The Impact of Colonial Heritage on Development in Sub-Saharan Africa
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-2000
Keywords
Human Development, Human Condition, Economic Gain, Improve Condition, Colonial Rule
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007074516048
Abstract
The study explores the hypothesis of a relationshipbetween colonial heritage and development insub-Saharan Africa. Seventeen countries thatexperienced indirect colonial rule and an equal numberwith a history of direct rule in the region areexamined. Development is defined first, in terms ofhuman development [as per UNDP’s Human DevelopmentIndex (HDI)], and then, as the ability of a country totranslate economic gains into improved livingconditions (defined as the difference between acountry’s real GDP per capita ranking minus its HDIranking). A relationship is found between colonialheritage and human development but not betweencolonial heritage and the ability to translateeconomic gains into improved conditions. It isconcluded that the difference in human conditions ismore a function of inter-country variabilities inindividual and local autonomy than by state actionsspecifically aimed at improving these conditions.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Social Indicators Research, v. 52, issue 2, p. 161-178
Scholar Commons Citation
Njoh, Ambe J., "The Impact of Colonial Heritage on Development in Sub-Saharan Africa" (2000). School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications. 1947.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/geo_facpub/1947
