It looks as though my advice to Let Africa Sink has been comprehensively ignored by ultra-liberal Ex-BritPM Tony Blair (OMG, not him again), who is suggesting that Moar Foreign Aid will fix Africa’s problems. (Predictably, in the manner of socialists everywhere, if their system fails, the answer is to do it again, only harder.) This is recommended despite the history of foreign aid sent to Africa:
This time, however, the loathsome Blair seems to have acknowledged the failure of the West’s foreign aid policies (tacitly, at least), and has therefore added a new wrinkle: more foreign aid, plus… recolonization. Details of this lunacy can be found here — and fair warning, it is a long, long read. However, it’s worth the hassle, because in explaining Blair’s case for aid plus recolonization, the article contains a massive number of graphs and charts which outline, in extraordinary detail, just how badly and how comprehensively the African continent has managed to fuck things up. Sample (from many such), which shows what actually happens to most foreign aid:
Blair’s answer, which is wonderful, can be summarized as follows:
- We Shall Run Your Governments
- We Shall Run Your Infrastructure
- We Shall Run Your Economies
- We Shall Run Your Education and Health
- We Shall Colonize You by Bringing You Here
(The last, by the way, has already been liberal governments’ policy for decades.)
Given liberal / socialist Western governments’ own track records in running government, infrastructure, the economy, education and health, a sensible African would run from both Blair’s suggestions and their existing predicament. (But that assumes that anyone’s sensible over there, which is a stretch.)
The most breathtaking hypothesis put forward in the article comes right at the end.
“What if Africa really is a continent inhabited by those to whom natural selection has bequeathed a different behavioral heritage than the rest of the planet?”
For the mealy-mouthed phrase “bequeathed different behavioral heritage“, substitute the more realistic “rendered incapable of self-government“.
I’d suggest that Blair read Kipling’s trenchant and disillusioned poem, The White Man’s Burden, which says quite plainly that regardless of all the West’s good intentions and efforts, the Third World will nevertheless sink into the pit. But no doubt, Blair was taught that Kipling was an eeeevil imperialist and should therefore be ignored.
So, to sum up our opposing positions:
“The state of Africa is a scar on the conscience of the world [and we have to help them].” — Tony Blair
“It’s their own fucking fault. Let Africa sink.” — Kim du Toit
Feel free to disagree with me. But I have history on my side.
Many, many thanks to Reader Jason R, who got this ball rolling by sending me the link to the Those Who Can See article.
Two thoughts. As a young man in the 1960s I immersed myself in the new field of Socio-biology and mankinds origins via findings of anthropology. Robert Ardrey was a brilliant playwright who found himself on a similar journey. One of his insightful observations was basically “inferior people get inferior environments.” That sums up my thoughts to this day.
The other thought was this. I gave up on Britain back in the 1970s. The African madman Idi Amin made a British General crawl on hands and knees into a hut for a meeting. Instead of SAS guys buzz gunning that POS a General crawled to meet him. Contemporary acct below from commie NYTimes…. The Brits went from ruling a good chunk of the world to groveling. I follow what is going on in Britain today (and most of Europe) and sadly conclude that Britain is lost.
https://www.nytimes.com/1975/06/23/archives/uganda-says-britons-won-a-stay-on-their-knees-uganda-says-queens.html
It is said that China is making a major push into sub-Saharan Africa.
I say, they are welcome to it.
They just might find that they have attempted to push the hegemony of the Forbidden City too far……again.
And, like Kim, I think I also have history on my side.
Maybe we should look at Tibet as having been a trial run. The String of Pearls strategy as carried out so far suggests that an extension down the east coast of Africa is in the cards. Chinese companies (aka the regime) already have a firm grip on agriculture in Ethiopia. The PLA Navy is engaging in piracy suppression operations off the East African coast.
Oh, and in “we shall colonize you by bringing you here?” who exactly is colonizing whom?
More broadly, what is immigration, what is colonization, and what is invasion?
OK, there’s some command and control involved in invasion and colonization, but they’re basically the same thing with different degrees of being “kinetic” and differences in how the resources get extracted from the invadee or colonizee.
Migration be grass roots or it may be top down. But according to military historian Martin van Creveld, former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has said “migration without the intent of assimilation is invasion; an act of war.” (Pournelle, Jerry. There Will Be War Volume X (Kindle Locations 1811-1812). Castalia House. Kindle Edition)
The UK has decided that paying off invaders so that they would stay away was so early medieval. It’s so much more modern to pay them to come.
Hegemony is much cheaper, and easier than colonialism.
China’s going the hegemony route- just a few bribes in the right place, and you can get your resources for pennies on the dollar, or nice fat contracts for your nation’s companies to build infrastructure. You have a nice market for your exports, and they don’t have to meet the EU or US quality standards. And all this without having to risk a single soldier or colonial governor- should things go to hell, you just wait until the bullets stop flying, and bribe the new guys.
With colonialism, you have to actually govern and care for people. Which means providing a police force, government, building schools and hospitals (out of your pocket), building and maintaining infrastructure (again out of your own pocket), and providing a lot of bodies to do dangerous stuff while building resentment among the nationals.
Relying on the recent report by my GP (of South African origin, and worldly-wise) the Chinese have taken hold in Zimbabwe. No need to pay the Chinese entrepreneur much at all – instead, let him become owner of miles of prime river-front land; or ensure that there are always labourers and electricity at the chinese mine-site, and let the Europeans look after themselves. Hundreds of chinamen are brought in to construct infrastructure (usually roads and rail) for chinese owned mines, and then presumably they and their pay-packets go home.
(Heck, we sometimes hear of similar things in PNG).
Pity that most of our MSM are doing introspective ‘reality shows’ rather than tackling World politics
The British built an Empire for one reason. Money. Cold, hard, cash profits from trade. If you take a look, what did the British control? Canada (trade with natives, originally), Australia (place to send convicts), India (trading partner), Hong Kong (access to China trade). And every strategic choke point. Singapore. The Cape of Good Hope. Gibraltar. Aden.
What profit is there in Africa these days? China may go after it for natural resources…though I think the Indians will have quite a bit to say about that. Anticipate that the next big naval war will take place in the Indian Ocean, over control of shipping routes.
Hence the Chinese one belt, one road initiative.
Africa; never visited but for over 20 years I worked for an organization up to it’s overflowing moneybags sponsoring most every imaginable/unimaginable aid project there and elsewhere. Early on I took notice of the 20th-25th anniversary of an African countries first telecomm project along with a list of subsequent aid projects flogged as “successful”. “Reveille-Reveille” was sounded when I then considered the “less than tin can & string” reputation of the countries, not to mention the continent’s, telecommunications systems.
Fondly recall friends having an abiding love for Kenya having met, married and spent formative years of their marriage & career as expats there. Unfortunately airbrushed from history is Kenya’s Mau Mau troubles of the 1950’s.
Less than fondly, I recall the profound sadness of a Rhodesian girlfriend whose family lost family holdings following independence in 1980. Also a similar story from a Portuguese acquaintance with family in Angola.
Interesting that in 1980 Robert Mugabe promised white Rhodesians equal standing with the black majority. Any changes would occur in an orderly manner over time. So much for that one as subsequent “redistribution of lands” were at times violent. Barbarically so. Overall, Mugabe’s redistribution policies contributed to long-term economic decline.
Regressing forward, in February 2018 a member of South Africa’s parliament, Julius Malema, led an overwhelming vote for confiscation of white-owned farmlands without compensation. A long sought goal, in previous comments about land confiscation Malema stated he was “not calling for the slaughter of white people – at least for now”.
Mr Malema’s remarks to parliament were reported to include; the time for “reconciliation is over; now is the time for justice.” “We must ensure that we restore the dignity of our people without compensating the criminals who stole our land.” “’It is about our dignity. We do not seek revenge… all that our people ever wanted is their land to which their dignity is rooted and founded.”
Malema’s goal of land confiscation is said to have significantly contributed to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent election victory.
As for Africa, let it sink…like a bloody rock.
According to my SA contacts, he’s openly calling for the slaughter of whites now.
Things are changing fast.
Don’t forget the Congolese revolution of the 1960’s. I just remembered reading Congo Kitabu by Jean-Pierre Hallet. He movingly describes the destruction of the Belgian Congo by madmen.
Kim, the first thing he needs to read is Kitchener’s School. Written in 1898, it provides a useful signpost for how disillusioned Kipling became.
Kitchener’s School
1898
Being a translation of the song that was made by a Mohammedan
schoolmaster of Bengal Infantry (some time on service at Suakim)
when he heard that Kitchener was taking money from the English to
build a Madrissa for Hubshees — or a college for the Sudanese at Khartoum.
OH, HUBSHEE, carry your shoes in your hand and bow your head on your breast!
This is the message of Kitchener who did not break you in jest.
It was permitted to him to fulfill the long-appointed years;
Reaching the end ordained of old over your dead Emirs.
He stamped only before your walls, and the Tomb ye knew was dust:
He gathered up under his armpits all the swords of your trust:
He set a guard on your granaries, securing the weak from the strong:
He said: — ” Go work the waterwheels that were abolished so long.”
He said: — “Go safely, being abased. I have accomplished my vow.”
That was the mercy of Kitchener. Cometh his madness now!
He does not desire as ye desire, nor devise as ye devise:
He is preparing a second host — an army to make you wise.
Not at the mouth of his clean-lipped guns shall ye learn his name again,
But letter by letter, from Kaf to Kaf, at the mouths of his chosen men.
He has gone back to his own city, not seeking presents or bribes,
But openly asking the English for money to buy you Hakims and scribes.
Knowing that ye are forfeit by battle and have no right to live,
He begs for money to bring you learning — and all the English give.
It is their treasure — it is their pleasure — thus are their hearts inclined:
For Allah created the English mad — the maddest of all mankind!
They do not consider the Meaning of Things; they consult not creed nor clan.
Behold, they clap the slave on the back, and behold, he ariseth a man!
They terribly carpet the earth with dead, and before their cannon cool,
They walk unarmed by twos and threes to call the living to school.
How is this reason (which is their reason) to judge a scholar’s worth,
By casting a ball at three straight sticks and defending the same with a fourth?
But this they do (which is doubtless a spell) and other matters more strange,
Until, by the operation of years, the hearts of their scholars change:
Till these make come and go great boats or engines upon the rail
(But always the English watch near by to prop them when they fail);
Till these make laws of their own choice and Judges of their own blood;
And all the mad English obey the Judges and say that that Law is good.
Certainly they were mad from of old; but I think one new thing,
That the magic whereby they work their magic — wherefrom their fortunes spring —
May be that they show all peoples their magic and ask no price in return.
Wherefore, since ye are bond to that magic, O Hubshee, make haste and learn!
Certainly also is Kitchener mad. But one sure thing I know —
If he who broke you be minded to teach you, to his Madrissa go!
Go, and carry your shoes in your hand and bow your head on your breast,
For he who did not slay you in sport, he will not teach you in jest.