Why are African leaders so corrupt ?

[Butts]

Following the large divestments that the end of Colonialism entailed, why have so many of the replacement regimes proved to be corrupt?

Have a White elite been replaced by a Black elite who have pulled the ladder up after them?

Are ordinary citizens any better off today than they would have been had European control not ended.

Is the price of freedom to high for ordinary Africans.

One thing certainly seems to have been established corruption is "colour blind"

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Is it only some African nations that attract allegations of corruption?

I'd been under the impression that similar allegations are made against nations around the globe, 'the west', including the UK, being no exception.

 

[Flamingo]

http://www.transparency.org/

 

[Butts]

Is it only some African nations that attract allegations of corruption?

I'd been under the impression that similar allegations are made against nations around the globe, 'the west', including the UK, being no exception.

I'm talking about regimes that have people starving and relying on Western Aid while the elite enjoy a western lifestyle.

Somalia, Sudan, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, Eithiopia to name but a few.

How have these countries poor benefited from Independence ?

 

[Oswyntail]

Define "corruption", define "benefited". A Pakistani exile once told me that he was quite happy to accept exile, because his enemies were in power and taking the backhanders He knew that one day the situation would turn, and he would trample his enemies and benefit from bribes. That was the norm in his culture, so was that corruption? If, in assessing "benefit", the situation of other clans is irrelevant, then the best benefit for the country is to benefit your clan. From a Western/Christian point of view, the situation in these countries is intolerable, and post-colonialism has largely failed. From within some cultures it is seen as a success because of the opportunities for helping ones friends, destroying ones enemies and ignoring the rest.

 

[Butts]

Define "corruption", define "benefited". A Pakistani exile once told me that he was quite happy to accept exile, because his enemies were in power and taking the backhanders He knew that one day the situation would turn, and he would trample his enemies and benefit from bribes. That was the norm in his culture, so was that corruption? If, in assessing "benefit", the situation of other clans is irrelevant, then the best benefit for the country is to benefit your clan. From a Western/Christian point of view, the situation in these countries is intolerable, and post-colonialism has largely failed. From within some cultures it is seen as a success because of the opportunities for helping ones friends, destroying ones enemies and ignoring the rest.

And how does the number of people starving fit into the equation ? - is this seen as a success

 

[Flamingo]

That was the norm in his culture, so was that corruption?

Just because it is "normal" in his culture does not make it correct. Bear baiting and imprisoning homosexuals used to be normal in our culture. Did that make it right?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If I may enter this debate, much in the African post-colonial era saw deeply divided long-standing tribal differences surface that were held in check when white colonial rule ensued. The Nigerian versus Biafran conflict being an example of this. In so-called "Western Democracies", these ethnic tribal divisions do not appear.( Please do not patronise me by referring to inter-Christian European religious conflicts, as these are a totally different matter). It also occurs in some Middle East and North African states, where tribal rivalries rise unchecked. Even in Iraq, at the time of Saddam Hussein, the tribal areas, especially that of Tikrit, where the same Sunni Muslim tribes had long-standing historical enmities, where some Sunni Muslim tribal areas immediately sided with the America invasion force where this allowed them to settle long-held tribal scores. This was exterior to the Sunni Muslim versus Shia Muslim conflict that ensued in that country.

 

[Oswyntail]

Just because it is "normal" in his culture does not make it correct. Bear baiting and imprisoning homosexuals used to be normal in our culture. Did that make it right?

Cultural norms change over time, as members of that culture change their views on some activities. Bear baiting and imprisoning homosexuals were "right" for the culture so long as the majority within that culture believed they were right; most in our culture now believe they were not right, so now they are wrong. Of course it is possible to argue that there are absolute universal moral values, but many would disagree.
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And how does the number of people starving fit into the equation ? - is this seen as a success

It could well be seen as irrrelevant. (not by me, I hasten to add)

 

[Michael.Y]

regimes that have people starving and relying on.... aid while the elite enjoy a [privileged] lifestyle.

Change a few words and you get life in the UK. It's not an African problem, it's a human problem. We're a selfish, self-interested, one-eyed race.

 

[Royston Vasey]

Is it only some African nations that attract allegations of corruption?

I'd been under the impression that similar allegations are made against nations around the globe, 'the west', including the UK, being no exception.

Change a few words and you get life in the UK. It's not an African problem, it's a human problem. We're a selfish, self-interested, one-eyed race.

Sorry, but it is an African problem. It's not uniquely an African problem, but corruption is endemic in Africa, it's a fact of life and standard practice. In power and in everyday life. I've spent time in Africa and a number of people I know have spent a lot of time all over Africa. It is heartbreaking to see what little resource some of these countries have plundered by their leaders, while their people starve. And it goes all the way down to bribery of policeman to avoid a speeding ticket.

Zimbabwe was once "the bread basket of Africa", now it is broken and penniless.

This isn't a comment on colonialism or apportioning blame, or saying whether independence was right for these countries or not.

Comparing the appalling poverty of many African countries while their leaders live in decadent luxury, to the odd dodgy MP trying to get away with claims for a duck pond or getting a peerage for donating to a party, is absurd. Such fiddling pales into infinitesimal insignificance compared to the wealth built up by Gaddafi, Mugabe, Sese Seko, Amin and dozens of others through dishonestly an, frequently, violence.

There are pockets of corruption elsewhere of course, in government, business and daily life. Parts of the Middle East, Asia, the former Soviet Union for example. But it is killing Africa.

 

[Butts]

Change a few words and you get life in the UK. It's not an African problem, it's a human problem. We're a selfish, self-interested, one-eyed race.

There may be corruption in the UK but it's effects are not starvation and people living on less than a dollar a day.

Most of these regimes spend millions of pounds on arms (yes I know we are a big supplier) instead of Health, Education and Food relief.

The biggest laugh is The Arab League and it's African equivalent passing judgement on repressive regimes from an extremely sticky wicket themselves.