[lbo-talk] New Imperialism?

[Wojtek Sokolowski]

Charles:
> On the "contribution" of the periphery to the center's
> prosperity today , I imagine someone ( Walter Rodney , et. al) has argued
> that imperialism restricted and "underdeveloped" the colonies' economic
> development ( cash crops, mono-products), and TODAY ,the result of this
long
> term imperialist action, impoverishes many neo-colonies. By preventing the
> all-around and full development of the colonial economies over the last
200
> years or so, imperialism caused today's relative poverty there.
> 
If their development potential was restricted by European colonialism, which
was a relatively late development, then stands to reason that they must have
that potential before colonization, no?  So the question arises why did not
they realize that development potential before they were colonized?   At the
time of their colonization, most colonized societies were at the stone age
and primitive agriculture level of development.  

To put it in another perspective, when Africa was finally colonized by
Europeans in the 19th century (it was subjected to Arab slave trading
colonialism before), it was on average where Europe was some 2000 years ago
under the Roman empire.  Today, sub-saharn Africa is where Europe was some
200 years ago - a bunch of statelets busy suppressing domestic dissent when
not fighting each other.   That means that Africa moved ahead for about
1,800 years during the 150 or so year period - not a bad rate of progress,
after all.

To avoid any potential misconceptions this posting may cause - my ideas of
development heavily draw form those of Jared Diamond - the two key elements
in that development are geographical location and access to critical natural
resources.  They  make all the difference in the world.  If culture plays
any role at all, it is usually negative - by reinforcing life styles that
destroy natural resources.  Africa and the Americas had the misfortune of
getting the short end of the stick in the access to critical resources, but
that is another story.

Wojtek