Prosperity's Critical Ingredients
By Walter Williams
[Reprinted from Issues & Views Spring 1997]
In terms of natural resources, Africa is the world's richest continent. It
has 50% of the world's gold, most of the world's diamonds and chromium, 90% of
the cobalt, 40% of the world's potential hydroelectric power, 65% of the
manganese, millions of acres of untilled farmland, as well as other natural
resources.
Despite its natural wealth, Africa is home to the world's most impoverished
and abused people. Of the 41 black African nations, only three (Senegal,
Botswana and Mauritius) allow their people the right to vote and choose their
own leaders. Only two (Botswana and Senegal) permit freedom of expression and
criticism of government policies. In countries like Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi,
Mozambique, Sudan, Chad and others, ethnic genocide has taken the lives of
untold millions of innocent civilians. Slavery is still practiced in the Sudan
and Mauritania.
African leaders are quick to blame the legacy of colonialism for their
troubles. I'll never make an argument for colonialism, but the fact is the
average African was better off under colonialism than he has ever been under
independence. For example, when Zaire became independent in 1960, it had 31,000
miles of main roads; today, less than 3,500 miles remain usable. Before
independence, every African country was self-sufficient in food production;
today, most depend on imports, and others stand at the brink of famine.
At the time of independence, the average growth rate among African
countries was 3%. By 1980, it had fallen to 1% and by 1990, to -2.8%. By
contrast, African countries with a greater measure of freedom and stability,
Botswana, Mauritius, Cameroon and Senegal, have growth rates of 8%, 4.4%, 4.5%
and 1%, respectively.
People who think more foreign aid is the solution should know that the
money either winds up in the hands of the elite and is deposited in Swiss bank
accounts, or it's used to pay bribes to keep corrupt governments in power. Some
African chiefs of state are among the world's richest men, such as Zaire's
recently deposed Mobutu. If foreign aid does not fall into the hands of
kleptocrats, it is used in worthless ways, such as status symbols, or projects
of little or no use.
The legacy of colonialism, used so often as an excuse by Africans, is a
sham that cannot hold water. After all, some of the world's richest
countries--like the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Hong
Kong--were colonies. What's true about those ex-colonies that is not true about
Africa? There's a greater measure of personal liberty, more secure private
property rights, more limited and honest government, and rule of law.
These features are critical ingredients for peace and prosperity in any
country, but even moreso for African countries, some of which have over 200
antagonistic ethnic groups. Switzerland was a nation with a history of bitter
ethnic divisions whose citizens now live in peace. That achievement was made
possible by developing a system of limited central government authority with
most decisions made at more local government units (cantons). Just as important
was the development of respect for private property and the rule of law.
-- Walter Williams is Chairman of the Department of Economics at
George Mason University (Fairfax, VA) and author of The State Against Blacks
(McGraw-Hill) and, most recently, Do The Right Thing: The People's Economist
Speaks (Hoover Press).
Copyright © 1997 Creators Syndicate,
Inc.
Copyright © 2008 Issues & Views
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