How strongly has colonialism shaped the trajectories of post-colonial Essay

How strongly has colonialism shaped the trajectories of post-colonial African countries Discuss using one or several examples - Essay Example Would they have been richer or poorer today? This question has elicited debate for more than five decades, and also instigating exciting research by economic historians in colonial archives, an aspect, which has put the debate on a sound empirical footing. Some study findings have shown evidence of improved economic development outcomes within the period of colonialism. For instance, in the British West Africa, there was an increase of real wages (Frankema and Van Waaijenburg 2005, 34). Additionally, the status of military recruits in British East Africa and Ghana indicated that the height was increased during the colonial period, a pointer of increasing prosperity. Other arguments are that colonial rule was predatory. Should we consider this as evidence that colonialism was good for development in African countries? It should be considered that assessing the impact of colonialism does not only involve just looking at raw numbers, but also taking into consideration the counterfactual . We need to think on what the trajectories of African societies would have been at present if colonialism did not take place. Reid, (2002) observe that most African countries saw a steady rise on incomes during the colonial period. Africans reaped the benefits in development of infrastructure such as roads and railways as well as the mining technology. Colonization also led to deep integration of these African states into the World Trade Center and the world economy (115). However, it is still unclear n the extent by which such developments were contributed by colonialism and whether the development would have happened anyway due to the wake of global trade expansions or any other reason. The fact that there was a rise in the standard of living does not imply that all people’s living standards improved. Just taking an example from South Africa, the immiserising impact of land expropriation and establishment of â€Å"dual economies† on

Environmental Fundamentals Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environmental Fundamentals Paper - Essay Example by physicists through their proficiency in physical laws. Computer scientists, mathematicians and engineers are involved in environmental science through computer modeling and technical innovations. Biomedical expertise contributes by assessing health repercussions of environmental issues, such as disease and pollution. Question Two In the 20th century, scientific and technological advancements contributed largely to the development of industrial societies that used underground resources extensively. This resulted in societies characterized by large-volume production, consumption and waste. However, on the other hand, the resources of the earth are limited, as well as the natural environment’s ability to assimilate the enormous volumes of waste (Carson, 2002). This has given rise to environmental issues globally, ranging widely from acid rain to global warming, tropical rainforests and ozone layer destruction and desertification. Environmentalists have traced all these occurre nces to the increasing human activity facilitated by growth in science and technology. However, the progress of science and technology can also be used to resolve global environmental issues. The same power of science and technology can develop monitoring systems to warn of dangerous levels of pollution or emissions, hence triggering reduction or control measures. Innovations that have positively impacted the environment include the hybrid car and the catalytic converter. Science and technology can, therefore, be both a cause and solution to environmental issues in society today. Question Three The concept of environmental sustainability is important because it addresses ways in which human beings can accomplish a lifestyle that meets their fundamental survival requirements in a manner that can carry on indefinitely without causing harm to the natural ecosystems as well as their biodiversities. As a key topic in environmental studies, sustainability is an example of how policy and e nvironmental science may be used to resolve environmental problems. Historically, unsustainable interactions between people and their environments have been linked to migration, whereby human activity tampers with the ecosystem in a new settlement due to lack of technology or knowledge for sustainable interaction (Carson, 2002). With the ongoing non-sustainable human population explosion, the study of sustainability promotes the problem solving skills and facilitates problem-oriented researches towards a sustainable use of resources. The enormous global human population of over seven billion is rapidly heading towards an unsustainable level in terms of resource utilization, which makes sustainability more than just a study area, but also an economic, social and political tool in community service. Question Four Human intentions towards nature determine how they play their role towards sustainability and conservation. Organic farming, green building and recycling contribute towards s ustaina