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Pages:
8 pages/≈2200 words
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Style:
APA
Subject:
Mathematics & Economics
Type:
Essay
Language:
English (U.S.)
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Topic:

Africa in the World Economy

Essay Instructions:

1. How important are historical or geographical factors in explaining Africa's current outcomes on development? Discuss using some examples like (1) Africa's ancient history on statehood or timing of agricultural revolution, (2) the tsetse fly, (3) the relative absence of plough agriculture, and (4) persistence of technological differences between Europe and Africa since 1500 AD. Discuss theories as to why old history would still matter today.

2. Discuss the effect of the slave trade on Africa's poverty today. Discuss the direct evidence for the slave trade having left a negative effect on Africa's per capita GDP today, and then discuss the evidence for the slave trade having caused a legacy of mistrust today among those groups that were most victimized. How convincing is the evidence that the slave trade CAUSED poverty and mistrust today? Why theoretically might the effect of the slave trade on trust lasted so long?

3. True or False. Misallocation of land, labor, and capital helps explain Africa's poverty. Discuss:

a. Why misallocation affects per capita income

b. Evidence for misallocation

C. The effect of government policies on misallocation

d. The effect of institutions like property rights on misallocation

4. True or False. "Washington Consensus" or "neoliberal” market-oriented economic reforms enabled Africa to escape stagnation and to enjoy healthy per capita economic growth. Discuss

a. What is the theory on why or why not markets are good for development

b. What "neoliberal" economic policies are most relevant to growth potential c. What economic theory predicts about the effect of reforming those policies on the economy d. What are trends in those reforms

e. Whether evidence on economic policies and growth can resolve causality .

f. What are the stylized facts on policy reforms and growth outcomes in Africa and elsewhere

5. True or False. Authoritarian leaders like Meles Zenawi in Ethiopia and Paul Kagame in Rwanda had high growth during their time in office, just like China's autocrats have also had. So dictatorship is better than democracy for development. Discuss:

a. The theory as to whether democracy or dictatorship is better for development

b. How best to define and measure democracy

c. How to interpret the evidence on autocratic vs democratic leaders' performance on growth

d. Competing explanations for the higher variance of growth under autocrats than under democrats

e. Evidence relating democracy as an institution to level of development and rate of growth

Essay Sample Content Preview:

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Assignment
Question 1
During the second half of the 18th century, the number of enslaved Africans carried to the New World reached an all-time high through Africa's ancient history of statehood and the time of the agricultural revolution are both fascinating topics. Commodity exports filled the void left by the end of the Atlantic slave trade in reaction to anti-slave trade legislation. African commodities export growth was boosted by the installation of colonial power in the continent's interior (Adamopoulos & Restuccia, 2014). When this commercial transformation was implemented in East Africa, it had already been completed in West Africa. Apart from the fact that it marked a significant step forward in the evolution of tropical agriculture into land-intensive forms, including small farmers, communal farms, and estates, it also ended the constant departure of restricted labor from the region.
Due to the infestation of the tsetse flies and the loss of African cattle, rail networks in Africa had to be built with the help of European colonial powers to bring about significant changes to the African labor and land markets (Alsan, 2015). Even though colonial governments prohibited slavery, other forms of forced labor, including child labor, were developed in its place. Regardless, the African scramble may never have taken place if it were not for the commercialization that preceded it. Changing Africa's commercial landscape is critical in light of North Atlantic industrialization's rising demand for industrial inputs.
Manufacturers and raw materials were in high demand throughout Africa because of the absence of plow agriculture, transportation revolutions, free trade policies in Europe, and rising GDP growth rates. Exports of palm oil, groundnut oil, gum, ivory, gold, and skins and hides increased due to African producers meeting this need. In addition to its use as an ingredient in food and soap, palm oil was a significant export. Trade-in of basic materials like rubber and copper was brisk before and after the rush. Cash crops like cocoa and coffee also made an appearance. Most of these products made their way to firms and consumers in Europe before being sent out.
Colonization costs were reduced even further in the twentieth century due to technical advancements in Europe. For Europeans in Africa's parched and disease-ridden interior, this achievement was made possible by the Maxim gun. Diplomats met in Berlin in 1884 to debate how to divide Africa among the European imperialists, which is when the price growth peaked, according to historical records (Michalopoulos & Papaioannou, 2016). When the value of African exports peaked in terms of the exchange rate, a flurry of activity ensued. The value of trade terms has more than tripled in the last four decades. Commodities exporters have seen a rebound in business, but Africa has been the most impressive.
Question 2
An enormous amount of research has been done to figure out what is causing Africa's growth problem. Slavery had a disastrous effect on African society, as recounted by African historians. Case studies show that slavery resulted in political and social fragmentation, the weake...
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