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African Explanations of Underdevelopment: The Theoretical Basis for Political Action

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2009

Kenneth W. Grundy
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Extract

SCHOLARS, theoreticians, and statesmen in the West and in the Communist world have propounded numerous explanations of the political, economic and social underdevelopment of Africa and Asia. But few have sought to determine exactly what the leaders of the underdeveloped countries themselves think about the problems of underdevelopment. To what do they attribute their retarded status? Answers to this question are important for at least three reasons. First, their views serve as basic theoretical and empirical foundations for domestic measures designed to ameliorate the relatively backward conditions. Second, their answers also temper and condition their attitudes and policies toward the West and the Communist world. Third, a comprehension of their views gives us an opportunity to assess their current ideological tendencies and thus it provides an added dimension in which to discuss future Western policy alternatives. This paper, therefore, attempts to describe and analyze the various explanations for underdevelopment advanced by the leaders of six West African states — Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Review of Politics , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , January 1966 , pp. 62 - 75
Copyright
Copyright © University of Notre Dame 1966

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References

1 For a similar, although more detailed categorization of different varieties of imperialism see: Kohn, Hans, “Reflections on Colonialism,” in Strausz-Hupé, Robert and Hazard, Harry W. (eds.), The Idea of Colonialism (New York, 1958), pp. 2–16Google Scholar.

2 Touré, Sékou, “Africa's Future and the World,” Foreign Affairs, XLI (10, 1962), 145–146Google Scholar.

3 Touré, Sékou, Toward Full Re-Africanisation: Policy and Principles of the Guinean Democratic Party (Paris, 1959), p. 39Google Scholar.

4 Ibid.

5 United Nations, General Assembly, Fifteenth Session, Plenary, , Official Records, A/PV. 896 (10 10, 1960), p. 564Google Scholar. Perhaps the prime, indeed the only relevant example of an Afro-Asian state that managed to avoid colonialism or external domination of one sort or another was Japan. The Japanese were able to retain control over their islands, and thus stand as an embarrassing example of an underdeveloped country that reached higher levels of economic development without being subjected to, or blessed by, European political and economic control. Japan demonstrates that it was possible to modernize and industrialize through imitation and emulation rather than through subjugation. While too much reliance cannot be placed on this lone example, it does serve in a small way to strengthen Touré's argument.

6 Discussions of Malian political theory appear in Grundy, Kenneth W., “Marxism-Leninism and African Underdevelopment: The Mali Approach,” International Journal, XVII (Summer, 1962), 300–304CrossRefGoogle Scholar; and in my chapter, “Mali: The Prospects of ‘Planned Socialism,’;” in Friedland, William H. and Rosberg, Carl G. Jr, (eds.), African Socialism (Stanford, 1964), pp. 175–193Google Scholar.

7 Keita, Madeira, “Le Mali et la Recherche d'un Socialisme Africain,” (carbon typescript, Embassy of the Republic of Mali, Washington, D.C., n.d.), pp. 1–2Google Scholar.

8 See, for example: Mali, République du, Congrès Extraordinaire de l'U.S.R.D.A., 22 Septembre 1960, Le Mali continue … (n.p.: Imprimerie du Gouvernement du Mali, n.d.), p. 30Google Scholar.

9 , Nkrumah's interpretation of how underdevelopment was brought to Africa is most completely and concisely stated in Towards Colonial Freedom (London: 2nd ed., 1957)Google Scholar, originally published in 1947 and one of his first political essays as a nationalist organizer. A more comprehensive analysis of his views appears in my article, “Nkrumah's Theory of Underdevelopment: An Analysis of Recurrent Themes,” World Politics, XV (04, 1963), esp. pp. 440–444Google Scholar.

10 Cf. Azikiwe, Nnamdi, “Ethics of Colonial Imperialism,” Journal, of Negro History, XVI (07, 1931), 287–308CrossRefGoogle Scholar. He wrote this article while a student at Lincoln University.

11 Azikiwe, Nnamdi, “The Future of Pan-Africanism,” Présence Africaine, XII (First Quarter, 1962), 7Google Scholar.

12 Awolowo, Obafemi, Forward to a New Nigeria (London, 1957), p. 21Google Scholar.

13 Awolowo, Obafemi, Awo: The Autobiography of Chief Obafemi Awolowo (Cambridge, 1960), p. 269Google Scholar.

14 Ibid.

15 Ibid., pp. 294–295.

16 Awolowo, Obafemi, African Unity (Ibadan, 1961), pp. 1–2, 2–4Google Scholar.

17 Senghor, Léopold Sédar, Nation et Voie Africaine du Socialisme (Paris, 1961), p. 95Google Scholar. Senghor's views are shared by his former Prime Minister, Mamadou Dia. See his book, The African Nations and World Solidarity, trans, by Cook, Mercer (New York, 1961)Google Scholar.

18 Senghor, Léopold Sédar, “A Community of Free and Equal Peoples with the Mother Country,” Western World, No. 18 (10, 1958), 40Google Scholar.

19 Sénghor, Léopold Sédar, “Some Thoughts on Africa: A Continent in Development,” International Affairs, XXXVIII (04, 1962), 189CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

20 Ibid.

21 Houphouet-Boigny, Féelix, “Black Africa and the French Union,” Foreign Affairs, XXXV (07, 1957), 594Google Scholar.

22 Ibid., 595.

23 Ibid., 598–599. In another instance he has stated: “Despite certain mistakes made by the colonizers, we have profited from the progress of their colonization, and they have left us in the best possible condition.” Afrique Nouvelle (Dakar), No. 711 (03 22, 1961), 5Google Scholar.

24 A brief discussion of various Marxist positions can be found in: Winslow, E. M., The Pattern of Imperialism: A Study in the Theories of Power (New York, 1948)Google Scholar, esp. chap. vii.