Monday, July 18, 2005
The Niger scandal
The country of Niger doesn't need epistemology. It needs regime change.
Here's a good set of stories on recent events there. Essentially, the NGOs and aid agencies are trying hard, but the local government is too stupid to go along with them.
It has lots of uranium, which is what started the "other" scandal, and farmland which produces plentifully in good years. If those resources could be used intelligently, Niger could be a moderately successful country.
Can we spell "colonialism"?
At some point Africa will have to cast off Soviet-era propaganda and decide which is more important: full and corrupt independence, or survival. Hopefully soon.
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Later: Could be a secondary advantage. For the last few decades, France has been acting like a non-custodial father: driving recklessly, shooting up the saloon. Possibly he would behave better if he got custody of his African 'offspring' again.
(I'm reminded of the old joke, "What happens when you play a country's record backwards?") He might also be able to send some of his Mohammedans back to the colonies, where they could help rebuild those places instead of causing trouble at home.
The country of Niger doesn't need epistemology. It needs regime change.
Here's a good set of stories on recent events there. Essentially, the NGOs and aid agencies are trying hard, but the local government is too stupid to go along with them.
It has lots of uranium, which is what started the "other" scandal, and farmland which produces plentifully in good years. If those resources could be used intelligently, Niger could be a moderately successful country.
Can we spell "colonialism"?
At some point Africa will have to cast off Soviet-era propaganda and decide which is more important: full and corrupt independence, or survival. Hopefully soon.
-----
Later: Could be a secondary advantage. For the last few decades, France has been acting like a non-custodial father: driving recklessly, shooting up the saloon. Possibly he would behave better if he got custody of his African 'offspring' again.
(I'm reminded of the old joke, "What happens when you play a country's record backwards?") He might also be able to send some of his Mohammedans back to the colonies, where they could help rebuild those places instead of causing trouble at home.
Labels: epistemology
¶ 10:17 PM
