Africa: Still the “White Man’s Burden” of the World?

Africa: Still the “White Man’s Burden” of the World?

In 1899, at the cusp of a new age, British writer Rudyard Kipling published the poem “White Man’s Burden”, reflecting upon the “necessity” of imperialism for the development of other, less developed countries.  More than a century later, there remain similarities between colonialism and modern foreign influence in Africa.

Western conquest has left an indelible mark on Africa.  Max Fisher, a renowned journalist, explains that Africa’s struggles today are yet “another indication of the many ways that colonialism's complicated legacy is still with us, still shaping today's world” (Fisher).  In the same manner, modern Africa has been shaped by its foreign influencers.  African countries currently rely on foreign corporations for more than 14% of their total budgets (Sharma).  Just how much benefit these foreign institutions have actually created for Africa, though, remains as controversial as the topic of imperialism.

Part of the reason why foreign powers continue to receive respect in Africa is because Africa’s very borders were written by many of those powers.  In the 19th century, imperialist European powers conquered Africa for the land, labor and resources they offered, dividing up the “great African cake” without regard for the ethnic groups living there.  As a result, more than 177 major ethnic groups are separated along those arbitrary borders, frequently leading to devastating civil wars (Mungai).  Unable to suppress nationalist rebellions, many African countries remain embroiled in conflict to this day.

Lack of access to basic resources as a result of frequent, relapsing conflicts throughout the late 20th century have necessitated and eventually popularized foreign aid.  In fact, non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), as well as various foreign governments, use such resources to help maintain the basic needs of large populations of Africa.  However, some fear that Africa has become too dependent on foreign aid and would only be left unable to self-sustain (Sharma).  Charles Abugre, a director at the UN Millennium Campaign, an international program aimed at reducing poverty, offers a solution for this issue in more carefully constructed and monitored aid attempts.  Abugre emphasizes the use of international aid that can successfully stimulate the economy and create more business, as has been done effectively in Indonesia, Rwanda and Ethiopia (Abugre).

Foreign interference in African governments also has an impact.  For example, Western countries pushed the A.U. (an African diplomatic group) to overthrow the Burundian president in 2013 motives and denigrated the organization when they refused to comply (Garrison).  Therefore, colonization not only remains a physical presence, as seen through the arbitrary borders, but a psychological presence that causes much of African policy to remain in the hands of Westerners.  Other countries also come for resources and economic growth, many with similar agendas of power.  China, for example, invests in and builds infrastructure for many African countries, but at the price of the indigenous people’s self-determination (Anonymous).  

For all the hostility towards foreign influence, there remains a positive trend of general growth and rising prosperity in Africa (Fisher).  International aid has saved countless lives, and the infrastructure foreign powers help build in those country only spurs Africans towards success.  However, accompanying such change are the dangers of abusive power paralleling that seen under imperialist rule.  How Africa will develop from its century-old legacy of imperialism with either the help or harm of foreign powers remains to be seen.  

Works Cited:

Abugre, Charles. “Why foreign aid is important for Africa.” CNN, Cable News Network, 13 Aug. 2010, www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/08/13/aid.africa.abugre/. Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.

Anonymous. "China Latest Superpower To Mine African Treasures." Weekend Edition Saturday, 11 June 2011. Global Issues in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A258615857/GIC?u=los42754&xid=899057e3. Accessed 10 Mar. 2017.

Fisher, Max. “The Dividing of a Continent: Africa's Separatist Problem.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company,10 Sept. 2012, www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/09/the-dividing-of-a-continent-africas-separatist-problem/262171/. Accessed 6 Mar. 2017.

Garrison, Ann. “Burundi: Western interests masked as African solutions.” San Francisco Bay View, San Francisco Bay View Newspaper, 14 Feb. 2016, sfbayview.com/2016/02/burundi-western-interests-masked-as-african-solutions/. Accessed 8 Mar. 2017.

Mungai, Christine. “Africa's borders split over 177 ethnic groups, and their 'Real' lines aren't where you think.” MG Africa, Mail & Guardian Africa, 13 Jan. 2015, mgafrica.com/article/2015-01-09-africas-real-borders-are-not-where-you-think. Accessed 6 Mar. 2017.

Sharma, Manasi. “Is Foreign Aid Helping Or Hurting Africa?” Is Foreign Aid Helping Or Hurting Africa? | Global Envision, MercyCorps, 20 Apr. 2009, www.globalenvision.org/2009/04/20/foreign-aid-helping-or-hurting-africa. Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.