Customer Reviews

The Fate Of Africa: A History Of Fifty Years Of Independence

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This impressive history of Africa is a thorough and detailed investigation of the reasons for the continent's dismal failure. Although filled with facts and figures, the work is quite accessible and readable as it charts the bitter history of 50 years of independence from its hopeful beginnings to today's total despair, in just 2 generations.

Ghana was the first African state to gain independence in 1957; it was ruined within 8 years. Today the whole continent produces less than Mexico. Upon taking power, African leaders appointed their cronies in government instead of properly trained civil servants, of which there weren't many anyway. These ruling elites indulged in corruption, oppression and bribery from the beginning.

The continent has been cursed with corrupt, incompetent and greedy leaders who never cared for their subjects. There have been at least 40 successful and many more unsuccessful coup attempts these 5 decades. The latest fashion is to hold sham elections. In oil producing countries like Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria and Cameroon, all the oil money ends up in the pockets of small ruling cliques while ordinary people subsist in misery.

The chapters are arranged according to this rogue's gallery of leaders like Amin, Bokassa, Mobutu, Nyerere, Banda, Mugabe, Kaunda, Kenyatta, Mengistu, Nasser, Nguema, Nkrumah. Other reasons for the failure are also considered, for example the rapid rise in population and unfavourable trade terms with the West.

But always the pattern repeats: coup d'etat, cruelty, misery, murder, refugees and the collapse of infrastructure. No matter how much money the West throws at the problem. Africa has had the equivalent of six "Marshall Plans" but the money ends up in Swiss bank accounts. Since independence, the Nigerian elites have stolen about $350 billion.

Meredith also looks at the exceptions like Botswana, South Africa and Senegal. These countries are multiparty democracies with well-run economies. They represent some hope that Africa might one day join civilization.

I also recommend The Shackled Continent by Robert Guest. Like State Of Africa, it can be heartbreaking at times, but the overall tone is optimistic, and realistically so. The book leaves an impression of hope and the reader can only pray that good government may eventually come to Africa.

A FATE OF AFRICA is a beautifully written work that provides a fascinating insight into the continent's history, underdevelopment and civil strife. Devoid of sentimentality and full of objectivity, the author conveys the deep message, which explains not only the resilience of the continent but also the ravages that it has been subjected to throughout its turbulent history. Behind the tragedies of the continent are the heavy hands of the ex-colonial masters and the exploitative drives of some business concerns working in partnership with African dictators, psychopaths and administrative kleptomaniacs that have power and are excluding the people in the running of the land. With more piteous prospects than any other continent, Africa mirrors the failures of humanity as well as its hopes and reams.
Other titles that treat this African malaise are DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE , AFRICA UNCHAINED, THE SCHACKLED CONTINENT, TRIPLE AGENT DOUBLE CROSS. Together these titles exposed the personal and collective problems of the people and the personal and collective efforts made, and the means and ways to take the Africa forward despite all the constrains.

This monumental work by Martin Meredith should be read by anybody at all curious or concerned about Africa. It is a very grim and dark story about the continent since the colonial powers granted independence and retreated back to Europe. Starting with Ghana, one country after another started off well enough with a framework of democracy and infastructure, then promptly slid straight into corruption, incompetence, cronyism, cruelty, and crime. Sort of the five C's. And it continues to this day under miserable leaders like Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.
This is depressing reading for the pattern continues in country after country, one leader after the other, and war after war, famine after famine. A rich continent is a basket case yet has every reason to be prosperous and vibrant. Only South Africa gives a glimmer of hope but that country still has many massive problems to overcome before it can reach out and help its neighbours.
This is a book of the politics of despair and cynics who care nothing for the people they are supposed to lead and protect. Revolt against this tyranny is either crushed or replaced with more of the same. It can only be hoped that now there is no excuse for any western powers to support these monstrous regimes for any reason. Martin Meredith has exposed the truth. He must be truly hated by Africa's ruling elites.

...as this is one hefty book and looooong. Having said that, it is pretty clear and concise writing. The problem is you read about one thug ruler after another and they all start to blur into one. This is more a coffee drinking (not table) book to digest over many cups. I basically read this in spurts to absorb what each chapter had to say and to differentiate my AS Toures from my Omar Bongos.

All I can say is the fate of Africa could not be in worse hands post-colonialism. Depressing read and makes you wonder, what the what planet are these rulers on.

Meredith offers his reader ones of the most comprehensively readible and gripping histories of a continent's modern demise. By describing numerous horror stories of failed governments, wanton cruelty, personal avarice, human misery, and western complicity, the author reduces the book to an almost Conradian pronouncement of doom found in the words of Kurt at the end of "Heart of Darkness". The fate of Africa as a geopolitical entity and expression is one balancing on the thin edge of razor stretched over a gigantic chasm waiting to swallow it into oblivion. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the origins of this whole mess and is prepared to keep his or her optimism for a future turnaround in check. Many parts of the "Dark Continent" have become the modern example of 'hell on earth'. Meredith is both thorough and poignant in his telling of a very bleary tale.