Synopses & Reviews
Why is Africa so poor? Why are so many of its nations at war? Why is AIDS devastating Africa like nowhere else? And why do African entrepreneurs find it so hard to borrow money? In this provocative and thoughtful book, Guest argues that the continent remains poor primarily because it is badly governed. Since the colonial powers pulled out, the autocrats who largely replaced them have struggled to keep order, let alone create an atmosphere conducive to economic development. The results have been devastating: Two-fifths of African nations are at war, AIDS has lowered life expectancy to as young as 40 years, lack of collateral makes investment almost impossible, and foreign aid has had very little effect on the daily lives of the poor. The Shackled Continent provides a persuasive look into the persistent problems of modern Africa and offers some possible solutions. What Africa needs is peace, the rule of law, and greater freedom for individuals to pursue prosperity without hindrance from their rulers. The prescription many sound simple, but it is tough to administer, as Guest's investigations from Angola to Zimbabwe reveal.
Synopsis
A former Africa editor for
The Economist, Robert Guest addresses the troubled continent's thorniest problems: war, AIDS, and above all, poverty. Newly updated with a preface that considers political and economic developments of the past six years,
The Shackled Continent is engrossing, highly readable, and as entertaining as it is tragic.
Guest pulls the veil off the corruption and intrigue that cripple so many African nations, posing a provocative theory that Africans have been impoverished largely by their own leaders' abuses of power. From the minefields of Angola to the barren wheat fields of Zimbabwe, Guest gathers startling evidence of the misery African leaders have inflicted on their people. But he finds elusive success stories and examples of the resilience and resourcefulness of individual Africans, too; from these, he draws hope that the continent will eventually prosper. Guest offers choices both commonsense and controversial for Africans and for those in the West who wish Africa well.
Synopsis
In this provocative and thoughtful book, Guest argues that the continent of Africa remains poor primarily because it is badly governed. "The Shackled Continent" provides a persuasive look into the persistent problems of modern Africa and offers some possible solutions.
About the Author
Robert Guest is a Washington correspondent for The Economist and regularly appears on CNN and the BBC. Previously, he covered Africa for seven years, based in London and Johannesburg. He has also worked as a correspondent in Tokyo and a freelance writer in South Korea. He lives in Washington, DC.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction: Why is Africa So Poor?
The Vampire State
Digging Diamonds, Digging Graves
No Title
Sex and Death
The Son of a Snake is a Snake
Fair Aid, Free Trade
Of Potholes and Grasping Gendarmes
Wiring the Wilderness
Beyond the Rainbow Nation
Conclusion: One Step at a Time
Epilogue
Notes
Index