by Rick Lowe
The Fate of Africa by Martin Meredith is 752 pages packed with historical facts and insight into the enigma the world knows as the continent of Africa.
Mr. Meredith, a journalist, biographer and historian has certainly lived up to his reputation with this effort.
The sub title of "From the Hopes of Freedom to the Heart of Despair" certainly offers much food for thought and leaves one with an empty feeling for the people of Africa.
Of course, not every nation in Africa can be referred to as "a basket case" but that description is fitting of the majority of them.
Independence in Africa was pursued very vigorously by the African leaders at the time to expel their colonial rulers so that their people could benefit from self rule. But Meredith proffers that mismanagement and corruption have so destroyed the fabric of of the African states that they can no longer serve the public good.
The history of the fifty years of independence of africa is replete with leaders that seemed to care more about enriching themselves rather than adopting economic policies that would aid in the development of their people and nations.
Claude Ake a renowned African political scientist suggested that "The problem is not so much that development has failed, as that it was never really on the agenda in the first place."
This all makes me more concerned about the course The Bahamas is on.
One can only hope that the good people of Africa will one day experience the promise of true freedom, democracy and the benefits of Capitalism and free markets.
Read this review Continent of heartbreak by Marjorie for the Christian Science Monitor.
Further reading: Democracy and Development in Africa by Claude Ake.
