Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 2

TRADE, COLONIAL DOMINATION AND INVESTMENT ............................................................................................. 2

POLITICAL IMPACT OF EUROPE ON AFRICA ............................................................................................................ 3

ONGOING EXPLOITATION ...................................................................................................................................... 4

ECONOMIC INSTABILITY......................................................................................................................................... 4

CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................................................... 4

REFERENCE ............................................................................................................................................................ 4

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How Europe under Developed Africa

1. Introduction
The Walter Rodney focused that the present primary role of African states in the international
World economy as influencial sources of raw materials and major Resources are the results
of long years colonial dominance.
The independence of most African states from their colonial overlords, it was extremely very
difficult to became free from the colonial perfected role for the state because of the
systematically adjusted in the African born economy and the inseparable trying of same with
the external economy of the colonizers. The work also made a alarming revelation He
discovering through analysis that the pervasive corruption in most African states and most of
African leaders show selfish behavior forgating the society interests and outlived the eyes of
their people. The work finilize and recommends that for African states to achieve their
present social, economic, political, health, education and the other part mentioned below.

2. Trade, Colonial Domination and Investment

Walter Rodney’s classic How Europe Under developed Africa (1972). Like Robin in The
ABCs of Political Economy (2003), he asumes two main way of under development:
exploitation through trade and exploitation through investment (imperialism).The
former has to do with the terms of trade. the big capitalist countries effectively
determine the prices of minerals and agricultural products and “subject these prices to
frequent reductions,” thus harming Africa’s economy (without enough food, education
and their revenue). determine the whole product and market without the permission of
African. T h e c h a n c e o f A f r i c a f a l l u n d e r t h e W e s t e r n . Again, an
outflow of wealth.“The they inter in to Africa though the capitalist market system are
trade, colonial domination, and capitalist investment. Trade has existed for several
centuries; colonial rule began in the late 19th century and has almost protected [in the
early 1970s]; and the investment in the African economy has been increasing still
up to now. Throughout the period that Africa has participated in the capitalist
economy, two factors have brought about underdevelopment. In the first place, the
wealth created by African labor and from African resources was grabbed(taken) by the
capitalist countries of Europe [and the U.S.]; and in the second place, restrictions
were placed upon African capacity to make the great use of its conomic potential
which is what development is all about.” In addition to all many African political leaders
have for a long time been tools(pipe or messengers) of the West and so haven’t acted in
the best interests of their people. one indicator is Corruption, etc
They have a good social culture were slowly not on the basis of class
antagonisms because in communalism there are no true class antagonisms -
but just on the basis of “the fundamental forces of production.” All these
l a r g e n u m b e r o f societies “gradually become to feudal system and
formed feudal states network of distribution such as Ethiopia and Egypt, full
feudal emerged. Before 1500, the system of agriculture in Africa were not

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good. it was backward feudal landowners and capitalist farmers were
responsible for the development .there were high partiality of production due
to lack of unfairness.
As Rodney’s discussion makes clear that manufactures and trade in Africa
before Western comes its good. The quality of material produced were
greater than the Europe with every things. Their Social group even in the
more primitive parts of sub-Saharan Africa was also remembered, families
with the largest group socially and politically superior, and dominating the
inferior then ruling them. Political impact of Europe on Africa
From the beginning, Europe determined that Africa’s main export was to be
human beings, who would be used to produce wealth in the Americas. From
the beginning, Europe determined that Africa’s main export was to be human
beings, who would be used to produce wealth in the Americas. example
active labor and “gum from Africa played a part in the textile industry, of
Lancashire which was the first center of the Industrial Revolution, and the
economic advance in Lancashire depended on African products. the growth
port of Liverpool a l s o o n slave trading.” Several English banks, became
too rich by profits gained from slave trading . Example; James Watt, who
invented the steam engine, was financed by slave owners. Of course the
U.S. too, through much of the 19th century, benefited greatly from slavery
and the slave trade. “Africa’ has great value to Europe it serves as sources of
all raw material. But Africa’s trade system itself was a destructive nature.
Evolution towards mature feudalism continued in many regions, with
social structures and ideologies remarkably similar to those of European and
Japanese feudalism .Because Africa is source of raw materials .At 1 by 805-
1849the Egypt leader Muhammad Ali tried to develop industry by amending
new polices protecticting tariff wall around Egypt infant industry importing
exports from Europe. The Europe opposed Egypt. British and French
industrialists wanted to see Egypt not as a textile manufacturer but as a
producer of raw cotton for export, and an importer of European manufactures.
they turned the sultan of Egypt into an international financial crisis’s.
Finally , European uses the Egypt resources as they want. There fore, the Suez
Canal was dug out of Egyptian soil by Egyptians, but it was owned by Britain
and France, who then extended political domination over Egypt and Sudan.”
In some areas of the world, Latin America and Eastern Europe, political
sovereignty was left in the hands of the local population even during the
imperialist era But there was disagreement on African resources between western
others. who should suck which pieces of Africa to protect other counties which
compete with them. ‘modernized’ Africa i n t he n ame o f i n ve s t me n t i s no t
fact colonialism with a hoe and came out with a hoe.” Colonialism failed t h e
a g r i c u l t u r a l p r a c t i c e s to change the technology of agricultural
production example monoculture(chromosome addiction) When indigenous
industries did start to f l o w e r i n g , governments quickly blocked them on
behalf of metropolitan industrialists. Africa was useful to the metro poles only as a
source of raw materials dependence on metro poles. The factor of dependency made
its impact felt in every aspect of the life of the colonies, and it can be regarded as
the crowning vice among the negative social, political, and economic consequences

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 of colonialism in Africa, being primarily responsible for the perpetuation of the
colonial relationship that is called neo-colonialism.”

3. Ongoing exploitation
Some would argue that Africa has never freed itself from domination by the west. In the late
twentieth century and in the twenty first century, the relationship between the west and
Africa has been primarily one of exploitation. International trading agreements with Africa
have been unfair on African countries. These agreements have been overly influenced by
western big businesses. Such unfair agreements and relationships have allowed individual
African officials to get rich while the region sells itself cheaply and develops no
infrastructure.

4.Economic instability
There are many economic indicators;

 A un pleasant national debt to richer countries and the gap between rich and poor getting
bigger and bigger. many multinational cooperation’s do not sell African products using prices
established by the laws of supply and demand in a free market. Increased costs of production
are not passed onto the consumers who buy the produce, instead they are sold from the source
in Africa at a lower rate which means less income for African workers and business. The global
market also sets a price on most of Africa’s exports and so the higher production cost cannot be
recouped. At the same time, a rise in productivity will not necessarily lower world prices by an
increase in supply, because the demand may remain fairly small. Africa has mostly been caught
in this economic cycle. This is a fundamental inequality in international trade and once this has
been set up it is difficult to change.

4. CONCLUSION
Finally, colonialism shaped both the economic and political structure of African colonies to be in
line with the need of the metropolis. It ensured that African economic and political structures
both in form and content serve the interest of their home government (European powers).
Colonialism therefore, in all issues and purposes was a disservice to Africa.

5. REFERENCE
Rodney, Walter. 1972. How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. London: Bogle
L’Ouverture Publications.

Rodney, Walter. 1981. A History of the Guyanese Working People, 1881–1905. London: Heinemann
Educational Books.yuk