Making the twenty first century its own

Janus faced African (under) development

Bibliographic Data

ID14816705
AuthorsRaymond C Bush (University of Leeds, corresponding author)
Year2013
Volume26
Issue1
Publication date2013-02-11
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAVRUG-bulletin/Afrika Focus (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0772-0793 • E-ISSN: 0772-084X
PublisherWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.21825/af.v26i1.4924
OpenAlexW2186465514
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited20

This article critiques the idea that Africa under existing conditions of globalisation can take control of its own destiny in the 21st century. It does so by interrogating the empirical economic evidence for recent growth figures on the continent. It argues the optimism that Africa is on the verge of an economic breakthrough is misplaced and needs to be set in the historical context of recurrent optimism that quickly fades under the realities of exploitation and underdevelopment in the continent. Opportunities for sustainable growth and development lie not with greater integration with the world economy but with, among other things, local political and economic struggles in Africa for greater participation in local decision making and control of international capital. Key words: Africa, economic growth, crisis, recovery, capitalist development, hydro-carbons

Capital accumulation · Capitalism · Development economics · Economic growth · Economic system · Economics · Geography · Globalization · Human capital · Optimism · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Underdevelopment · Economic Theory and Policy · Law · Political Economy and Marxism · World Systems and Global Transformations

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