Newspaper Page Text
Page 4
The Wolverine Observer
February/March 1985
POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE
Economic Development
In Africa
by Marcus E. Jones
The underdeveloped coun
tries and developing-industrial
societies of Africa must travel
through several stages before
their economies are considered
modernized. Several aspects of
economic structure must exist:
1) a rapid increase in per capita
income, 2) a steady decline in
dependency upon monocrops
and/or monominerals for export
earnings, and 3) a lessening
dependence upon imports of
basic items as food, machines
and transport equipment.
One problem affecting the
Third World is their heavy ex
penditures for military
hardware. This burden to their
budgets could be used to finance
sorely needed human develop
ment programs such as educa
tion, health and agriculture.
Another problem deals with the
lack of planning and coordina
tion between various
governments. In order to max
imize the utilization of financial,
human and natural resources,
African countries need to
collaborate more in develop
ment projects. For example,
every country in West Africa
desires to have a completely
intergrated iron and steel com-
plext when, in fact, there is only a
need for maybe three countries
to develop expensive projects
such as that. Nigeria has the
capital and market for those
kinds of developments. Togo or
Liberia have billions or tons or
iron ore, but lack capital and
large domestic markets for con
sumption. Perhaps each country
in West Africa could specialize in
a particular aspect of economic
production, thereby alleviating
the waste of duplication.
According to Industry in Africa
(Ewing, 1968), the best approach
for economic development
would be to transform the
agricultural sector and rural
economy. However, most
African countries have invested
heavily into import-substitution
industries and cash crops
(coffee, sugar, cocoa, cotton,
etc). It would be far more
beneficial for African people to
develop crops for domestic
consumption and inter-regional
and intra-continental trade. This
approach would improve the
quality of African diets and
provide a variety of foods to
select from, as well as an affor
dable supply for local consump
tion. Also, an agri-industrial base
would further expand employ
ment and provide income for
millions of potential migrants to
overcrowded cities and towns.
Tanzania had a serious
drought which hampered her
agricultural development, yet
when aid arrived, the poor
quality of roads hindered ade
quate distribution. So the first
priority in industrial and
agricultural development is
heavy investments in the in
frastructure: transportation,
energy, communications, and
water and sewage systems. Most
countries in Africa cannot afford
to expend large sums of money
into the development of essen
tial infrastructural projects. And,
without internal political stabili
ty, development will be cur
tailed, especially when sorely
needed funds for social and
economic programs are diverted
into military and defense
budgets.
Nigeria and Tanzania repre
sent two paradigms at opposite
extremes of the development
continuum. They practice
different economic approaches
to solve similar development
DOES MORE NEED
TO BE SAID?
PASS
BOOK
This is what
Black South
Africans have to
carry at all times
or suffer the
consequences in
their own
country
(Printed by SCLC)
problems. Nigeria receives ap
proximately 90 percent of her
export earnings from petroleum,
which fluctuates between 40-50
billion a year. Tanzania is not as
naturally endowed with oil or
natural gas, and therefore, must
rely upon several cash crops
(coffee, cotton, sisal, tea, cloves,
etc.) for foreign exchange ear
nings. Both countries are
affected seriously by the supply
and demand curves of the
developed industrialized
markets. Nigeria has the greatest
potential of being the successful
model of capitalist development.
Whereas, Tanzania is attempting
to develop African Socialism
(Ujamaa) to harness and develop
her human and natural
resources.
What are the future prospects
for both countries, and how do
they affect the future role of
Africa in the Third World?
Nigeria seems to have all the
necessary ingredients: capital,
market, and labor. Nigeria has
the largest population in Africa,
90 million, and the largest GNP,
$95 billion in 1981. Her financial
resources, if properly
channelled, can be used to
develop the infrastructure,
heavy industry, and human
resources. Approximately one
out of six Africans on the conti
nent are Nigerians, which is a
valuable asset.
Tanzania, with a 1981 GNP of
$5 billion and a population of 20
million, has no choice but to
develop her human resources
first (social and political orienta
tion) and then use it to develop
infrastructure, agriculture,
minerals, and heavy industry.
Tanzania has huge quantities of
coal, lead, tin, iron, and
phosphates, which are
strategically located around the
Tanzania-Zambia Railway. The
key to African development
hinges on the utilization of her
human, financial, and natural
resources.
Fifth District Congressman
Wyche Fowler reviews pending
legislation with Roosevelt Hud
son, a Winter term intern in the
Congressman’s Atlanta office.
“Roosevelt has done an outstan
ding job for us during his in
ternship,’’ Congressman Fowler
said.
A. Employment Bureau
B. Employer
Name, Address
Signature
C. Tax
Family Name
First Name
* D. Homeland Tax
Place of Birth
Date of Birth
^ r '^ e E. Particulars
signature
Inside of South African Passbook
A
B
C
D
E
Build A "Free South Africa"
Movement At MBC
By Mack A. Jones, Ph.D.
Atlanta University
The South African Govern
ment is by far the most tyrannical
and oppressive regime on earth
and perhaps the most diabolical
to ever exist. The government
elected and staffed by the white
minority through the use of
military imposed terror deprives
the majority black population of
practically all political and
human rights. Blacks have no
political rights, are subjected to
arbitrary arrests and detention,
and are required to carry pass
books which indicate where they
are allowed to live, travel and
work.
The South African govern
ment has announced that its
ultimate goal is to resettle Black
South Africans in barren
economically unviable
homelands so that no blacks
could be citizens of South Africa.
In spite of its blatantly racist and
undemocratic character, the
South African government is
considered to be an ally by the
current U.S. government. As a
matter of fact, it is the U.S.
government along with U.S.
corporations which provides the
South African government with
the political and economic sup
port it needs to stay in power.
The free South Africa Move
ment initiated last November in
Washington by Randal
Robinson of Trans - Africa and
other prominent African-
Americans was designed to call
to the attention of the American
people the despotic nature of
the South african regime and the
complicity of the U.S. govern
ment in sustaining the apartheid
regime and to galvanize public
opinion to force the U.S. to
discontinue its support for this
despicable regime.
The Trans-Africa anti
apartheid protests are con
tinuing in Washington, but they
are no longer reported on the
evening news nor on the front
page of the daily newspapers.
The anti-apartheid Washington
movement needs to be rein
forced by similar movements
across the United States.
There is no better force to
build and lead such a movement
than the students on the cam
puses of traditionally black
colleges and universities. Con
trary to what some may think,
our students from the very very
beginning have always been a
force for progressive social
change. Even in the face of acute
economic vulnerabilities and
outright political terror, from the
Reconstruction period and the
era of lynching up to and
through the contemporary Civil
Rights Movement, black
students have courageously con
fronted the forces of oppression.
In line with that tradition we
must take the lead in confronting
the U.S. government for its
Support of the racist South
African regime.
To confront the problem
effectively we must be
thoroughly informed on the
issues. We must have a clear
understanding of both the
nature and practice of the South
African state and the supportive
role played by the United States.
Student governments and other
organizations should organize
symposiums teachings, etc. to
make students fully aware of the
situation. Armed with such
awareness and true to their
historical mission progressive
students would surely mount
their own Free South Africa
campaigns and force the U.S.
government to discontinue its
support for the apartheid
regime.
In addition to educating peo
ple about the situation in South
Africa, progressive students can
also organize different forms of
material support for out brothers
and sisters in South Africa.
Refugees from South Africa, whcr
are now in Tanzania, Zambia,
and Angola can use clothes,
food, medical supplies, books,
etc. The exiles working at the
United Nations and other places
are in need of monetary support.
No gesture of support in this
regard is too small! The People
need our helpl Can they count
on us?