Development, inequality, and war in Africa

Abstract

Five factors contribute to humanitarian crises in Africa. They are: stagnating and declining incomes, rising income inequality, avaricious competition to extract Africa's mineral wealth, military centrality, and a tradition of violent conflict. One factor - ethnic differences - turns out to be a symptom, not a cause of violence. The article discusses these, then continues to suggest that while recognizing that a number of African countries vulnerable to humanitarian emergencies are not amenable to political economy solutions, industrialized countries and international agencies bear substantial responsibility for modifying the international economic order to enhance economic growth and adjustment.