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irateplatypus · 01-13-2005, 09:21 PM

even if it was perfectly moral for us to invest similar amounts of resources into africa as we did into post-war europe... it wouldn't have nearly the same effect.

the problem with making a similar investment in africa is that the social and technological factors that drive such developments are not present on the continent. when you rebuild countries that already have the infrastructure for heavy industry (expertise on method, tooling, engineers, work ethic & expectations, education etc.) all that is needed is the infusion of capital to get the wheels of commerce rolling again.

in africa, these factors are not firmly entrenched. african societies are not purely post-industrial revolutionary like the US, Europe, Japan and other economic powerhouses are. in a way, they've been force to piggyback upon the modern world without having time to allow their cultures to make the changes and compensations needed to succeed in a completely new economic paradigm.

imagine dropping a modern detroit car manufacturing plant in 17th century europe. however brilliant men of that time might be... they've never seen a computer, assembly line, power tool. they have little knowledge of shift/worker management in such an environment... they would have no appreciation for the expertise needed in maintaning the equipment. the amount of capital and prepoderance of goodwill would do little to put a dent in the problems involved with industrializing that society to the degree where they could become autonomous with such foreign methods.

while the industrialized world heads in it's own direction with increasing velocity, it leaves those without the social infrastructure for industry increasingly lagging behind. a marshall plan would be folly at this time. the money would be wasted.

01-13-2005, 09:21 PM	#17 (permalink)
irateplatypus can't help but laugh Location: dar al-harb	even if it was perfectly moral for us to invest similar amounts of resources into africa as we did into post-war europe... it wouldn't have nearly the same effect. the problem with making a similar investment in africa is that the social and technological factors that drive such developments are not present on the continent. when you rebuild countries that already have the infrastructure for heavy industry (expertise on method, tooling, engineers, work ethic & expectations, education etc.) all that is needed is the infusion of capital to get the wheels of commerce rolling again. in africa, these factors are not firmly entrenched. african societies are not purely post-industrial revolutionary like the US, Europe, Japan and other economic powerhouses are. in a way, they've been force to piggyback upon the modern world without having time to allow their cultures to make the changes and compensations needed to succeed in a completely new economic paradigm. imagine dropping a modern detroit car manufacturing plant in 17th century europe. however brilliant men of that time might be... they've never seen a computer, assembly line, power tool. they have little knowledge of shift/worker management in such an environment... they would have no appreciation for the expertise needed in maintaning the equipment. the amount of capital and prepoderance of goodwill would do little to put a dent in the problems involved with industrializing that society to the degree where they could become autonomous with such foreign methods. while the industrialized world heads in it's own direction with increasing velocity, it leaves those without the social infrastructure for industry increasingly lagging behind. a marshall plan would be folly at this time. the money would be wasted. __________________ If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves. ~ Winston Churchill