Worldview / Africa

Africans are the poorest and worst-off people in the world, considering that infant mortality in Africa is 200 per thousand. A person in Africa would have grown up in a family where subsistence is the basis, that is, producing just enough for survival. Unlikely to have undergone much formal education, he is likely to continue living the way his parents have. Dismal living conditions and extreme instances of hunger are not likely to be foreign to him.

Owing to the huge amount of environmental degradation that has already taken place, rendering huge expanses of land unusable, land available for agriculture and other economic activities has decreased.

Industrial areas in the country are largely absent, with few external corporations willing to invest due to the political upheavals and instability in the country brought about by civil strife and ruthless dictatorships. What technology there is is likely to be highly pollutive and primitive.

The economy that actually exists is highly reliant on mining and agriculture. The market for agricultural commodities has shrunk, and other countries are unwilling to import these commodities as they have domestic industries producing the same thing. Agriculture is almost wholly dependent on rainfall, with practically zero control over its impact. Thus, drought and other freak weather phenomena hits African nations hard, causing great famine and suffering.

International organizations throw huge amounts of aid at Africa, but what little trickle down makes almost no difference to the quality of life. Government bureaucracy absorbs almost all the funds, yet not addressing Africa’s problems. Corruption is rife in sub-Saharan Africa, thus impeding international efforts to help Africa.