Problems Faced by Newly Independent Countries

Problems Faced by Newly Independent Countries Biggest Question—How to Achieve Social Justice and Economic Development— both can’t be done at the same time

1. Political Instability—Why?

a. Nationalist leaders promised utopia, but not enough resources and unequal distribution of wealth

b. Bitter rivalries pop up

c. Ethnic groups thrown together or split apart by European random boundaries

d. Gov’t focus is now on keeping nation from falling apart so can’t focus on other problems

2. Population Bomb

a. Rising population made industrialization difficult/impossible

b. Why population increase?

i. new crops, decline in intertribal conflict, fewer famines because better transport, improved medical treatment, resistance to birth control, religious beliefs

c. European limit of industrialization made it impossible to deal with growth

i. no factories for labor, couldn’t sell goods to get food from other countries

ii. Popul. Bomb swallows up any production gains

3. Parasitic Cities and Endangered Ecosystems

a. People go to cities but cities lack industrial sectors to provide jobs, so cities become a burden instead of a contributor to growth and take from impoverished and depleted countryside.

i. Large urban slums and shantytowns, people survive by begging, street vending, scavenging, crime, and overstretched countryside can’t keep up with demand

ii. Negative environmental effects—soil depletion, deforestation, industrial pollution (b/c can’t afford antipollution technology)

4. Women’s Cont’d Subordination

a. Women played active role in nationalist struggles but still hold second class societal position i. Problems they face—early marriage, large family size, higher education not an option, usually less well fed (women/girls eat last) and potentially more disease

ii. Women are a major human resource not being utilized by developing countries

5. Economy is in Disarray

a. no diverse economy, no money to buy machines or hire/train people

b. Many try to do what they had done as colonies—sell cash crops/minerals to pay for industrialization. . . . but

i. natural resources are valued less in the global market than manufactured goods

ii. also can’t plan well for the future because prices fluctuate (just look at oil recently) which means countries may not have enough money to develop industry or a market slump causes the country to go deep into debt.

c. Corruption in the bureaucracy is also a huge problem—refusal to implement land reform.

d. Forced to ask for money form World Bank/International Monetary Fund . . . but have to give up . . .

i. military bases

ii. enter into military alliances

iii. favor foreign investors

iv. reduce state subsidies (prices go up but locals can’t afford prices—riots, unrest)