from Hacker News

Why Is Africa Poor? Economic unfreedom, not slavery or colonialism

by rzk on 4/14/25, 8:33 PM with 12 comments

• by WarOnPrivacy on 4/14/25, 8:44 PM

  Some background on the publisher.

      "Erec Smith, York College of Pennsylvania [is a] associate professor and co-founder of FreeBlackThought.com"
  

  ref: https://www.bet.com/article/aw585y/black-thought-leaders-bla...

      "Erec Smith is a research fellow at the Cato Institute"
  

  ref: https://www.cato.org/people/erec-smith

• by aurizon on 4/14/25, 9:14 PM

  She is correct. Colonial economics designed to enrich the conquering country = laws to disable the local people and a thick veneer of legalry that obstructed newcos for the people. India is also hampered by this = endemic corruption and bribery. India is better, but has far to go - Africa further but the internet will help. Africa is full of laws that make the internet very expensive. Startink does and end run on many of these = local rulers hate Starlink(for the most part) and steal installations - which are soon set up on ruler's buddies place - once Starlink knows = cut off

• by JohnDeHope on 4/14/25, 9:25 PM

  I found this video to be very educational. How Africa’s Geography Traps it in Endless Poverty https://youtu.be/Y8m95sCDEf0?si=vA5u5DEnFBzP5s1E

• by jmclnx on 4/14/25, 8:56 PM

  Interesting take, but I think there is another reason, Malaria.

  It so devastated Africa that people started evolving resistance to it. That evolution also shortened the life of the "lucky" person who has it. Quote:

  >Due to the high levels of mortality and morbidity ... has placed the greatest selective pressure on the human genetic factors provide some resistance to it including sickle cell trait

  From:

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaria

  Only recently has treatment started to work in Africa, but the damage done is still being felt. Plus the treatment is slow coming from the rich countries.

• by david38 on 4/15/25, 2:01 PM

  In my experience from a poor Latin America country, rich people rob those far away, poor people rob those close.

  If there is no obvious diversification in the path forward, then the resources of wealth are few and easily identified. Ex: oil, banana plantations, etc. These countries are more likely to be like this. With a colonial past, there is a view by the strong they can only steal. It takes an exceptional leader who is strong, cares about his country, willing to kill to defend, and willing to not be bribed by the global powers to turn a country around. And he may still fail.

• by Uzmanali on 4/14/25, 9:07 PM

  I’ve seen firsthand how overregulation and red tape slow down businesses in emerging markets. In one startup, it took months to get approvals, which drained our resources and slowed growth.

  Economic freedom is key, like in Singapore, where a free market encourages innovation. If African governments reduce barriers and create fair systems for entrepreneurs, it could unlock huge potential. Streamlined policies and trade would boost investment, reduce corruption, and help lift people out of poverty. This is the way forward for Africa.

• by formerly_proven on 4/14/25, 8:41 PM

  This blog post is also available as a 500 page book.

  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1846684293

• by BMc2020 on 4/14/25, 10:09 PM

  unfreedom is an orewellian sounding word

• by geenkeuse on 4/14/25, 10:28 PM

  African here. It's greed.Many factors play a part, but the biggest one is greed.

  In a lot of developed countries, getting into power is the start of your mandate. In Africa it is the end.

  Time to start eating.To hell with the future. Why plant a tree if I can't eat from it, they say.