In preparation for our class this Wednesday, I’m posting the following discussion topic:
Throughout Part 5 of "Africa: A Biography of the Continent," John Reader talks about the various effects of European influence in Africa. Obviously the extensive slave trade negatively impacted the continent; but on the other hand, the introduction of maize and cassava “amounted to an agricultural revolution” (414). “At the end of the twentieth century,” Reader says at the end of Chapter 34, “there is no group in Africa which is not in some way affected by the continent’s attachment to Europe.” Then he asks a pressing question: “Could Africa have developed differently?” (368).
This is the question I want to address in this pre-class discussion. I think we all believe that Europe took advantage of Africa, but Reader also talks about some positive European attributions. Please comment with your opinions and thoughts as to how Europe affected Africa and how Africa would have developed differently if it weren’t for European involvement.
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In economics you can say "even the glass man benefits from a broken window". From another perspective, with which I more agree, is that the bakers window whose window whose broken lost productivity and money to buy more capitol. The slave trade was an example of a broken window. Many benefited but we definitely are seeing the effects of the broken window today.
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