African Renaissances

[RaMpAgE]

A Rinascita or Risorgimento, an African rebirth after a long colonial death, a golden age for the sorely tried people of Africa.The question is can Africa ever have a Renasissances which can match that which europe had and excel in Religion, Art,education, science, and self-confidence.

If we go back to europe before the Renaissance, Europe was nothing more than a few city states, warlords, alot of wars,poverty and dieases, very much like Africa today.

 

So Can this be achieved or will Africa forever be remeber as the "Dark continent" ravaged by wars,poverty and Dieases too the brink of Extinction?

[La Fidele]

I don't think it's fair or even constructive to compare pre-Reneissance Europe and modern-day Africa; the Europeans of that age never dealt with constraints of even half the magnitude African states face today (globalization: one word says it all).

Who's to say that Africa's renaissance hasn't already occurred? The Empires of Mali (Timbuktu ring a bell?), Ghana, Abyssinia and the Ancient Egyptians and Nubians don't count for much?

[RaMpAgE]

I don't think it's fair or even constructive to compare pre-Reneissance Europe and modern-day Africa; the Europeans of that age never dealt with constraints of even half the magnitude African states face today (globalization: one word says it all).

Who's to say that Africa's renaissance hasn't already occurred?

Actualy Pre-Renesssiance europe was very much like Africa today, full of wars,Poverty, diesases , and colonised by Moorish Warriors but managed too free them selves from that cycle.

Of Course Gobalisation is a major factor affecting africa but i don't think its the main factor.Question is How do we Break this Cycle or Our we doomed till the Day of Qiyama(judgement day).

 

The Empires of Mali (Timbuktu ring a bell?), Ghana, Abyssinia and the Ancient Egyptians and Nubians don't count for much?

Of course these Empires & Kingdoms are the pride of Africa, and african achievement same as the europeans take Pride in Roma and Greece.

[Thinkerman]

Actualy Pre-Renesssiance europe was very much like Africa today, full of wars,Poverty, diesases , and colonised by Moorish Warriors but managed too free them selves from that cycle.

Of Course Gobalisation is a major factor affecting africa but i don't think its the main factor.Question is How do we Break this Cycle or Our we doomed till the Day of Qiyama(judgement day).

Allah Knows best. I am afraid i would have to share the centiment of Jeezera. Although the Parallels you have drawn between Pre-Renacissance europe and Africa are fairly accurate there is a quite siginificant difference.

 

Todays economic and Polotical climate is much more developed, and a variety of post colonial Power Arrangements still remanin in place via dubious oprganisations such as the IMF and the World Bank that simple make life almost impossible for aspiring African Nations that are headed by even the most Admirable Accountable and Progressive Leaders.

 

A variety of Trade Tarrifs, Long term debt repayments and interst on debt repayments, as well as organisations such as the WTO will not allow Africa ever to stamd on its feet. Africa has all the resources it requires to be self sufficent, and thats why the world powers will not let them develop fully.

[KritiKal-Mind]

Western Europe by then dwelt under the flag of feudalism, and Africa's current situation draws semblence to their feudalism. So, could be true that we will witness an African reconassence. Afterall, Africa couldn't get worser than it is now.

[La Fidele]

Again,

there is no arguement that disease, war and poverty are present in both periods; but what's more relevant to analyze is the infrastructure and systems of both periods (feudalism vs. modern state). Disease, war and poverty are invariable factors through all times. I think what would be helpful is to ask what is unique to each period that allows it to foster these calamities?

But I will agree that the neopatrimonial states found in Africa do resemble feudal states more so than the modern notion of a state. But that's a whole other can of worms...

Drawing similarities between the Moorish occupation of the Iberian peninsula European colonization of Africa is a bit of a stretch. Once again, motives matter a lot here: it's like branding enlightenment and oppression as one and the same.

[Sophist]

The difference is between the two, to put is simply, in the European case, there was no complete Economic dependency whereas the african case there is absolute dependency on various things-- social, cultural and most of all economic dependency.

 

There lies the difference.

[Section6er]

Each period and region on earth faced some form of barrier that at that time seemed unbreakable. You can't say one was harder than the other. Each experience was unique. What we africans can do is say that europeans over comed their problems.

 

We need leaders and citizens who don't fear the outcome. We need to do what Brazil and other nations did in the WTO meeting. We don't have to compete with the rich nations. I think our biggest advantage is cultural. Africa has alot of countries and thousands of langauges. The fact that the west group all problems in Africa as an African problem rather than a somali, uganda, congo etc one, this forces us africans to view our solution as one. Globalism and the information age has given as a platform to which we can cut a path for ourselves. Large populations of Africans abroad learning and working to better themselves and relatives back home. In some cases Africans send more money to their countries than foreign aid. So we are slowly able to depend on ourslves. We we now need is Leaders who are just proud of being Somali, Kenyan, Nigerian, etc rather than fattening his pocket. Just be proud

 

The nomadic life can break Globalism. Google this dude for more Ibn Khaldun , a 14th century Islamic historian and perhaps the first world system theorist, viewed history as a continuing struggle for hegemony between nomadic and sedentary populations.

His theory is As a pioneering historical social scientist, Ibn Khaldun provides a telling explanation for the dynamics of the first phase. His core idea is the concept of asabbiya, or social solidarity, without which no individual, group, or state can survive the struggles of life. Because of their need for mutual aid in constant movement and adaptation to hard economic conditions, tribal societies show a higher level of social solidarity than sedentary communities. When combined with the zeal of religious faith, tribal solidarity is a formidable force. That is how within the short period of no more than 100 years, the Arab tribal armies of Islam could defeat the two ancient imperial forces of Persia and Byzantium by conquering all the lands lying between Spain, Central Asia, and India. In Islamic and pre-Islamic history of West Asia and North Africa, it was the perennial tribal conquests of the sedentary population that brought successive dynasties to power. Each time, the conquerors were "civilized" or sedentarized, then softened by the luxuries of urban life, leading to their dynastic decline and another round of nomadic invasion and conquest

[Waaq]

I don't have time go off like I want to about this topic, but let us not forget the institutions that allowed for this so called European emergence. Namely, slavery and colonialisation. Without these institutions Europe would not have become what it is today. Not mention a heavy dose of intellectual capital from muslims of one variety or another. Muslim teachers taught at the first European universities, because there were not enough qualified Europeans for the job.

 

peace

[Waaq]

Another note. We can make our own renaissance. If we take advantage of the opportunities we have in the west. Save our money and learn. Then open up schools, hospitals, businesses with our own blood and sweat build an Africa we want not some western wannabe. Also it is not necessary to move back, just engage the continent from outside. Sort of a transnational community.