How Africa’s Geography Traps it in Poverty
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Date: 2024-11-25
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Comments and reviews: 20
The2tlc
How can any Nation get them selves out of poverty when the bleeding hearts flood them with so called free stuff
No economy can compete, develop, grow, or be sufficient when competing with free. Even subpar free stuff.
Clothes for instant. How can they develop businesses to source, harvest, process, transport, manufacture, design, and produce anything to do with clothing to sell. If the consumer can get it for free
You can't.
Farming. All the same steps in the process from seed to finish product. You can't build something to build wealth if it's just given to you.
Just giving something for free might sound good and helpful. Please step back and see the damage it does in the long run.
Once those free things stop coming. The population that became so used to getting everything for free will be unable and unwilling to do anything to get those same materials themselves. Why Because no one needed to develop the skill needed to do it. No one developed the networks required to build the infrastructure, understand how it works or maintain it. All you get is corruption and everyone taking as much as they can for themselves because free doesn't mean free. It means slavery.
When someone else controls how you live and what you get to maintain your life. You are no longer someone who is free. You are a slave dependent on a masters generosity to toss you the scraps off their table.
You want to help people out of poverty
Help them by teaching them to get themselves out of poverty by developing all aspects of a functioning society as an individual, as a community, as a Nation. Stop just giving it to them on the premise they stay ignorant to do what's best for them.
Corruption at the moment seems to be the only thing any African Nation has learned to enrich themselves at the expense of everyone else. The rot is through and through.
reply
How can any Nation get them selves out of poverty when the bleeding hearts flood them with so called free stuff
No economy can compete, develop, grow, or be sufficient when competing with free. Even subpar free stuff.
Clothes for instant. How can they develop businesses to source, harvest, process, transport, manufacture, design, and produce anything to do with clothing to sell. If the consumer can get it for free
You can't.
Farming. All the same steps in the process from seed to finish product. You can't build something to build wealth if it's just given to you.
Just giving something for free might sound good and helpful. Please step back and see the damage it does in the long run.
Once those free things stop coming. The population that became so used to getting everything for free will be unable and unwilling to do anything to get those same materials themselves. Why Because no one needed to develop the skill needed to do it. No one developed the networks required to build the infrastructure, understand how it works or maintain it. All you get is corruption and everyone taking as much as they can for themselves because free doesn't mean free. It means slavery.
When someone else controls how you live and what you get to maintain your life. You are no longer someone who is free. You are a slave dependent on a masters generosity to toss you the scraps off their table.
You want to help people out of poverty
Help them by teaching them to get themselves out of poverty by developing all aspects of a functioning society as an individual, as a community, as a Nation. Stop just giving it to them on the premise they stay ignorant to do what's best for them.
Corruption at the moment seems to be the only thing any African Nation has learned to enrich themselves at the expense of everyone else. The rot is through and through.
reply
reallifelore
Im so happy you're covering the geopraphical obstacles of the African continent! I first learned about this through Thomas Sowell and have tried to share it with people. Especially, those espousing racial reasons for Africa's struggle to catch up to the rest of the world. It really makes sense when you consider how disadvantaged the place has been with the sharing of ideas whether on politics, inventions, religion and more. There was a period in Europe where no new inventions were made for 100's of years because the people were isolated and just repeated what they knew. The same can be said of Africa while the rest of the world was sharing their ideas with eachother. So Africa has been propelled into the modern world rather quickly before even developing the infrastructure to industrialize! It's not a wonder why the continent is so far behind but more of a wonder why it isn't even further behind than it is! Africa, as a whole, has been making strides recently and is on path to be a majority developed or developing nations at some time in the future.
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Im so happy you're covering the geopraphical obstacles of the African continent! I first learned about this through Thomas Sowell and have tried to share it with people. Especially, those espousing racial reasons for Africa's struggle to catch up to the rest of the world. It really makes sense when you consider how disadvantaged the place has been with the sharing of ideas whether on politics, inventions, religion and more. There was a period in Europe where no new inventions were made for 100's of years because the people were isolated and just repeated what they knew. The same can be said of Africa while the rest of the world was sharing their ideas with eachother. So Africa has been propelled into the modern world rather quickly before even developing the infrastructure to industrialize! It's not a wonder why the continent is so far behind but more of a wonder why it isn't even further behind than it is! Africa, as a whole, has been making strides recently and is on path to be a majority developed or developing nations at some time in the future.
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swordoftree
Africa is a bit like central america when Spain colonised it. Spain valued gold and silver in Central America way more than the indegineous population themselves. Similary Europeans value Africa's natural resources more than the Africans themselves do, so it's really easy to steal the resources and bribe the African leaders with pennies to ensure it's theft and exploitation. The only time things will change is when Africans value their natural resources just as much as the Europeans, if not more. One good example is the Suez canal. When Egypt finally saw its value it took back control and Britain, France and Israel decided to invade Egypt because of it but Egypt refused to back down. This forced Britain and France to finally come to a fair arrangement.
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Africa is a bit like central america when Spain colonised it. Spain valued gold and silver in Central America way more than the indegineous population themselves. Similary Europeans value Africa's natural resources more than the Africans themselves do, so it's really easy to steal the resources and bribe the African leaders with pennies to ensure it's theft and exploitation. The only time things will change is when Africans value their natural resources just as much as the Europeans, if not more. One good example is the Suez canal. When Egypt finally saw its value it took back control and Britain, France and Israel decided to invade Egypt because of it but Egypt refused to back down. This forced Britain and France to finally come to a fair arrangement.
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skyhawk_4526
I think the reason our ancestors migrated out of Africa seems relatively simple: It's human nature to explore and look for better places to live, raise a family and build a community. Those who left found such places and, for the most part, never looked back, because it's illogical to migrate from a good place to a bad place. In some ways, it would seem ironic humanity began in such an inhospitable and difficult place for survival. But part of me has to wonder if maybe that was by design. I mean if our ancestors just so happened to first appear in a place on Earth with wonderful and abundant geography and resources, what motivation would they have ever had to seek something else and populate the rest of the world
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I think the reason our ancestors migrated out of Africa seems relatively simple: It's human nature to explore and look for better places to live, raise a family and build a community. Those who left found such places and, for the most part, never looked back, because it's illogical to migrate from a good place to a bad place. In some ways, it would seem ironic humanity began in such an inhospitable and difficult place for survival. But part of me has to wonder if maybe that was by design. I mean if our ancestors just so happened to first appear in a place on Earth with wonderful and abundant geography and resources, what motivation would they have ever had to seek something else and populate the rest of the world
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garion742
I think another angle to think about is how the isolation and poor transit options for Africa kept it's technological and cultural evolution very slow. So it seems to follow that some of it's current strife is basically super accelerated cultural evolution. Something like the Various wars of Succession, 30 years war, and civil wars Europe had all in series, and with short duration gaps.
The rest of the world reached stability through internal and external pressures of various stripes equalizing over huge stretches of time. Africa didn't have those external pressures until Europeans came along. It'll take time for all the various cultural groups to merge/homogenize into groups large enough to form stable states.
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I think another angle to think about is how the isolation and poor transit options for Africa kept it's technological and cultural evolution very slow. So it seems to follow that some of it's current strife is basically super accelerated cultural evolution. Something like the Various wars of Succession, 30 years war, and civil wars Europe had all in series, and with short duration gaps.
The rest of the world reached stability through internal and external pressures of various stripes equalizing over huge stretches of time. Africa didn't have those external pressures until Europeans came along. It'll take time for all the various cultural groups to merge/homogenize into groups large enough to form stable states.
reply
JONGRAMCRACKER
I usually like your videos but come on, this one is just bad. There are so many issues I'm not sure I even know where to start. I'm just going to touch on a few things so I'm not putting in more effort with my comment then you did on your video; core concept, determinism, fractal data sets, relevance, relative historical progress, biases, plagiarism, source vetting, geo-positioning, cultural differences, post-industrial geopolitics, and generalization. I know you tried to address that this is a multifaceted issue but come on, you could explore one of the facets instead of just making a random steaming pile. Needless to say, I am very disappointed.
Do better.
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I usually like your videos but come on, this one is just bad. There are so many issues I'm not sure I even know where to start. I'm just going to touch on a few things so I'm not putting in more effort with my comment then you did on your video; core concept, determinism, fractal data sets, relevance, relative historical progress, biases, plagiarism, source vetting, geo-positioning, cultural differences, post-industrial geopolitics, and generalization. I know you tried to address that this is a multifaceted issue but come on, you could explore one of the facets instead of just making a random steaming pile. Needless to say, I am very disappointed.
Do better.
reply
trevorfeckers2053
It's hard to make the case of geography and colonial exploitation synonymously. In terms of colonial exploitation, the motive was mass-extraction of resources with the cheapest labor possible. Europeans built extensive, efficient rail networks and ports that overcame the geographical challenges of the continent, and they didn't take those when they left. In that case, the continent was set up for success. It's the corruption in their governments that have held them back. When we send resources to these governments, we destroy the power of the local economies, undermine the most productive locals, and empower the corrupt regimes.
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It's hard to make the case of geography and colonial exploitation synonymously. In terms of colonial exploitation, the motive was mass-extraction of resources with the cheapest labor possible. Europeans built extensive, efficient rail networks and ports that overcame the geographical challenges of the continent, and they didn't take those when they left. In that case, the continent was set up for success. It's the corruption in their governments that have held them back. When we send resources to these governments, we destroy the power of the local economies, undermine the most productive locals, and empower the corrupt regimes.
reply
luigilain5692
The problem with pointing at geography as the cause of everything is that with a bit of creativity you can justify anything.
If america was poor, you could blame geography claiming that the abundance of resources caused the rise of a criminal oligarchy, while the wide oceans added costs to trading, and the abundance of farmland made it so that they never needed to improve their techniques.
Those videos are interesting, but as far as proving that geography is really the root cause of development, their case is a lot less compelling
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The problem with pointing at geography as the cause of everything is that with a bit of creativity you can justify anything.
If america was poor, you could blame geography claiming that the abundance of resources caused the rise of a criminal oligarchy, while the wide oceans added costs to trading, and the abundance of farmland made it so that they never needed to improve their techniques.
Those videos are interesting, but as far as proving that geography is really the root cause of development, their case is a lot less compelling
reply
reallifelore
For people looking for even more potential factors on why the world is how it is today, I can highly recomend: Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond. It takes a macro look at human development with the stated goal of attempting to explain why Europe became so dominant over other continents during the age of colonialism without claims of European genetic superiority and any of that shit.
The book does use pretty broad strokes and has some issues, but it is an interesting book we'll worth a read.
reply
For people looking for even more potential factors on why the world is how it is today, I can highly recomend: Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond. It takes a macro look at human development with the stated goal of attempting to explain why Europe became so dominant over other continents during the age of colonialism without claims of European genetic superiority and any of that shit.
The book does use pretty broad strokes and has some issues, but it is an interesting book we'll worth a read.
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DESIGNbySAFIY
nothing proper infrastructure can't fix. The west needs to stop helping them and let the natives work on their own issues. It would be very disingenuous to deny that the continued theft of very valuable resources (for 14 -1500 years) and other interference isn't a direct cause of most of Africa's, current situation. Which in-turn is a very big reason why the US and Europe are what they are today. The level that this was done on, one should expect that Africa would have trouble advancing
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nothing proper infrastructure can't fix. The west needs to stop helping them and let the natives work on their own issues. It would be very disingenuous to deny that the continued theft of very valuable resources (for 14 -1500 years) and other interference isn't a direct cause of most of Africa's, current situation. Which in-turn is a very big reason why the US and Europe are what they are today. The level that this was done on, one should expect that Africa would have trouble advancing
reply
hello-friend990
North America is homogeneous (same language/culture for each country, Latin America is made up of people who look the same and speak the same language, Asian countries are divided by culture/language/religion, same thing with Europe. Africa is the only continent where each country is made up of multiple cultures and languages. It's not easy to lead everyone the same direction. It also explains why homogeneous areas like North Africa/Botswana etc are doing better than the rest
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North America is homogeneous (same language/culture for each country, Latin America is made up of people who look the same and speak the same language, Asian countries are divided by culture/language/religion, same thing with Europe. Africa is the only continent where each country is made up of multiple cultures and languages. It's not easy to lead everyone the same direction. It also explains why homogeneous areas like North Africa/Botswana etc are doing better than the rest
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NeverlessWonder
There is one thing Africa has more of than any other place in the world: . EXCUSES
Mankind can conquer any environment and any obstacles given enough discipline and willpower. Look at any other harsh environment outside Africa where people are thriving. Look at how Africa was gifted with modern infrastucture during colonialism and how much of that has deteriorated instead of being built upon. Watch the documentary Empire of Dust to learn more.
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There is one thing Africa has more of than any other place in the world: . EXCUSES
Mankind can conquer any environment and any obstacles given enough discipline and willpower. Look at any other harsh environment outside Africa where people are thriving. Look at how Africa was gifted with modern infrastucture during colonialism and how much of that has deteriorated instead of being built upon. Watch the documentary Empire of Dust to learn more.
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JoelSam
imagine Africans decided to send the tsetse fly extinct. we wouldn't hear the end of European activists chastising us for the consequences on biodiversity. recently, an entitled prince from one of those quarters said Africans should stop reproducing to save wildlife populations. EVENTUALLY, we would be rid of those puppet leaders who bow to every whim and caprice of their imperial paymasters. and once that Rubicon is crossed, it's over for everyone.
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imagine Africans decided to send the tsetse fly extinct. we wouldn't hear the end of European activists chastising us for the consequences on biodiversity. recently, an entitled prince from one of those quarters said Africans should stop reproducing to save wildlife populations. EVENTUALLY, we would be rid of those puppet leaders who bow to every whim and caprice of their imperial paymasters. and once that Rubicon is crossed, it's over for everyone.
reply
FlyingPastilla
Africans trap Africa in poverty.
Other civilizations took advantage of it throughout history but the fact remains since they wouldn't have been exploited had they not been weaker in the first place.
Geography and diseases didn't help but are nothing unsurmountable.
Every other human group migrated from Africa to settle the rest of the world. They stayed and for all the time and experience of the land, couldn't make it work.
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Africans trap Africa in poverty.
Other civilizations took advantage of it throughout history but the fact remains since they wouldn't have been exploited had they not been weaker in the first place.
Geography and diseases didn't help but are nothing unsurmountable.
Every other human group migrated from Africa to settle the rest of the world. They stayed and for all the time and experience of the land, couldn't make it work.
reply
Cashdummy
thank you fr the interesting video. the fact of the african plateau constraining trade is a real malus, I did not know that. Maybe, just maybe, drones and zeppelins could help circumvent geological chokepoints and make trade easier further inland, to the benefit of african societies. If cheap air cargo was a thing, that would help. also if you think about it, vacuum tube technology to reach the african plateau quickly and cheaply.
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thank you fr the interesting video. the fact of the african plateau constraining trade is a real malus, I did not know that. Maybe, just maybe, drones and zeppelins could help circumvent geological chokepoints and make trade easier further inland, to the benefit of african societies. If cheap air cargo was a thing, that would help. also if you think about it, vacuum tube technology to reach the african plateau quickly and cheaply.
reply
TheRealCopperFox
Not all of Africa has historically struggled with poverty. For example, South Africa up until the early 2000s and the former nation of Rhodesia were once considered economic and political outliers on the continent. Exploring the factors that set them apart, as well as the events and policies that ultimately contributed to their decline, could offer valuable lessons about the dynamics of prosperity and failure in Africa.
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Not all of Africa has historically struggled with poverty. For example, South Africa up until the early 2000s and the former nation of Rhodesia were once considered economic and political outliers on the continent. Exploring the factors that set them apart, as well as the events and policies that ultimately contributed to their decline, could offer valuable lessons about the dynamics of prosperity and failure in Africa.
reply
Aristocles22
Tl; DW:
1. Sahara Desert isolating most of the continent.
2. Smooth coastline making ocean-going trade hard due to a lack of sheltered harbors; shallow coasts make it harder still.
3. A lack of navigable rivers to the ocean; some rivers have huge waterfalls, others go dry parts of the year.
4. Tropical diseases, especially malaria. HIV/AIDS also hurt more recently.
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Tl; DW:
1. Sahara Desert isolating most of the continent.
2. Smooth coastline making ocean-going trade hard due to a lack of sheltered harbors; shallow coasts make it harder still.
3. A lack of navigable rivers to the ocean; some rivers have huge waterfalls, others go dry parts of the year.
4. Tropical diseases, especially malaria. HIV/AIDS also hurt more recently.
reply
keirangrant1607
Africa is not poor because of its geography; it's poor because greedy Western companies and govt's rob her constantly. Tell the truth. If they allow Africa to develop, the prices they pay for those resources would fly up. They are incentivized to keep the countries in Africa in a state of constant war and poverty. Blame Europeans and Americans.
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Africa is not poor because of its geography; it's poor because greedy Western companies and govt's rob her constantly. Tell the truth. If they allow Africa to develop, the prices they pay for those resources would fly up. They are incentivized to keep the countries in Africa in a state of constant war and poverty. Blame Europeans and Americans.
reply
simon2493
One of the problems is that Africa doesn't have that much of an arable land in the first place. There is a belt between Sahara and the equator, there is some land claimed for agriculture around the equator and then there is the east coast, and the fact that deforestation nowadays is a controversial topic doesn't help with increasing cropland size.
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One of the problems is that Africa doesn't have that much of an arable land in the first place. There is a belt between Sahara and the equator, there is some land claimed for agriculture around the equator and then there is the east coast, and the fact that deforestation nowadays is a controversial topic doesn't help with increasing cropland size.
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MrTylertherockstar
I think continuously placing the blame on European colonialism for the Rwandan Genocide removes individual responsibility and heavily downplays the Hutu’s role in the matter. I agree that Europeans royally screwed the entire continent, but there is still, to this day, tribal conflict that has existed for centuries.
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I think continuously placing the blame on European colonialism for the Rwandan Genocide removes individual responsibility and heavily downplays the Hutu’s role in the matter. I agree that Europeans royally screwed the entire continent, but there is still, to this day, tribal conflict that has existed for centuries.
reply
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