Africa is a continent rich in natural resources. Copper, gold, diamonds, platinum, rubber, and aluminum are just some examples of what the land has to offer. In the nineteenth century, powerful and industrial Europe desired these raw materials in large quantities. The means of acquiring these resources inexpensively came through Europe's colonization and control of Africa, which also gave Europe access to cheap labor. Europe's economy flourished as Africa experienced what theorist Walter Rodney (1972) described as "technical retrogression" (113).
[...] Europe and other countries create allies with African nations in need of debt assistance or military protection, and dependence on Europe is sustained (77). Walter Rodney's belief that the underdevelopment of Africa was caused by European colonialism and capitalism is supported by the dependency theory of global inequality. Colonists actively sought to stop any African industrialization by paying low prices and wages and corrupting the education system and government in many nations. Africa is still troubled by these structural problems and may never escape them until its dependency on Europe is significantly reduced. Africa's continuously growing debt stands in the way of modernization, [...]
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