Introduction the challenge of the development and underdevelopment of africa has attracted the attention of scholars, leaders, politicians, commentators. Pdf africa is rich in natural as well as human resources which are the basis for the. In the midst of poverty, african ruling classes, or the elite group who happen to hold power at a particular time, have enriched themselves and become the targets of envy or of rivalry. Root causes of african underdevelopment article pdf available in journal of african economies 185 february 2008 with 77,881 reads how we measure reads. Social underdevelopment in subsaharan africa stars. Institutional causes of economic underdevelopment in the middle east. Underdevelopment is a term often used to refer to economic underdevelopment it is a situation where a country runs an unindustrialized economy with poor capital formation and debased living standards,meaning underdevelopment takes place when resources are not used to their full socio economic potential, with the result that local or. Causes of underdevelopment in developing countries answers. Article pdf available in journal of african economies 185. Poverty is one of the causes of underdevelopment in africa. An ideology is a set of ideas that defines a countrys political, economic and sociocultural structures and development strategy.
Accepted 09 february 2015 the paper attempts to inform africans and the world at large of the triple evils of colonial capitalism. The socialpsychological theories consider these very factors as main determinants of underdevelopment and development. The share ofintraafricantrade has declined from 22. Underdevelopment in subsaharan africa is caused by both internal and external factors. The triple causes of african underdevelopment academic journals. Pdf why africa remains underdeveloped despite its potential. Lack of an ideology therefore has led to a lot of confusion in developing states. If africa were as developed as other lands such as europe, the poverty level will be much lower than it is today. Reasons for african underdevelopment lack of official ideology most african countries lack an official ideology. Problems associated with insecurity has been combating the development of nigeria and africa as a whole. Uniprojects aim of providing dependency and underdevelopment in africa project research material is to reduce the stress of moving from one school library to another all in the name of searching for dependency and. Dependency and underdevelopment in africa project material. Even though global poverty is on the decline due to rapid economic growth in india, china and other parts of the world, africa s contribution to this decline is disappointing. Economic underdevelopment in africa in contrast with the surging growth of the countries in the socialist camp, the majority of the capitalist countries, is the unquestionable fact that a large proportion of the socalled underdeveloped countries are in total stagnation.
The causes of underdevelopment in developing countries include. Development is somehow holy, uplifting and attractive. What is the root cause of africas current state of underdevelopment. In the dualism and economic strategy theories discussed so far, underdevelopment and development are explained by economic factors alone while individual or group values and motivations are neglected.
We discuss the economic and technological forces leading to it. Sep 10, 20 underdevelopment is a key geographical issue in the modern world, as it is considered to be characteristic of a country which possesses a certain number of problems. Unfortunate events such as slave trade, wars and other bad incidents. Pdf underdevelopment in sub saharan africa robbins o w.
Colonial capitalism, state terrorism and racism jalata asafa university of tennessee at knoxville, united states. By the decade of seventies of the 20th century, the theory of the stages of economic growth became redundant and the structural internationalist theory became prominent. A preliminary sociological perspective chaitanya mishra introduction the notion ofdevelopment, despite its universal currency and exhortatory potential, in some ways reminds one ofthe story of the elephant and the six blind men. Underdevelopment in africa is as a result of many contributing factors which include poverty, illiteracy, very large extended families, corruption and lack of accountability. Ghana and uganda enjoyed stable political leadership and steady economic.
Africa is rich in gold, diamonds, oil and many other coveted natural resources. Dependency and underdevelopment of nigerian economy adekunle. Essay underdevelopment of africa 635 words bartleby. Africans are the major cause of their underdevelopment. Africa is rich in natural as well as human resources which are the basis for the prosperity of a given nation. Africas economic performance remains dismal and prospects for the new millennium are bleak. Different schools of thought have come out with the causes of underdevelopment in africa. Pdf root causes of african underdevelopment researchgate. Such problems, like extreme poverty or a low hdi, may be seen as consequences of an underdeveloped nation, but they may also be seen as the causes for its underdevelopment. Please, sit back and study the below research material carefully. Africa, being the original home of man, was a major. Economic underdevelopment in africa violence in twentieth. Colonizers used the idea of being at completely separate evolutionary points in development as justification for their intervention under the pretense that they would aid the african countries becoming more civilized. Causes responsible for economic backwardness of under.
Causes of underdevelopment, strategies for development hubpages. Yet it has not managed to capitalize on its wealth. It has brought about so many consequences, but of all, the economy is the most affected sector because the economic sector controls all other aspect of. Economic underdevelopment and the population explosion core. This has necessitated the evocation of dependency theory in explaining africas cum nigerias underdevelopment situation, hence africas underdevelopment has been linked to two categories of factors. 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. Dec, 2008 in the dualism and economic strategy theories discussed so far, underdevelopment and development are explained by economic factors alone while individual or group values and motivations are neglected. For instance, the modernist school believes that africa needs to follow the development part of the industrialized nations before it can develop. Root causes of african underdevelopment, departmental working papers 200816, the australian national university, arndtcorden department of economics. The high incidence of underdevelopment of africa is tied to underdevelopment. Pdf the causes of underdevelopment in the third world and. Causes of economic dependency when considering the causes of economic underdevelopment and dependency on the part of african countries, it is important to remember that this distinction is the explicit result of exploitation at the hands of colonizers. Well, i will call the shots as i see and the way i see, there are two major courses of underdevelopment in kenya. 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 critical analysis on the reasons of underdevelopment in. 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. Consequently, the country has played host to numerous imperialist powers. The external factors according to radical scholars or neomarxist are slavery, colonialism and neocolonialism. When considering the causes of economic underdevelopment and dependency on the part of african countries, it is important to remember that. During the early period of development efforts there was little discussion on the historical causes and the real nature of underdevelopment. Americans, africa, australia and asia through engaging in terrorism, genocide, and gross human rights violations and at the same time claimed the superiority of their cultures, religion christianity, race, and civilization. Underdevelopment of africa underdevelopment in africa is a problem that has been plaguing the countries all over the continent for a very long time. One of africas economic challenges in the 21stcentury is that there is little intraafrican trade. Causes of underdevelopment and concepts for development.
The study found that poverty in africa is caused by a number of factors including corruption and poor governance, limited employment opportunities, poor. Zimbabwes lack of an economy has caused the state to rely heavily on aid. Imperialism and neocolonialism from former or superior nations whom directly or indirectly might be in the helms of affairs of these. In kenya, what are the main causes of underdevelopment. Underdevelopment in africa the journal for social, political, and. Causes responsible for economic backwardness of under developed countries. Storey, hannah, aiding the underdevelopment of african economies 2016. A critical analysis in addition to the large expanse of arable land sudan has a large deposit of important minerals and natural resources such as iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, and tungsten, uranium, silver and gold. Pdf underdevelopment in sub saharan africa robbins o w e.
A critical analysis on the reasons of underdevelopment in africa. Pdf the causes of underdevelopment in the third world. May 03, 2008 in such countries, as asia, africa and latin america where financial problems and economic stagnancy exist, people lived below the poverty line. The internal factors, nnadozie said, fan the ember of. Despite its potential the continent is still underdeveloped. The causes of underdevelopment in the third world and possibility for human development article pdf available march 2016 with 34,594 reads how we measure reads. Imperialism and economic underdevelopment in sudan. In such countries, as asia, africa and latin america where financial problems and economic stagnancy exist, people lived below the poverty line.
When the new constitution was passed in 2010, everybody was happy that funds would be devolved and. Why africa remains underdeveloped despite its potential. 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. When considering the causes of economic underdevelopment and dependency on the part of african countries, it is important to remember that this distinction is the explicit result of exploitation at the hands of colonizers. The crisis of underdevelopment in subsaharan africa longdom. Underdevelopment is an economic term used to refer to a level of inadequacy or insufficiency in development. Theoretical considerations at this time of cold war explained the situation of underdevelopment and the path for development from the viewpoint of. What are the root causes of africas current state of underdevelopment. 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. Feb, 20 reasons for african underdevelopment lack of official ideology most african countries lack an official ideology. Development and underdevelopment in the third world. Root causes of african underdevelopment journal of african. The effects of external factors in underdevelopment are numerous, it depend on the view point of the writer. Root causes of african underdevelopment, journal of african economies, centre for the study of african economies csae, vol.
Institutional causes of economic underdevelopment in the. Every continent independently participated in the early epochs of the extension of mans control over his environment which means in effect that every continent can point to a period of economic development. These challenges not only threaten human life and wellbeing, but also impact the global geopolitical and economic landscape. 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. Due to the underdevelopment of africa, the brightest minds in africa are constantly on the move seeking pastures greener in other lands. Underdevelopment is the state in which full realization of development in a country has not been attained either due to lack of resources or underutilization of the available resources. The homelands and economic and natural resources of africans were expropriated and transferred to european colonial settlers, their descendants and their. What explains economic underdevelopment in subsaharan africa. It is well known that africa is falling behind the rest of the world in terms of economic wellbeing. Africa is home to a very large percentage of the poorest people in the world.
Colonizers used the idea of being at completely separate evolutionary points in development. Root causes of african underdevelopment ideasrepec. 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. Underdevelopment takes place when resources are not used to their full socioeconomic potential, with the result that local or regional development is slower in most cases than it should be. How europe underdeveloped africa abahlali basemjondolo. On the causes of the african slave trade and african. Furthermore, it results from the complex interplay of internal and external factors that allow less developed countries only a lopsided development progression.
The affected country portrays the following characteristics. The structuralist approach looks at development in terms of the power relationship between different nations and between different people within. Underdevelopment, resource scarcity, and environmental. Underdevelopment is a visible feature in africa which is rated as the poorest continent in the world. This widespread poverty serves as a chief cause of underdevelopment in africa. This paper explores the factors responsible for the underdevelopment of most african states with an attempt to provide some possible recommendations to overcoming the socio economic and political problems faced by the continent in a growing inter connected globalised world. Specifically, it will investigate the major causes of political and economic dependency in nigeria, cum the impacts or the roles of the nigerian elites in the course of nigerian dependency and underdevelopment. Underdevelopment, resource scarcity, and environmental degradation are cardinal, even existential, threats to human security. Root causes of african underdevelopment sambit bhattacharyya. Underdevelopment is a key geographical issue in the modern world, as it is considered to be characteristic of a country which possesses a certain number of problems. The causes of the crisis of underdevelopment in postcolonial africa. Capital is of crucial importance for economic growth, but this is what the underdeveloped countries lack.
Much of the trade in africa has been between african countries and the europeans, americans and the emerging economies. Causes of underdevelopment, strategies for development. International economics is concerned with the trade and financial relations of state economies, and the effects of international trade and finance on the distribution. A single factor theory of africas underdevelopment science. Colonialism, independence and underdevelopment in africa diva.
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