How Europe Underdeveloped Africa Book Review

“Quite apart from the moral aspect and the immense suffering it caused, the European slave trade was economically totally irrational from the viewpoint of African development” (113). How Europe Underdeveloped Africa discusses the multifaceted issues concerning Africa’s history of development and the reasons for its acute and persisting underdevelopment, as well as the gross misperceptions about African history relating to its development in academia. Throughout the book– which is organized like a long, multi-part essay– Walter argues that Europe’s exploitation and domination of Africa in the early stages of its development derailed any further possible development, entrapping the continent into a state that it otherwise would not have evolved to had been allowed to mature on its own. His message is clear: Europe developed precisely because Africa was dispossessed of many of its people, natural resources, and fundamental social structures. He also relates how this was able to happen, drawing on both well-known and underrepresented parts of African history, as well as its centuries of courageous reaction to the economic and cultural devastation brought by merciless European slave-traders and rapacious colonists. 

How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, Walter Rodney.

The most significant thing that I took away from this book was its anti-colonial approach to history, which I believe should be a part of every school’s curriculum, especially in higher education. The one who has power in society creates and generates the knowledge, which is learned, as Foucault says. Unfortunately, the powers which made Africa, notably Europe, have controlled history for too long– instilling in us the notions which keep Africa in inferiority like “Africa is poor because its people are inherently unskilled and lazy” or “Europe helped Africa develop.” These statements are blatantly wrong, even racist, yet widely accepted. Reading Rodney is the polar opposite of reading the version of African history we’ve all heard. He, as a renowned and respected African scholar, relates the true version of history– one of the destruction of fledgling African societies and kingdoms and continued economic and cultural sabotage. He also dismisses the claim that Africans are in any way “backward” compared to their European counterparts. No, he states, they are the most resilient race of people in the history of the world and have rebuilt so much of what they have lost. On a broader note, we believe what we learn– see the world through what we know– so it is important to inform ourselves through many perspectives, especially when talking about history because otherwise the truth is so contorted that it is no longer truthful at all. So next time you hear a generalized claim about Africa being at fault for its underdevelopment or even that it had no civilized pre-colonial history, ask yourself: “Are these the words of Africa’s oppressors or Africans themselves?”

  Furthermore, Rodney makes a compelling argument about racism and its role in the conquest of Africa. After presenting pre-colonial African development, he investigates Africa from the slave-trade to colonialism to its “independence.” Through his argument, he develops a strong message about the European instrument of racism. He argues,“It was economics that determined that Europe should invest in Africa and control the continent’s raw materials and labor. It was racism which confirmed the decision that the form of control should be direct colonial rule” (168). Rodney’s argument made me think of racism in the context of the slave-trade and colonialism differently than I had before. The moral evil of slavery and the continued exploitation of Africa was justified by racism– it was a veritable excuse for Europe’s plunder of Africa apart from its economic benefit. 

All in all, I really liked this book. I certainly was not expecting the Marxist perspective in Rodney’s writing, but it made sense with his argument. This work is important and still pertinent to this day though it was published over fifty years ago– fortunately, progress has been made, but not nearly enough for Africa to “catch up” in any significant way. Overall. I think it’s an important read if you’re interested in world history as it presents a new perspective of the narrative we’ve been taught and offers an in-depth analysis of the effects of colonialism in Africa…