This paper explores the connections and gaps between underdevelopment, the colonial legacy, imported foreign practices, regimes and emerging economies, in order to understand more clearly how typical, general discourses on development continue to carry ideologically charged and historically transposed meanings.
The term underdevelopment is primarily used to trace and define the retrogressive economic pattern within a given society and the corresponding postulates. Underdevelopment, however, illustrates also how the post-colonial fragility of the African economies becomes affected by internal conflicts, regional disputes, militarization and indoctrination of the masses. Beginning with a literature review and definitions of the concept, the paper seeks to investigate the multipolar problematics in Eastern Africa in the post-colonial period, with particular regard to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Republic of Kenya.
These two studies aim to illustrate and contrast the contextual differences of the colonized and independent types of countries, together with their common internal and regional dynamism that cause underdevelopment to be ongoing. This paper then explores and analyzes the aforementioned states according to particular indicators and provides evidence, in which a deconstructive comparison is used to trace periodical, pre- and post-colonial realities and the state of affairs of the underperforming sectors. Moreover it will then shed light on the continuity of underdevelopment, within the context of the theorization of the given amalgam of critical factors that have been redefined over time. The thesis concludes with a summary and questions the notion of unequal development on the African continent.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction and Methodology
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Thesis objective
1.3 Methods and research
Chapter 2: Framework: literature, concepts and definitions of underdevelopment
2.1 Literature review, scholars & ideology
2.2. Overview of underdevelopment: definitions and concepts
Chapter 3: Colonialist and post-colonialist’s legacies in East Africa
3.1 First symptoms of underdevelopment
3.2. Post-colonialism in East Africa : underdevelopment’s intensification?
3.3 Legacy of foreign imported regimes & ideologies in East Africa
4. Country profiles and analysis criteria for underdevelopment
4.1 East Africa: Kenya and Ethiopia
4.2 Indicators of underdevelopment
Chapter 5: Conclusions
Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to examine the complex phenomenon of underdevelopment in East Africa by conducting a comparative analysis of Kenya and Ethiopia. It seeks to understand how historical colonial legacies, imported political ideologies, and internal regional dynamics contribute to the persistence of underdevelopment in the post-independence era.
- The relationship between colonial history and contemporary socio-economic status.
- Impact of foreign-imported political regimes and ideologies on local governance.
- Comparative analysis of a former British protectorate (Kenya) and a historically independent monarchy (Ethiopia).
- The role of environmental and geographical factors in hindering economic development.
- Analysis of ethnic fragmentation and its influence on state stability and economic progress.
Excerpt from the Book
First wave of colonization in 1415
Historically, during the mid and late 15th century, when the first wave of African colonization with the Portuguese conquest began, the primary attempts for diplomatic talks with African tribe leaders, opened the doors for the white settlers, explorers, traders and Christian missionaries, with an aim to explore and to apply the concept of “Europeanization of the world” on the African lands (Stuchtey 2011:23).
In the beginning of this exploratory stage, these acts occurred through business- like exchanges of resources and at a later stage of religions, cultures, morals and rituals. Slowly, the African soil became exposed to manifold influences, bearing objectively less positive than negative affluences along the way. East Africa was attractive for its mineral and agricultural resourcefulness, highlands like the Rift Valley in Kenya, and multiple water dams and rivers. The region was also special for its kingdoms and established monarchies, like the Ethiopian one, which was spreading far across the territory of Eritrea, and which was beneficial for its power and relations. It was also of geographic interest, bridging Africa, the Middle East and Asia, by sea with the Western economies. In this, the tenet was premeditated, and the Western imperialists proceeded even further with acquiring African lands and resources, whilst transforming ideologically the societies, also economically, culturally and religiously, and making them trade-friendly, especially in the late centuries of the imperialist rule. To elaborate on the latter, which I consider as a major prerequisite, partially leading to underdevelopment is that, in a cultural perspective, many African states had already been shaped, in the previous waves of imperialism, by religious or ethnic factors, which deemed for the colonizers prone to more easier Western-like transformations.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter 1: Introduction and Methodology: Outlines the scope of the study, the research objectives regarding post-colonial underdevelopment, and the comparative methodology used for Kenya and Ethiopia.
Chapter 2: Framework: literature, concepts and definitions of underdevelopment: Reviews existing academic literature and theoretical approaches to define underdevelopment within the context of African historical and political realities.
Chapter 3: Colonialist and post-colonialist’s legacies in East Africa: Traces the historical progression of colonization and the subsequent intensification of underdevelopment through foreign-imposed regimes and ideologies.
4. Country profiles and analysis criteria for underdevelopment: Provides a detailed analysis of Kenya and Ethiopia using specific indicators like geography, economics, and socio-political factors to evaluate underdevelopment.
Chapter 5: Conclusions: Synthesizes the findings, arguing that underdevelopment is an amalgam of ideological, historical, and regional factors rather than a result of a single cause.
Keywords
Underdevelopment, Post-colonialism, East Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Colonial legacy, African Socialism, Modernization Theory, Dependency Theory, Political ideology, Regional dynamics, Economic indicators, Tribalism, Imperialism, Development.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research investigates the causes and persistence of underdevelopment in East African nations during the post-independence period, specifically focusing on the legacy of colonial influence and imported ideologies.
Which countries are used as case studies?
The paper performs a comparative analysis of Kenya, a former British protectorate, and Ethiopia, an ancient monarchy that experienced limited direct colonization.
What is the central research question?
The study asks whether post-colonial underdevelopment can be explained solely by historical origins and colonial inheritance, or if it is defined by a more complex interplay of internal political regimes and regional dynamics.
Which methodologies are applied in this study?
The research utilizes a qualitative comparative analysis, reviewing literature and applying various indicators—including geographical, economic, and socio-political factors—to assess the developmental status of the chosen states.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body examines the literature on underdevelopment, analyzes the impact of colonial policies and foreign regimes, and details the specific country profiles of Kenya and Ethiopia regarding their economic and social challenges.
How are the key terms in this study defined?
Key terms such as underdevelopment are analyzed through their historical, economic, and ideological connotations, reflecting their evolution from colonial tools into complex post-colonial realities.
Why is Ethiopia compared to Kenya despite their different colonial histories?
The comparison highlights that even countries with different colonial experiences face similar problems of economic imbalance and political authoritarianism, proving that underdevelopment is not solely dependent on the duration of colonial rule.
What role does 'African Socialism' play in the findings?
The study identifies African Socialism as an indigenous reaction to imposed foreign capitalist ideologies, meant to re-align African societies with traditional communal values while navigating post-colonial challenges.
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- Martina Petkova (Autor:in), 2014, Explaining Underdevelopment in East Africa in the Post-Independence Period, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/303876
