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Experiments in Political Order: Comparing African Nations and India

Experiments in Political Order: Comparing African Nations and India. AP World History Chapter 23 “Independence and Development in the Global South”. Experiments in Political Order. Efforts to create political order across the developing world had to battle many conditions:

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Experiments in Political Order: Comparing African Nations and India

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  1. Experiments in Political Order:Comparing African Nations and India AP World HistoryChapter 23 “Independence and Development in the Global South”

  2. Experiments in Political Order • Efforts to create political order across the developing world had to battle many conditions: • Exploding populations • High (and unrealistic) expectations following independence • Lack of available resources to meet these expectations • Diverse populations that had little loyalty to the new central state • Large areas with widespread poverty and weak private economies

  3. Experiments in Political Order • Wide range of political systems were established throughout the developing world: • Communist regimes • Multi-party democracies • One-party democracies • Military regimes • Personal dictatorships and tyrannies

  4. India’s Political Evolution • In India = Western-style democracy practiced continuously since independence • Regular elections • Peaceful changes in government • Multiple political parties • Civil rights and liberties A woman voting in the 2008 state election in India

  5. India’s Political Evolution:Why Democracy Worked • Struggle for independence in India was much longer than struggles in Africa = gave Indian leaders time to figure out how they wanted to structure the new state • The British gradually gave power over to the Indians = over several decades prior to independence in 1947 • Many Indians possessed administrative and technical skills as a result • Nationalist movement in India = within one political party (Congress Party) • Committed to democracy

  6. Rejection of Democracy in Africa: Why? • Theory #1 = Africans just weren’t ready for democracy or lacked the “ingredients” for democratic politics • Africa’s traditional culture = based on communal rather than individualist values  not compatible with the competitiveness of party politics • Lack of an educated electorate, middle-class, and strong capitalist economy

  7. Rejection of Democracy in Africa: Why? • Theory #2 = Democracy was not an adequate system for developing a modern economy • Competing political parties (that don’t always agree) = would slow down the process of creating national unity and developing a modern economy A little cell phone action…

  8. Rejection of Democracy in Africa: Why? • The following conditions that existed within many initial democratic governments in Africa undermined popular support for democracy: • Widespread economic disappointment • Class resentments due to increased inequalities and competition for jobs, housing, education, etc. • Ethnic conflicts, which sometimes turned violent Example: Genocide in Rwanda in 1994

  9. Alternatives to Democracy • Most common alternative = government by soldiers • By the early 1980s = the military actively governed about 15 African nations • These militaries: • Took power during times of crisis • Claimed the nation was in danger and that only they could restore order • Got rid of old political parties and constitutions • Vowed to return power to civilians and restore democracy “at some point” Military Leaders in Mali

  10. Revival of Democracy in Africa: 1980s • Failure of authoritarian governments to fix disastrous economic situations became evident • Variety of grassroots movements began that demanded democratic change in order to better their lives: • Disaffected students, religious organizations, urban workers, women’s groups • Encouragement from world events  End of apartheid in South Africa; fall of communism; etc. Nigerian Voter in 2011

  11. Experiments in Economic Development:Changing Priorities, Varying Outcomes AP World HistoryChapter 23 “Independence and Development in the Global South”

  12. Obstacles to Economic Development Most societies = sharply divided by class, religion, ethnic group, and gender Explosive population growth In most places = colonial rule had provided only the most basic foundations for modern development (if anything at all) Low literacy rates Few people with managerial experience Weak private economies Inefficient transportation systems Little leverage with the wealthy nations of the Global North

  13. The Role of the State • Most people expected that state authorities would take responsibility for developing the economy  Why? • Private economies = weakly developed • Entrepreneurs = didn’t have funds to invest • Successful Soviet industrialization under state direction = hopeful • State control = could protect people against the inequalities that came with capitalism

  14. The Role of the State • In the late 20th century, the support for state-directed economies faded and more people began to favor market economies  Why? • Collapse of the Soviet Union = the world’s first state-dominated economy • Evident failure, mismanagement, and corruption of many state-run enterprises • International organizations (like the World Bank) = pushed developing countries in a capitalist direction • The switch to market economies led to rapid economic growth in many nations (ex: China and India), but it also created inequalities and social conflict

  15. Issues with Economic Development • “Urban bias” = too much focus on city-based industrial development and neglect or exploitation of rural areas and agriculture • “Male bias” = encouraging men to work in modern industries and women to work in agriculture • Debate over capital and technology-drive projects versus investment in “human capital” • Capital-driven projects = dams, factories, etc. • “Human capital” investment = education, technical training, health care, nutrition, etc.

  16. Issues with Economic Development • Benefits versus drawbacks of foreign aid, investment, and trade • Every economic decision (where to locate schools, factories, etc.) was political • Always resulted in winners and losers in terms of power, advantage, and wealth

  17. Varied Results of Economic Experiments • Various reasons for such sharp differences in economic results: • Geography and natural resources • Differing colonial experiences • Variations in regional cultures • Degree of political stability and social equality • State economic policies • Population growth rates • Varying forms of involvement with the world economy Cocoa Farming in Ghana Durban, South Africa

  18. Varied Results of Economic Experiments

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