AP WORLD HISTORY CHAPTER 23 “INDEPENDENCE AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH” Experiments in Political Order: Comparing African Nations and India
Feb 26, 2016
AP WORLD HISTORYCHAPTER 23
“INDEPENDENCE AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH”
Experiments in Political Order:Comparing African Nations and India
Experiments in Political Order
Efforts to create political order across the developing world had to battle many conditions: Exploding populations High (and unrealistic)
expectations following independence
Lack of available resources to meet these expectations
Diverse populations that had little loyalty to the new central state
Large areas with widespread poverty and weak private economies
Experiments in Political Order
Wide range of political systems were established throughout the developing world: Communist regimes Multi-party
democracies One-party democracies Military regimes Personal dictatorships
and tyrannies
India’s Political Evolution
In India = Western-style democracy practiced continuously since independence Regular elections Peaceful changes in
government Multiple political
parties Civil rights and
liberties
A woman voting in the 2008 state election in India
India’s Political Evolution:Why Democracy Worked
Struggle for independence in India was much longer than struggles in Africa = gave Indian leaders time to figure out how they wanted to structure the new state
The British gradually gave power over to the Indians = over several decades prior to independence in 1947 Many Indians possessed administrative and
technical skills as a resultNationalist movement in India =
within one political party (Congress Party) Committed to democracy
Rejection of Democracy in Africa: Why?
Theory #1 = Africans just weren’t ready for democracy or lacked the “ingredients” for democratic politics Africa’s traditional culture =
based on communal rather than individualist values not compatible with the competitiveness of party politics
Lack of an educated electorate, middle-class, and strong capitalist economy
Rejection of Democracy in Africa: Why?
Theory #2 = Democracy was not an adequate system for developing a modern economy Competing political
parties (that don’t always agree) = would slow down the process of creating national unity and developing a modern economy
A little cell phone action…
Rejection of Democracy in Africa: Why?
The following conditions that existed within many initial democratic governments in Africa undermined popular support for democracy: Widespread economic
disappointment Class resentments due to
increased inequalities and competition for jobs, housing, education, etc.
Ethnic conflicts, which sometimes turned violent
Example: Genocide
in Rwanda in 1994
Alternatives to Democracy
Most common alternative = government by soldiers
By the early 1980s = the military actively governed about 15 African nations
These militaries: Took power during times of crisis Claimed the nation was in danger
and that only they could restore order
Got rid of old political parties and constitutions
Vowed to return power to civilians and restore democracy “at some point”
Military Leaders in Mali
Revival of Democracy in Africa: 1980s
Failure of authoritarian governments to fix disastrous economic situations became evident
Variety of grassroots movements began that demanded democratic change in order to better their lives: Disaffected students, religious
organizations, urban workers, women’s groups
Encouragement from world events End of apartheid in South Africa; fall of communism; etc.
Nigerian Voter in 2011
AP WORLD HISTORYCHAPTER 23
“INDEPENDENCE AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH”
Experiments in Economic Development:Changing Priorities, Varying Outcomes
Obstacles to Economic Development
Most societies = sharply divided by class, religion, ethnic group, and gender
Explosive population growthIn most places = colonial rule had
provided only the most basic foundations for modern development (if anything at all)
Low literacy ratesFew people with managerial
experienceWeak private economiesInefficient transportation systemsLittle leverage with the wealthy
nations of the Global North
The Role of the State
Most people expected that state authorities would take responsibility for developing the economy Why? Private economies = weakly
developed Entrepreneurs = didn’t have
funds to invest Successful Soviet
industrialization under state direction = hopeful
State control = could protect people against the inequalities that came with capitalism
The Role of the State
In the late 20th century, the support for state-directed economies faded and more people began to favor market economies Why? Collapse of the Soviet Union = the
world’s first state-dominated economy Evident failure, mismanagement, and
corruption of many state-run enterprises International organizations (like the
World Bank) = pushed developing countries in a capitalist direction
The switch to market economies led to rapid economic growth in many nations (ex: China and India), but it also created inequalities and social conflict
Issues with Economic Development
“Urban bias” = too much focus on city-based industrial development and neglect or exploitation of rural areas and agriculture
“Male bias” = encouraging men to work in modern industries and women to work in agriculture
Debate over capital and technology-drive projects versus investment in “human capital” Capital-driven projects = dams,
factories, etc. “Human capital” investment =
education, technical training, health care, nutrition, etc.
Issues with Economic Development
Benefits versus drawbacks of foreign aid, investment, and trade
Every economic decision (where to locate schools, factories, etc.) was political Always resulted in winners
and losers in terms of power, advantage, and wealth
Varied Results of Economic Experiments
Various reasons for such sharp differences in economic results: Geography and natural
resources Differing colonial experiences Variations in regional cultures Degree of political stability and
social equality State economic policies Population growth rates Varying forms of involvement
with the world economyDurban, South Africa
Cocoa Farming in Ghana
Varied Results of Economic Experiments
Successful Economic Growth Little to No Economic Growth
East Asian countries ex: South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, CHINA!
Most of Africa
India growing high-tech sector and middle class
Most of the Arab world
Oil-producing countries especially since the 1970s when demand for oil skyrocketed
Parts of Asia
Several Latin American countries ex: Chile, Brazil