CHANGES TO AFRICA AFTER INDEPENDENCE

Building Governments Civil War One-party rule Military rule Stability and progress

Economic Systems Socialism vs. Capitalism Influence of multinational corporations (MNCs)

Increasing Populations Pressures on economy Young population (almost half of the people in Africa are under 15

years old) Nigeria has the highest population of all the African countries

STEPS TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT

Urbanization – the growth of cities

Effects of Urbanization: Emergence of a new

urban elite Smaller family sizes

(nuclear families) Increasing

westernization Women have a greater

opportunity to enter the workforce

CHANGING PATTERNS OF LIFE

Nairobi, Kenya

Apartheid – Rigid separation of races by law in South Africa.

Afrikaners – Descendants of the first white settlers in South Africa.

Pass Laws – Required blacks to carry identification cards wherever they went and also restricted their movement from place to place.

Defiance Campaign – Blacks began to oppose apartheid laws with the belief that their mass arrests would overwhelm the prison system. Ultimately failed when many

protesters were attacked.

APARTHEID

APARTHEID

• Group Areas Act – Required blacks to settle down in areas separate from whites.

Black and white neighborhoods in South Africa.

Sharpeville Massacre 1960 shooting of black

protesters outside of a Sharpeville police station

69 people were killed (including 8 women and 10 children) and 180 injured. Many were shot in the back

as they were trying to flee. Turned international

opinion strongly against the white-dominated government.

APARTHEID

Stephen Biko Anti-apartheid activist Leader of the Black Consciousness Movement Arrested and died in prison (martyred)

Nelson Mandela Anti-apartheid activist Imprisoned for 27 years Became a major symbol for ending apartheid and healing the

black/white rift in the country Became the nation’s first post-apartheid president of South Africa

F.W. de Klerk Last apartheid-era president of South Africa Helped to bring about the end of apartheid Along with Mandela, won the Nobel Peace Prize

APARTHEID

Regional Cooperation Organization of African Unity (OAU) – Supported independence

movements and promoted peace. Many nations did not want the OAU to meddle with their internal affairs. In 2002, the African Union was formed in order to attract foreign

investment by promoting good government and human rights.

International Ties United Nations (UN)

All African nations joined the UN after independence They have worked toward policies favorable to developing nations

The Cold War During the Cold War, African nations followed a policy of

nonalignment, not favoring one side or the other.

REGIONAL AND GLOBAL ISSUES

THE DEBT BURDEN

African nations spend billions each year to repay old loans.

Many African nations want rich nations to cancel their debt so that they can strengthen their economy.

Experts are concerned that wealthy nations will not lend money to poor ones if they fear the loans will not be repaid.

African nations have also sought the aid of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Both organizations want African nations to reform their economies before they will lend to them.

African political instability is also a concern to potential lending nations.

Many African nations are predisposed to corruption.

Civil unrest, warfare, and genocide make many African nations unappealing to potential investors. In many of these conflicts,

both sides use child soldiers in the fighting.

These children are often orphans, are easily influenced, and become hooked on drugs.

Africa has the most child soldiers in the world.

(INTER)NATIONAL CONCERNS

HIV/AIDS

An estimated 22.9 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa are living with AIDS.

The impact that this has on Africa is substantial: Low life expectancy Household wage earners

die, leaving children as orphans

Massive strain on health care

Economic growth and development is severely limited

Schools struggle to function

OVERPOPULATION

African populations are growing at an alarming rate.Overpopulation puts huge constraints on food resources, the

land, water supplies, and the economy.Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country at 158 million, is

expected to grow to 730 million by century’s end, making it larger than Europe’s projected population of 675 million. It will surpass the United States’ population in 25 years.

OVERPOPULATION