European Imperialism
European Imperialism enforced on African countries has been questionable for many years. Whether it had a positive or negative effect on these countries has not been proven. Some countries have become very prosperous and wealthy, while on the other hand, some are extremely poor and have no stability.
One example of the positive effects of European Imperialism includes the introduction of farming to Africa. Africa has plenty of arable land, which creates jobs and money to be made just from growing different crops. Also, European Imperialism helped Africa develop new technology, better education, and better medicine. This resulted in the poverty level decreasing, the life expectancy increasing, and the number of educated also increasing.
One example of the negative effects of imperialism on African countries was the Diamond Trade in Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone was originally colonized by Britain in 1961. Shortly after, the British introduced the exportation of diamonds from Sierra Leone to other nations around the world, to make a profit. Thirty years later, civil war broke out in this country due to the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). They called different governments of Sierra Leone corrupt and accused them of mismanagement of the diamonds which ultimately created the want to replace the government. The RUF then murdered civilians for the demand for diamonds from the government. Even after the civil war ended, problems still plague Sierra Leone.
Another negative effect on European Imperialism is the HIV/AIDS crisis in Botswana. This disease was brought to Botswana by the interaction between Europeans and the Botswana people. This disease has become such a problem, about 1/3 of babies born to HIV-positive mothers will become infected. Also, the life expectancy in Botswana dropped from 65 to less than 40 in a matter of approximately 10 years. There were improvements and detriments caused by imperialism but as shown, the negative effects dominate...
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