The Review of African Political Economy - examining the politics of imperialism;
development; agrarian, popular and democratic struggles; class, gender and social justice
Editorial from ROAPE Volume 1 Number 1
Development in Africa
This Review is published with the express intent of providing a counterweight to the mass of literature on Africa which holds: that Africa's continuing chronic poverty is primarily an internal problem, and not a product of her colonial history and her present dependence; that the successful attraction of foreign capital and the consequent production within the confines of the international market will bring development and that the major role in achieving development must be played by western-educated ‘modernising’ elites who will bring progress to the ‘backward’ masses.
We hold these perspectives to be inaccurate and mystifying, and as a counter to this perspective our task will be to examine the roots of Africa's present condition: why is its productive potential not realised? why are most of its people still poor? why is the continent still dependent, its future still controlled by outside forces?
The editorial addresses: ideological perspective; Africa and imperialism in the 1970s; sub-imperialism; transnational corporations; and class struggle.
We hold these perspectives to be inaccurate and mystifying, and as a counter to this perspective our task will be to examine the roots of Africa's present condition: why is its productive potential not realised? why are most of its people still poor? why is the continent still dependent, its future still controlled by outside forces?
The editorial addresses: ideological perspective; Africa and imperialism in the 1970s; sub-imperialism; transnational corporations; and class struggle.
Full text
- Reproduction of "Development in Africa" (Number 1, Spring 1974) editorial from the founding issue of the journal in 1974 explains why the journal needed to be formed, and discusses its ideological perspective, and the challenges of imperialism (with particular reference to transnational corporations) to class struggle.