Yours, Mine, and Ours: An Analysis of Chinese Aid and Investment in Africa
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Department
Political Science
Major
Political Science and Economics
Abstract
As the traditional colonialist system collapsed in the latter half of the twentieth century, important considerations had to be made about the widening economic divide between developed and developing countries. Since then, the economic powers of the world have poured money, resources, and aid into underdeveloped African economies in the hopes of spurring cooperative development. However, as a result, new subversive forms of indirect economic, social, and political control have developed in what is referred to as “neo-colonialism”. In recent years, China has emerged as a major African investor, and has in turn had a significant hand in shaping the dynamics of African development. By operationalizing components of Chinese aid and investment programs, this paper applies a framework through a most similar systems case study that critically evaluates Chinese aid and investment in Zambia and Ethiopia. Subsequently, the findings of this paper underscore a complex and precarious relationship between foreign aid and investment, institutions, resources, and development.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Joel Fetzer
Presentation Session
Session B
Location
BPC 189
Start Date
23-3-2018 4:30 PM
End Date
23-3-2018 4:45 PM
Yours, Mine, and Ours: An Analysis of Chinese Aid and Investment in Africa
BPC 189
As the traditional colonialist system collapsed in the latter half of the twentieth century, important considerations had to be made about the widening economic divide between developed and developing countries. Since then, the economic powers of the world have poured money, resources, and aid into underdeveloped African economies in the hopes of spurring cooperative development. However, as a result, new subversive forms of indirect economic, social, and political control have developed in what is referred to as “neo-colonialism”. In recent years, China has emerged as a major African investor, and has in turn had a significant hand in shaping the dynamics of African development. By operationalizing components of Chinese aid and investment programs, this paper applies a framework through a most similar systems case study that critically evaluates Chinese aid and investment in Zambia and Ethiopia. Subsequently, the findings of this paper underscore a complex and precarious relationship between foreign aid and investment, institutions, resources, and development.