Why can't blacks in Africa run their own countries?

Question

Every country in Africa, without exception, that's run by black majority rule has collapsed under corruption, neglect and thuggery.

Why?

Predictably, I've been called a racist. Okay, then name ONE example, just one, of a country in Africa successfully run by blacks.

Unreal Hero - that is a brilliant answer. It is objective, dispassionate and nails the answer I was looking for.
The color of these people's skins has nothing to do with it - rather, absolute power corrupts absolutely, which is basically what you said.

Ghana, Tanzania, Liberia et.al. are all a mess. Look it up.

ledonboris - I like the way you think, and your impassioned defense of Africa is admirable and well written, however, African countries are still the recipients of BILLIONS of American tax dollars.
If they actually had their sh*t together, that wouldn't be the case.
South Africa, the land of my birth, is slowly degenerating down the same sordid, corrupt path of EVERY SINGLE African country, regarless of how beautiful their cities may or may not be.

Answer 1

Africa is quite simply poorly governed. That is not an opinion but a fact. Every single African country is in a shocking condition.
The only reason why SA is still relatively good is the fact that the present government inherited a wealth of infastructure - which is being slowly eradicated.

Once again, many answerers have resorted to use the racist card rather than providing a good counter argument.
Africa is becoming poorer every year despite BILLIONS of Dollars pouring in from other countries - yes, even (and especially) from the United States which ironically is the country most hated by many Africans. A case of biting the hand that feeds you?

The argument of "European powers ravaging Africa" simply does not hold water. Ethiopia has never been conquered before. They were only subjected to a brief occupation of around 4 years by Italian troops around WW2.
Liberia was a country created for freed American slaves in the late1800s and European powers never had control of it.
Furthermore, the US was a colony of Britain and today it is one of the most successful countries in the world. Australia, a former British colony, can trace it's ancestry to criminals and immigrants fleeing from their own country. Today it is a leading country of the world. India, also a former British colony, is likely to develop into the world's next superpower.

Each and every African country that was previously occupied is now in a worse off position than before simply due to the fact that those left behind could not govern their own countries.
Violence reigns supreme in Africa and there is in the majority of situations absolutely no order.

The mentality in Africa is one of blame ("clearly a legacy of Apartheid" - sound familiar?). Instead of taking some initiative and working together, Africans seem to merely blame others for their problems. Greed and corruption rules the roost and it is doubtful that this will ever change.

Oh, and to those who will undoubtedly give me a thumbs-down, I thank you. Perhaps rather try to give a convincing argument against what I have written though?

Answer 2

Good of you to mention that you are not racist Brad. I have to say that the manner in which your question was stated could lead anyone reading it to come to the opposite conclusion. Anyways I havent time to dissect such a trivial issue. As a proud African I have to be objective in this matter. In the post-colon era many african nation were on the right track. Countries such as ZAIRE(nor RDC), Angola, Cote D'ivoire and many more had the same growth rate as many European and Asian countries. But bad governance lead to what we now see in Africa. There is a true fundamental issue that my continent needs to address that is the change of mentalities. Many of the objective answers stated a lot of concrete facts, but the mentalities have started to change and the West (especially here in America & Europe) portrays a very somber image of Africa. Please click the link below.....
Africans do not hold anything againts the Americans if anybody it would be the Europeans after pillage a lote of our ressouces. This is not finger pointing but a fact.
Now you State that EVERY COUNTRY AFRICA WITHOUT EXECEPTION ! ! Let me ask you this when was the last time you visited Africa.? Did you all know that the most corrupt continent in the world is no longer Africa. Its ASIA.. Have you recently had a look at the contribution the continent has had on the global economy lately. An astounding Growth rate of 8.5% into the global economy.
AFROPessimism is a growing sentiment but a lot of good things are happening and the continent as a whole is taking a different direction.

Here are a few Beautiful African Capitals
Nairobi, KENYA
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=271198
Abidjan, COTE D'IVOIRE
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=419023
Lagos, NIGERIA
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=425304
Abuja, NIGERIA(Nigeria newly built capital)
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=157401

MORE AFRICAN CAPITALS AND CITIES.....(ITS NOT ALL POVRETY AND DEBAUCHE)
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=6361101#post6361101

Answer 3

Corruption is synonymous with greed. The common translation for corruption mainly focuses on wealth/ money and the corrupted and completely fails to acknowledged the role played by the corrupter and the tools used to force the hand of the corrupted. Are both not one and the same thing - corrupt? You might say there is choice for the corrupted (as they can always refuse to be corrupted) but I urge you to consider human nature and pressure applied by outside forces (countries, people etc). Why do we leave our former employers, spouses, friends etc in a tight spot for greener pastures? Why do we turn a blind eye to keep our positions or "keep the peace"? The list is endless. To quote a highly recommended favourite song by singer Jack Johnson, "It is all relative especially when you do not understand". Majority of the worlds population are morally corrupt in one way or another (these preceded material corruption) and I do not think it right to take moral high-ground over Africa and its people. Do your history (from both points of view) and you might understand/ see the point at which the cycle of corruption began and continues fueled by guilt, vengeance and finally greed. My humble opinion without blame rather empathy.

Lendoboris - your way of looking at this is quite objective and correct on the surface but I feel you have failed to explore a little deeper. We have only begun to understand the psycological effects of constantly undermining a person/ people and I hope you will agree that this issue is not clear cut. Cause and effect I suppose - not in terms of race but rather human psychology. I feel a lot of energy is wasted on right and wrong and what we truly need for change is now not yesterday - the best way forward.

Answer 4

I used to think the same before I woke up & maybe started travel ling abroad.What black country is under a white rule at this time?U think all those African countries got a white president or judges,cops in the street,armies or run by white?No,all these Island u wish to visit are all run by non-whites.Places like Cuba,Brazil,South Africa got more black in their offices that u wouldn't see any issues of race there.They maybe poor but they run their own show.Don't judge all blacks like they are in the US.

Answer 5

Well, you could say this about the vast majority of countries in the Middle East, Asia, South America, and Eastern Europe. It's not like countries in Africa run by non-blacks are doing much better. Tunisa, Sudan, and Egypt suck. The problem these countries shame isn't race, but in recent years they have had civil war, massive corruption, a dictatorship, or communist leader. None of those things help a country grow and more developed nations are all too happy to accept the intelligent people from these countries that want to escape to a better life.

Answer 6

Nairobi conjures most of the relationship and adventure of their vivid colonial days and is a great place to spend your vacation, learn more with hotelbye . One of the things worth see may be the Nairobi's rich history and tribal tradition is brought your in their exceptional museums and the Karen Blixen Museum in one of many museum many visited. Also in Nairobi you are able to visit Nairobi National Park. The park is a rhino refuge and shields over 50 of those severely put at risk creatures. Along with the rhinos, readers could see: lions, gazelles, buffaloes, warthogs, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, and ostriches, and more than 400 species of birds have been recorded in the wetlands and here, the Nairobi Safari Walk is a favorite appeal providing pet fans the chance to place wildlife on foot, and walking paths place around the area called Hippo Pools. Nairobi is surely a city wherever whole the household may enjoy.

Answer 7

Yes the aparthied whites were real choir boys. I live in Africa. I just went outside. People are going to work, buying stuff, picking up thier kids from school the same way I've seen Americans doing. Nothing has collapsed!

Answer 8

Nigeria Skyscrapercity

Answer 9

Lisa's answer makes me laugh. Blacks not corruptible, people walking around in peace and harmony in south Africa. You can't even go out in your own front garden anymore at night for the fear of being raped, killed or something. Our European forefathers came to that land to make it civilised and it was until your precious Nelson Mandela was let out of his prison cell. F.W. de Klerk should have been shot for doing something like that. I saw a film called "Hotel Rwanda" which was about the Hutu's and tutsie's and even in that it showed how a police commander can be BRIBED to protect some of the tutsies in this hotel. So corruption is a way of life in Africa. I used to keep R50 in my ID book for in case I got pulled over by traffic cop and 9 times out of 10 that money disappeared and so did I without a ticket in my hand. So Lisa needs to wake up and learn to spell too.

Answer 10

When the Europeans first began to colonize the Continent of Africa they enforced the laws of their lands.
France,England,Portugal,Spain,the Dutch and other countries set up the courts,and laws of their home country.
The economics, and social structures followed closely to what they were accustomed to as a result the natives were subjected to a foreign form of government.
Eventually the host governments were forced to give up their colonies for one reason or another.
When these nations colonized the lands and then left what they did was divide the traditional territories of the natives into a quagmire! The recognized political boundaries cut through one tribe leaving parts of the tribe in another governments land. Another tribe would find that their whole territory was drawn up into one land that had to be shared with another group that was not an ally but an enemy. Here they had to share one country with an age old adversary. Strong tribes could find their ancient territories divided up into three different new countries and end up losing a lot of their old power. Just by the geopolitical boundaries that were thrust upon them by Europeans who gave no thought of the consequences of leaving such a political quagmire.
Now we have men and women who for the last fifty or seventy years have been struggling with the differences of displaced tribes who have never left their own land. They are displaced by the fact that these relatively new countries are maps of mishapen lands that do not reflect the nature of their ancient territories.
There is no harmony in this. These people have been forced to accept and live under conditions that are conducive to tribal warfare.
It isn't that these blacks cannot govern themselves...they most surely can. It is that they are still struggling with the loss of ancient lands that have been traditionally theirs until the Europeans left them..and left them with a mess to clean up themselves. In giving the people back their independance they gave them a whole new set of troubles to deal with and it is going to take a lot more time for them to work it out.
The corruption they suffer is out of old distrusts from tribal conflicts, What we see as neglect is more likely to be a man of one tribe lording over another one, or two minor tribes. And as for the thuggery. Well you can find that in any land. It's just that the lands of Africa are under a tighter scrutiny that the usual.
This is a succinct telling of what has happened but you can dig into the histories yourself with this bit of information as a foundation for further study if you want.I think the details would astound you when you find the absurdities these tribes of people were put under. I think you will find that despite all the details of their histories they have been very strong in trying to eke out a viable nation for themselves. Ancient territories and old traditions have been getting in the way because of the way the land was divided up when the colonies of Europe were given up!