"Race Against Time" [2005] is a book by Stephan Lewis that tells the ugly truth about African poverty.

Date:   10/8/2007 6:46:34 PM ( 17 y ago)

Wickedness ; Immorality ; Perverse ; Obscene
- those are just a few of the words to describe what has happened to Africa over the past 25 years, and they all apply to western and developed nations.


As relates to the poverty in Africa, the IMF and World Bank play their roles of executioner, while the various 'Development Organisations' are putting on a show, appearing to be helpfull but are actually doing the opposite.

It has been 'economic sabotage'. The IMF and World Bank made huge loans to the various military dictators of African nations, dictators who basically stole the money for themselves while doing NOTHING for the people over whom they rule. They left the debt to be repaid by the poorest people on the planet!

On top of that, there were "conditions" of the loans where - believe it or not - the governmental programs such as Social Services and Health Care were NOT ALLOWED to be funded by government money. Where else would they get their funding? Not.

The make-believe "help" of western nations resulted in loan repayments totalling $230 Billion over the past 25 years, on debts [made to those military dicks] of $290 Billion, and they still have some $200 Billion in debt left to pay back. This is extortion, no doubt!!

Aid to Africa comes with strings attached - privatisation being the primary problem: agricultural industries "must be privatised" in order to get foreign aid, so farmers lose their land and their income to western corporations. Even water is not exempt - in some African nations, people can no longer afford to pay for the water they drink because of the privatisation of the water industry.

The issue of agricultural subsidies is more well known than the above abuses. USA and E.U.farmer's crops are subsidized by their governments, so much so that African production and sales of their agricultural goods cannot compete in the international markets - EU and USA farmers can sell their goods so cheaply due to the subsidies.

Here are some telling statistics:
- USA and EU subsidies for their farmers amount to $350 Billion a year, which is 5 times the amount they spend on foreign aid
- E.U. COWS get $2/day in subsidies, whereas 500 million Africans live on less than $1 a day.
[and of course, keep in mind that it is those subsidies that are keeping African farmers from being able to compete]{Wicked; Immoral; Perverse; Obscene}

Agriculture is generally the first step towards developing any economy, and from there the economy expands to become industrial, and therefore viable. It will not happen in Africa, not under these "conditions".

Instead of a developing economy, African nations will remain dependant - and tied - to foreign aid that demands African governments "shall not spend money on social services and health care". Therefore, for example, one group of 25 million people have 30 doctors... and so many millions of people live on less than $1 a day [government welfare would certainly give THEM a big boost!].

... and I have not even mentioned AIDS yet. AIDS is a scourge in Africa of course, but it is NOT the reason Africa is so far behind the developed world - the developed world itself is the reason Africa is so far behind the developed world!!

Corporate interests have stifled and damaged Africa, they may have even inflicted AIDS on Africa [so goes one theory]. If not directly, the economic damage done to Africa certainly contributes to the spread of AIDS because of the lack of education, health care, and gainfull employment. Violent rape is no small contributer, rapes committed by the maurading armies of the miliitary dictators supported by western interests!! The reasoning of corporate culture in doing so much damage to Africa is beyond this small space, for today.


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Referance and incentive for writing this comes from a small but powerfull book by Stephan Lewis called "Race Against Time" [paperback, 210 pages, a quick read] of which I have an copy autographed by the author.

I recommend finding it and reading it for yourself, I do not do it justice here except by the fact that it inspires me, which is, I am sure, the purpose of it.

That was just from the first section - the next four sections should raise my anger and inspire me even more!!





 

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