Neo Colonialism??

[dsanthony]

US Sen. Obama was criticized by the Kenyan govt recently for his comments on the "corruption" which is rife in Kenya. Across Africa, mass starvation, AIDS epidemics and genocide are becoming the norm. In the Middle East, Islamic fundamentalists are at war with the west. Along with Asia, these areas were the former colonies of Western European nations. Asia, with a few exceptions, has done much better in adapting to democracy and modern economic forms.

While it will never happen, the only way to really resolve these issues in Africa (and to a lesser extent, the Middle East) would be for these countries to renew their relationship with their former European colonial rulers. They should enter into "junior partnerships" with Europe, and allow the elder countries to oversee much of their political and administrative positions.

All the UN conferences in the world will not change the fact that most African nations are failing. Many of these "nations" were made up of nomadic or hunter-gatherer tribes only a few score years ago. To expect them to evolve into modern societies overnight is foolish.

Unfortunately, human nature will keep the African people in poverty and cycles of starvation and disease for the forseeable future.

[firefox]

I don't entirely agree with this. "Formal" coopration like that could screw these countries over yet again. However, a reduction in trade and travel barriers, etc. would enable people and goods to travel back and forth. This would give these developing countries new markets for their goods, as well as intermediate goods to turn into finished products cheaply for sale abroad.

[Anti-Racism]

While it will never happen, the only way to really resolve these issues in Africa (and to a lesser extent, the Middle East) would be for these countries to renew their relationship with their former European colonial rulers.

Hmm. I tend to think foreign intervention means the third world never gains the ability to rule itself by its own terms, even if right now there are problems.

An alternate view:

Romantic nationalism (also National Romanticism, organic nationalism, identity nationalism) is the form of nationalism in which the state derives its political legitimacy as an organic consequence of the unity of those it governs. This includes, depending on the particular manner of practice, the language, race, culture, religion and customs of the "nation" in its primal sense of those who were "born" within its culture. This form of nationalism arose in reaction to dynastic or imperial hegemony, which assessed the legitimacy of the state from the "top down", emanating from a monarch or other authority, which justified its existence. Such downward-radiating power might ultimately derive from God: the divine right of kings.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romantic_nationalism

[nikolaihawk]

I think the solution in this lies not in the idea of "junior partnership", though the idea is both novel and plausible, but in the gentle coercion of larger states in countries on the lesser ones. Not that we should control them, by no means do I mean that, but that we should constantly offer rewards and incentives for them to start some straight forward and people minded thinking. Most people would say with rewards come punishment, but I disagree. The punishment would quite literally doing nothing when they go the wrong way. Don't affect the gov't in a whole, but give them a nudge in the right direction for their inner workings.

this may or may not make sense...

But it would seem the best course of action to me.

[instigator]

When the British pulled out the whole world went to pot. Check the facts you will see i'm right when your self-rightous indignation has died down. And they were hell holes before we got there too before you go on about Roussea's 'perfect primitive' life. No it was short, nasty and brutal. Only the educated will understand that point.

[Harry01]

Africa doesnt need exploitatory partnership with the west.What it needs and correctly so is a recognition by the western World that it is niether a colony no-more nor a protectorate of anyone!!!
In fact, the current turmoil in Africa cannot be accurately audited without smelling a Western hand in its utmost demise.I will tell you why.For starters,after independence are people aware that Africa inherited the ugly unsexy debts that were left behind by the notorious settler regimes? And are you aware that these debts were dubiously not cancelled off by the Bretton Woods when logic actually would have thought so? So economically, the new black governments of Africa could not start afresh as they came into ``business`` already carring the burden of colonial debts.Secondly, the products of Africa are corruptly and unfairly underpriced by the international community(whatever that means).The point is if Africa produces the largest gold or platinum why then should that same Africa not have the power to decide its own pricing framework?Its a fraud and a dangerous and scandalous one indeed!!!! Europe is the buyer not the seller and still claims power to decide the price;my foot!! In fact my buttocks!!!!