Why Africa remain in poverty while most Asian third world countries are at least moving slowly but surely?

Answer 1

You need to look at the facts. Just look at this list of POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LINE:
Afghanistan 53% Bangladesh 45% Bhutan 31.7% Burma 25%
Cambodia 40% China 10% East Timor 42%
Guam 23% India 25% Indonesia 17.8% Laos 34%
Malaysia 8% Mongolia 36% Nepal 31% Pakistan 24%
Philippines 40% Sri Lanka 22% Thailand 10% Vietnam 19%
(I did NOT include Japan, Singapore, South Korea for obvious reasons.) The average here for the Asian countries I have listed is between 30 - 35% of the population living BELOW the poverty line. I would say only China, Indonesia, *Malaysia*, Thailand, and Vietnam have "moved ahead", wouldn't you?

Answer 2

Simply, lack of capital and governance to make the countries attractive to investors.

Asia received capital, and still is, today from Western nations and are improving living standards as millions are lifted out of poverty. This is something the world should be proud of and shows clearly how capitalism is the best way to redistribute wealth.

China is now investing in Africa because the labor is cheap so in a round-about way they are receiving an infusion of capital. Hopefully where these factories are built the leaders of the African countries and its citizens will help to distribute the new capital by building the infrastructure and education so that they can build their own factories and spark a revolution. But it will require a move from agrarian society where time takes away from eduction to do that.

With countries like Zimbabwe, though, that are eliminating efficient farms and moving everyone into agriculture, it's only going to go backwards.

Answer 3

The main reason you see such poverty in the U.S. is NOT because of reaganomics. It's because of the policies of the ever growing federal government and the socialistic programs like social security, medicare, medicaid and several others. If we had a true free market capitalist representative republic, people would be a lot better off. Everybody has the opportunity to become rich(not as much as in a true free market, but the opportunity is still there). If they work real hard and don't spend or invest foolishly they may become rich. Of course the more you earn the more the government punishes you for your success. They confiscate a higher percentage of YOUR money to give to those that THEY feel deserve it. That means you have to work a lot harder and longer to reach your full potential. Not everybody is going to get rich. Some are quite content earning what they need to live comfortably and to be secure in their retirement. Some people just love the work they do despite the fact that it isn't very lucrative. There are some who are driven to earn as much as they possibly can and still others who are passionate about their work which just happens to be VERY lucrative. NOBODY is claiming that everyone can be rich. By that I mean that every human being in the country is going to get rich. However, everybody has the opportunity and the freedom to try, if they CHOOSE. Ahhh, freedom, the forgotten benefit of the capitalist free market United States of America.

Answer 4

Bad goverment-look at a guy like Mugabe. His policy is that productive farms should be broken up so more people can be subsidence farmers. Given that a lot of the new farmers don't have a clue how to farm, a formerly food exporting country now has to import food. Nice job Mr. Mugabe!

Answer 5

africa's problems are manifold. this is by no means a complete list, and they are in no particular order, other than the order in which i think of them. not all of these problems apply to all areas of africa either, but they are definitely present on the continent as a whole:

corrupt governments
lack of drinking water and arable land
overpopulation
arbitrary borders that do not reflect ethnic grouping (you see some ethnic groups split by national borders, and some long time enemies grouped within one country, such as rwanda)
hiv/aids, malaria, and other treatable, curable, or preventable diseases
brain drain (the tendency of the best and brightest to leave their home countries to seek better fortune abroad instead of using their talents/skills/education to benefit their country)
poor infrastructure
near perpetual war

in addition to these and many others, the era of imperialism and colonialization was in many respects much tougher on africa than asia.

also, since asia tends to be more politically and economically stable than africa, more companies are willing to invest money in asia than africa.

there are many other reasons why africa is struggling that i have not listed, and some of the factors i have mentioned are greater causes than others.

Answer 6

Bad government. And the West, including its clapped-out rock stars, has encouraged a beggar mentality.

Answer 7

Could be that those Asian countries were never systematically raped & pilaged for their wealth. Be it human or otherwise.

Answer 8

Invent the BRAIN

Answer 9

corrupt politicians.