Come Back, Colonialism, All is Forgiven

[kulade]

Nice bumpage, bro.

 

[civ_king]

I was thinking, WTH??? Pannious is back ???

 

[El_Machinae]

I think the Millennium Village Project is an interesting compromise to these concerns.

Background and History



The first Millennium Village was started in Sauri, Kenya in August 2004 and saw remarkable results in just two years. For example, the villagers went from chronic hunger to a tripling of their crop production. Also, for the first time in years, they were able to sell their produce in nearby markets. The second Millennium Village was launched in Koraro, Ethiopia in February 2005 and also saw tremendous progress early on.

With the financial support from the Government of Japan, an additional ten villages were implemented in partnership with UNDP and the Earth Institute at Columbia University, creating a total of 12 Millennium Villages located in the following countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda. The areas were selected to represent each of the agro-ecological zones in Sub-Saharan Africa. These agro- ecological zones are representative of 93 percent of the agricultural land area in sub-Saharan Africa and the homes of 90 percent of the agriculture population. Each Millennium Village is located in a reasonably well-governed and stable country and in a hunger hotspot, an area with the highest rates of rural poverty and hunger as identified by the UN Millennium Project.

http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/mv/mv_history.htm

People complain about aid to Africa as being wasted money, but often the aid packages are so pathetic (and then mismanaged) that we really wouldn't expect any differently. The MVP intends to properly invest in specific regions, giving infrastructure & education in a way that can be maintained once the project coordinators have left

This financing model is built on the premise that, with modest support, Millennium Village economies can transition over a period from subsistence farming to self-sustaining commercial activity. Over time, household incomes will rise due to increased productivity, diversification into higher value crops and expanded off-farm employment. Higher incomes will raise household savings, accelerating economic diversification and household investments in human capital. As economic growth accelerates, the villages will assume the cost of many interventions that the Millennium Villages initiative is financing.

The process of funding and implementing a Millennium Village is a shared effort between the Millennium Villages initiative, other donors, local and national governments, NGOs and the village community.

So, build roads inward. Then pay farmers to conduct experiments on ways of farming their crops. Give them fertilizer so that they can pull profits. After a few years of figuring out how to improve crop production, leave.

While they're there, they bring in medical care, medical infrastructure, and medical training.

 

[EnglishEdward]

I have two points to make.

First of all, the Belgiums only established themselves in the hell hole of the Congo,
because the British, French, Spanish and Portuguese had already acquired colonies
on the better parts of Africa's coast.

Secondly, the boat manager is 40 years old. Most people don't live to be 40
in a lawless area such as the Congo without learning to be diplomatic, so he is
going to play up the good parts of colonialism in his discussion with the european.


To my mind, the problem in the Congo is not dissimilar to that in Afghanistan and
Somaliia, there is now no local tradition of democratic decision making and of laws.

 

[Leonel]

Damn! People bringing my dead threads to life!

 

[a_propagandist]

i think the major flaw in the analysis is that white people and not major european nations are being heralded as the development factor. European colonials by and large happened to be white. I say bring back europeans of all colors. and chinese too.

Exactly. I would totally support an new era of symbiotic colonialism in Africa if it were well defined and regulated from exploitation.

Edit: Whoa, did not notice.

 

[Phlegmak]

Exactly. I would totally support an new era of symbiotic colonialism in Africa if it were well defined and regulated from exploitation.

Edit: Whoa, did not notice.

I'm still against it.

 

[jessiecat]

Exactly. I would totally support an new era of symbiotic colonialism in Africa if it were well defined and regulated from exploitation.

Edit: Whoa, did not notice.

"Well defined and regulated from exploitation"? Who are you kidding? Do you have any clue what colonialism and its effects are? Pull the other one!

 

[a_propagandist]

"Well defined and regulated from exploitation"? Who are you kidding? Do you have any clue what colonialism and its effects are? Pull the other one!

Fair, it is hard to call it an affair without one side dominating the other. However, if you laid down ground rules, it would be akin to a corporation investing in an area. Of course, legislation would need be binding, but if you had labor standards and such, the capital influx would create benefit for all parties involved. We could change the very meaning of colonialism.

 

[Tee Kay]

Fair, it is hard to call it an affair without one side dominating the other. However, if you laid down ground rules, it would be akin to a corporation investing in an area. Of course, legislation would need be binding, but if you had labor standards and such, the capital influx would create benefit for all parties involved. We could change the very meaning of colonialism.

Then it's not colonialism at all, just like what a few of the more responsible corporations are doing at the moment.

 

[a_propagandist]

But I support richer nations, instead of just companies, making such endeavors with all parties involved profiting from the partnership.

 

[bender19]

You could say that advanced people are the best off and better than all others. That is until their machines fail them due to various reasons, then it is they who once stood strong will become the true wimps of this world. Face, it people who lives depend on electronics for about everything, will be in for a painfully shock and will die off faster, than dodo birds infected with HIV and rolled in mounds of anthrax, when the equipment fails them because of the lack of knowledge about how to survive outside of the norms.

You could say primitive people are better off than others. That is until they suffer a crop failure due to drought, then it is they who will become the wimps of this world. Face it people who depend on subsistence living for about everything, will be in for a painfully shock and will die off faster, than dodo birds infected with HIV and rolled in mounds of anthrax, when their crop fails because they have nothing saved, no back up infastructure, nothing else to trade for food, they'll starve, and they'll have no access to basic health, no fresh water supply stored for a non rainy day, they won't have knowledge to foresee ahead of time a disaster in their food supply and take mitigating steps.



I'm not so sure Africa was an egalitarian paradise free of disease, war and famine prior to European arrival. Its rather difficult for many to make a subjective assessment on what way of life is better. At the most basic level I'd consider simply surviving and life itself to be the most important thing. Throughout most of history life expectency has been around 20-30 years. Personally I'd choose Western life over living for 30 years, being succeptible to famine, disease or war from the neihgbouring tribe.

 

[Greizer85]

I'm not so sure Africa was an egalitarian paradise free of disease, war and famine prior to European arrival. Its rather difficult for many to make a subjective assessment on what way of life is better. At the most basic level I'd consider simply surviving and life itself to be the most important thing. Throughout most of history life expectency has been around 20-30 years. Personally I'd choose Western life over living for 30 years, being succeptible to famine, disease or war from the neihgbouring tribe.

I've got 3 words for you, just 3 words: Infant Mortality Rate. Sure, people didn't often live to be eighty in ancient times (mostly because they were abandoned way before that), but they didn't die at 30 either. Well, some did, but I'd wager the majority of those that survived to adulthood lived to at least 40 or 45.

Still agree though that the Western way of life, with all its problems even, is way better than 'hippie' subsistence farming. If the apocalypse comes, I'll just say "Oh well, was fun while it lasted", sip the last Coca-Cola and eat the last chips while playing my last video game with the last fuel for my last working generator, before succumbing to nuclear winter/roving gangs/meteor-lit fires/whatever.

 

[bender19]

I've got 3 words for you, just 3 words: Infant Mortality Rate. Sure, people didn't often live to be eighty in ancient times (mostly because they were abandoned way before that), but they didn't die at 30 either. Well, some did, but I'd wager the majority of those that survived to adulthood lived to at least 40 or 45.

Still agree though that the Western way of life, with all its problems even, is way better than 'hippie' subsistence farming. If the apocalypse comes, I'll just say "Oh well, was fun while it lasted", sip the last Coca-Cola and eat the last chips while playing my last video game with the last fuel for my last working generator, before succumbing to nuclear winter/roving gangs/meteor-lit fires/whatever.

Yes the 20-30 years includes infant mortality. When I said 30 I meant as an average including infant deaths. While you'd never get the chance to complain dieing at child birth would have to the most underwhelming life possible, while the baby itself would be ignorant of the possibilities it doesn't make the loss any less of a travesty.