What is the leading NATURAL cause for suffering in Africa?

Question

Natural, so not warfare or government but rather disease, famine, drought, etc. What is the primary issue to be addressed and how are they to be addressed? Like I said, I don't want human-induced suffering, so exclude most references to conflicts in the Congo or Sudan. I just want to know what keeps societies in Africa from thriving. For instance, if an African tribe were to sever its cultural and sentimental ties to a famine-plagued region, and moved to place, would it help matters? Is petty culture and stubborn religion and our exuberant tolerance for such things responsible for Africa's downfall? I don't why, it just seems like why don't they just move to a new location, upgrade to the 21st century, and tell the whacked-out hippies to forget preserving ancient cultures at the price of human lives. I'm just trying to prevent myself from pitying these people, like so many seem to do. I want to respect them. I want to know, they're doing everything in their power to overcome their woes

Answer 1

Some of the answers you've gotten so far are just plain wrong, and they don't address the NATURAL cause you asked for.

Africa is poor for the opposite reason the West is rich: the dynamic interaction among science, democracy, and capitalism which created the great wealth, strength, and success of Western civilization is lacking in Africa. Africa is like some rundown old store, where the employees steal what meager change they can while the whole place deteriorates, encouraging even less people to buy there.

For people who think their poor economic performance is the result of colonialism, this should open your eyes:

"Colonialism was the transmission belt that brought to Asia, Africa, and South America the blessings of Western civilization. Many of those cultures continue to have serious problems of tyranny, tribal and religious conflict, poverty, and underdevelopment, but that is not due to an excess of Western influence; rather, it is due to the fact that those countries are insufficiently Westernized.

Sub-Saharan Africa, which is probably in the worst position, has been described by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan as "a cocktail of disasters." That is not because colonialism in Africa lasted so long, but because it lasted a mere half-century. It was too short a time to permit Western institutions to take firm root. Consequently, after their independence, most African nations have retreated into a kind of tribal barbarism that can be remedied only with more Western influence, not less.

Africa needs more Western capital, more technology, more rule of law, and more individual freedom."


Africa also has a very high birthrate, and most countries on the Continent consider talk about condoms and birth control embarrassing, so they don't promote AIDS awareness and condom use. There is no social pressure for people who cannot afford children to stop having so many.

Lastly, let me include one piece of information which only generally addresses your request for NATURAL causes for suffering in Africa. Because African farmers cannot produce crops as cheaply as western farmers who are heavily subsidized by their governments, they are at a huge disadvantage. Africa could produce huge amounts of food if it were economically viable, and in this scenario, there should be less starvation on the Continent.

Answer 2

Human beings, with their free will, allow suffering - It's about time the carbon infestation (Human Beings) of this planet fecking woke up and took some responsibility for their own actions... We have the power to make this world better, it's not what you call God's (The Universe) fault if the still primitive majority want war & suffering!

Answer 3

Unbridled corruption and dictatorship leads to unbridled poverty which leads to unbridled suffering Real Laughable Person.

Fortunately, Africa is a Continent filled with many countries that are doing well. You did know that Africa is a CONTINENT right? Not a COUNTRY...

That is as stupid as asking why is America suffering when referring to some South American countries.

Answer 4

I am not a racist in any form or fashion, but the men need to stop pro-creating just to get their rocks off because it it an act of cruelty to subject a child in a disease infested environment due to lack of sanitation---not to mention a shortage of food and sterile water. Not many items grow without water and Sam K. once made a joke that "you see this? this is sand. Nothin' grows in the sand. If you want to do them a favor, send them U-hauls and move them to where the food is!"

Answer 5

There isn't one. The people who live there did it all to themselves. The famines are a result of allowing cows to kill off the grass, the crop failures are due to bad management, the bad governments are due to corruption, the wars are not caused by nature, and AIDS is a result of rampant, thoughtless sex. That covers pretty much everything.

Answer 6

Lack of birth control.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Birth_rate_figures_for_countries.PNG/800px-Birth_rate_figures_for_countries.PNG

The birth rates in Africa are some of the highest in the world. High birth rates creates poverty and suffering in poor countries.

Catholic News: Church in Africa Continues AIDS Fight Without Condoms
http://www.cathnews.com/news/310/53.php

Answer 7

Greed

Answer 8

There are 'few' natural causes for suffering in Africa. Its basically man-made.

Answer 9

Apathy

Answer 10

Two things in no particular order, lack of natural resourse and government corruption.