Troubled Present Group Activity

1. Troubled Present Group Activity

2. Things to Note • Hard to generalize – always exceptions • Pure size of the continent • Family first • Constant that things are always changing

3. The Troubled Present • Why is the average African poorer today than at Independence? • Drought conditions led to food shortages • Food production has dropped • Food crops go uneaten due to inadequate transportation and storage • Wood grows scarcer and now the government has to contend with rising fuel costs • Foreign debt increases – to borrow money must meet stringent terms of lending agencies • Low levels of industrial output • All offset any improvements

4. HIV/AIDS Pandemic 2.Explain why AIDS negatively effects development. • Leading cause of death in Africa • Increased number of AIDs Orphans • More than 12 million children have been orphaned due to AIDS • Pandemic is undermining social and economic structures & reversing the fragile gains made since independence • Ability to fight AIDs is compromised by its debt burden and the high cost of treatment drugs

5. Evolution of Economics • During the Age of Colonialism who benefitted? • Benefitted imperialist countries • Cash crops were grown for European markets • Mineral resources were shipped overseas to be processed and marketed in Western economies

6. Evolution of Economics 2. What was the effect on the people? • Natural Resource Curse • People became dependent for their livelihood on the forces of the world market – cash crops – limited control of price • Mining – run by outsides • Inflation • increase in the general price level of goods and services in an economy over a period of time • the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services • Raw materials are purchased at low prices and manufactured good are expensive

7. Problems of Governance • What is the internal force that is causing Africa’s current crisis? • Misgovernment • Inherited the instruments of control – police states • Election fraud • Reject multiparty elections • Maintain personal rule- Authoritarian regimes • Some democratization • Shared power of old and new regimes • Continued conflict and civil war • Maintaining nation unity with diverse, ethnically divided citizenries

8. Problems of Governance 2. How do economic difficulties contribute to the political crisis? • High rates of inflation and indebtedness = austerity program – budget cuts • External powers have sustained African dictatorships • Through military and economic aid and sometime direct intervention • Example: General Mubutu • Socialism to privatization

9. Reasons for Optimism • Identify some of the achievements African countries have made. • Increased literacy rates • People can read the newspaper, follow instructions for fertilizers and read labels on medicine bottles • Increased role and support of women • Increased use of technology • Improved healthcare • Increased life expectancy rates

10. Reasons for Optimism 2. What group is benefitting and continues to gain rights. Cite evidence. • Women • Role in agriculture and other activities is being recognized • Receiving prenatal and hospital care for mothers • Improved working conditions • Women are involved in the political life (government)