The practicalities of the Pan-African mission
David A
In this essay, I will be evaluating the viability of the pan-African philosophy from a social and political perspective. My aim is to also explore whether the concept of a financially free Africa is practical in this increasingly harsh economic climate and whether a united state will solve the problems on the continent. A united Africa would be the third most populous nation on the planet with the ability to draw on massive manpower and abundant natural resources. However, as with any large nation, the threat of instability would lurk at every corner. The basis of Pan-Africanism is the idea of self-reliance, that is, being free of economic dependence on ex-colonial powers and contemporary neo-colonialist states. As argued by African Studies expert Micah Tsomondo, Pan-Africanism is a socialist liberation ideology, advocating against the wealthy and powerful. 1 The historical case behind self-reliance aims to blame the lack of development, widespread poverty and conflict on the continent on European injustices. 2 Rodney has pointed at western exploitation as the root cause, specifically the extraction of resources and slavery. Kwame Nkrumah, the President of Ghana, took a similar line of reasoning, looking towards more contemporary examples of neo-colonialism. He alleged that the US government, alongside its European allies, was overthrowing governments sympathetic to pan-Africanism in order to prevent the formation of a United African state. 3 In particular, he pointed to the Ghanaian coup of 1966, where he himself was overthrown and where CIA-backed army officers seized power before dismantling state-run public services, disrupting the progress he made towards uniting the continent. Additionally, he claimed that 17 other administrations which shared in his continental vision were toppled by military groups supported by western powers. 4 In my eyes, the pan-Africanist side miss the benefits that multi-national organizations bring to the continent. The Nkrumah government, seen by so many as the blueprint for a self-reliant state, was economically unstable. 5 IMF reports stated that 1/3 rd of the nation's 30 state-run enterprises were losing money, with food prices rising by 11% in a year. Despite the obvious challenges the Ghanaians faced, the government, tied down to its pan-African obsession, rejected a US offer of 100 million dollars' worth of food over a seven-year period. Upon hearing this, it should come as no surprise that the ensuing coup occurred because Ghana was staring into the barrel of economic catastrophe.
1 Tsomondo, M. (1975) ‘From Pan-Africanism to Socialism: The Modernization of an African Liberation Ideology’, A Journal of Opinion 5.4: 39–46. 2 Rodney, W. (1972) How Europe Underdeveloped Africa . London. 3 Hersh, S. (1978) ‘C.I.A. Said to Have Aided Plotters Who Overthrew Nkrumah in Ghana ’, New York Times 9/5/78 at https://www.nytimes.com/1978/05/09/archives/cia-said-to-have-aided-plotters-who-overthrew-nkrumah- in-ghana.html. 4 Nkrumah, K. (1968) Dark Days in Ghana . London. 5 Rake, A. (1966) ‘Is Ghana going bankrupt?’ Transition 24: 26-29.
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