e number and destructive capability of wars, largely triggered by European and Arabian interventions (Rodney, 1976, pp. 27-32).
Neo-colonialism did not bring with it modern economic development for Africa. The economies of Africa were transformed by the colonial powers into export economies designed primarily for the convenience of Europe. Little effort was given to developing Africa's resources for the purpose of sustaining the African people. Instead, the region's economies were geared toward export cash crops, such as coffee, cocoa and other luxury commodities, that could draw a good price on the international market.
Following political independence from neocolonial powers in the 1960s, many observers assumed that the principal obstacle to economic development in Africa had been removed. Independence was seen as a prelude to development. The primary challenge was to organize the political machinery to usher in an era of modernization. One scholar of Africa politics argued that, compared to other Third World
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