extractive colonial.
They must also be exposed and be prepared to face the challenges of leadership in developing society. International peace institute, underdevelopment, resource. Colonial capitalism, terrorism, racism, underdevelopment, indigenous africans, human rights, self determination, democracy, and social injustice. Capital is of crucial importance for economic growth, but this is what the underdeveloped countries lack. From table 1, it is also evident that, poverty is indeed a worldwide epidemic, however its magnitude is what determines the classification under. Underdevelopment in africa journal of social, political and. Is it the long history of slave trade, the legacy of extractive colonial insti tutions, or the.
A critical analysis on the reasons of underdevelopment in africa failed states and reasons for social unrest in. Causes of underdevelopment, strategies for development hubpages. Why africa remains underdeveloped despite its potential. This section defines the key concepts of development and under development in sociology and identifies and illustrates the characteristics of development.
How europe underdeveloped africa abahlali basemjondolo. This is because lack of capital is not the only cause of under development and poverty. When the new constitution was passed in 2010, everybody was happy that funds would be devolved and. Within this second group of scholars who ascribe to internal causes of africas underdevelopment, there is a growing body of knowledge associating underdevelopment with africas bad leadership. Imperialism and neocolonialism from former or superior nations whom directly or indirectly might be in the helms of affairs of these. Essay underdevelopment of africa 635 words bartleby. The causes of underdevelopment in the third world and. An ideology is a set of ideas that defines a countrys political, economic and sociocultural structures and development strategy. Pdf why africa remains underdeveloped despite its potential. Economic underdevelopment in africa violence in twentieth.
Causes of poverty and a framework for action a decade ago world development report 1990presented a twopart strategy for poverty reduction. The effects of external factors in underdevelopment are numerous, it depend on the view point of the writer. Sep 10, 20 development is generally defined by a growth in economy. Underdevelopment may therefore have a general cause of limits. The only industrialized nation we have in africa is south africa. Jun 30, 2016 causes of underdevelopment and development. We discuss the economic and technological forces leading to it. With the low level of national output much saving is not possible but whatever there is, it is frittered away in conspicuous consumption and extravagance in. The socio political set up of african countries has a similarity with those of the east asian nations which have brought economic progress through exercising developmental state. Root causes of african underdevelopment, departmental working papers 200816, the australian national university, arndtcorden department of economics.
The debate surrounding the causes of underdevelopment in subsaharan african countries has resulted in many different explanations. Different scholars have tried to analyze the root causes of underdevelopment in africa. The book comes at a critical time in human history. Gender and indigenous peoples causes of poverty in developing countries praveen jha encyclopedia of life support systems eolss further reading for those interested in the subject. Due to the underdevelopment of africa, the brightest minds in africa are constantly on the move seeking pastures greener in other lands. Underdevelopment, resource scarcity, and environmental. What are the root causes of africas current state of underdevelopment.
For africa to break the impasse of underdevelopment, the paper calls for good governance and the establishment of special agencies to monitor all development projects undertaking by african countries. Poverty, growth, and inequality in subsaharan africa. Underdevelopment may therefore be caused by an incapacity to have a strong economy, which may itself be defined by an unstable government. In this way, it was widely held that the third worlds economic underdevelopment was inherent by structure a term coined as colonial capitalism. Is it the long history of slave trade, the legacy of extractive. This widespread poverty serves as a chief cause of underdevelopment in africa. Causes responsible for economic backwardness of under developed countries. Unfortunate events such as slave trade, wars and other bad incidents. There are three main schools of scholars that discuss the reasons of underdevelopment in the third world and they also try and provide specific frameworks for overcoming those problems and heading towards a developed state. The causes of under development and the challenges of globalisation by nobody. Causes responsible for economic backwardness of under. Countries without an educated populace tend to be underdeveloped.
In kenya, what are the main causes of underdevelopment. Root causes of african underdevelopment ideasrepec. But this is also not a wholly correct and adequate definition of under developed countries. A critical analysis on the reasons of underdevelopment in. Dec, 2008 during the early period of development efforts there was little discussion on the historical causes and the real nature of underdevelopment. On the causes of the african slave trade and african. If africa were as developed as other lands such as europe, the poverty level will be much lower than it is today. Pdf root causes of african underdevelopment researchgate. Social underdevelopment in subsaharan africa stars. Underdevelopment, development and the future of africa. Underdevelopment of africa underdevelopment in africa is a problem that has been plaguing the countries all over the continent for a very long time. The data for this research include historical and anthropological sources, government records and published materials. North africa was a crucial combat zone during both wars.
Despite its potential the continent is still underdeveloped. This paper revisits the issue of the continents chronic underdevelopment and backwardness. The triple causes of african underdevelopment academic journals. Africa is rich in natural as well as human resources which are the basis for the prosperity of a given nation. Pdf underdevelopment in sub saharan africa robbins o w. Pdf root causes of african underdevelopment barbara.
747 744 1186 778 1485 1583 364 183 1425 472 207 791 506 1527 1535 342 1184 1687 1072 862 423 1023 1219 24 1464 1129 796 1309 507 1574 762 1376 881 144 255 1044 902 431 749 300 1100