Let's narrow it down a bit about the possible contributors to African poverty. We can at least rule out Sir Bob G and Bono. A country/continent that has been exploited ever since being discovered by the rest of the world, exploited by the "enlightened West". Having now been raped and pillaged by the First World, it is now devoid of any resources coveted by the West and now left to its own devices. Reduced to a beggar status, where they rely on celebrities and rock concerts to maintain them at barely starvation level. A poverty disaster with bad governments with sanctioned, incompetent, fanatical despots ruling. What does Africa need from the outside world? More handouts, a benevolent dictatorship? Debt relief? There is great work going on re the grass roots level, but nobody cares about Africa unless it's shoved in our face. They seem to be the disabled infant of the global village. I have no answers, but to keep hacking back to past history as to why it's the way it is provides no answers on how she can move forward anyway. I would love Africa to surge ahead without being hideously industrialised.

I think the quick dismissal of corruption as a key part of the problem is too superficial. Another explanation for the decline since the 80's is that the economic reforms and change in loan types were petrol on the flames of the private corruption and public incompetence that were smouldering away in the background. Similar reforms in China and Russia have similarly accelerated corruption, but the devastating effects have been offset by vast economic resources, well established social services and infrastructure, temperate climates, and lots of foreign investment and corporate reform.

Globalisation has contributed to Africa's woes by freeing up and expanding markets for natural assets such as diamonds, minerals, oil, fish, and timber. This has made illegal asset stripping easier and faster. Rapid growth in China, India, Russia etc have recently increased demand for cheap resources, no questions asked about their provenance. Globalisation has also made it easier for stolen African capital to flow out to more prosperous economies.

I imagine the change in loan structure also facilitates theft - it would be easier to identify corrupt use of short term credit for specific purposes, and harder to see if large long term loans for vague structural reform had been pilfered.

Either way, the reform of economic institutions advocated by Michael would be very beneficial provided it were accompanied by a strong emphasis on reducing corruption and increasing government competence and accountability. Without this we will just get more Zimbabwes - a relatively prosperous nation ruined in a few years by the corruption and incompetence of its own government; we can't blame that on the IMF, G8, World Bank, multinationals, or neoliberal and neoconservative elites.

Why did you not blame the Tooth Fairy?

How about about six hundred or more years of history or go back a bit further. Why are people that write these articles so incapable of looking back about five historical minutes. Why don't we get really superficial.

Any mention of geography, parasitic diseases, climate, and cultural factors? I did not major in geopolitics but I did parasitology and tropical medicine. What were things like before Henry the Navigator got the boys out with compass and astrolobe to start snooping around Africa? Were the noble Africans all living like kings. Were the Arabs trading in slaves then. What of North Africa and even the links with India etc.
Get real. Go brush up your Ladybird Book of African history and do another draft.

"I mean who is exploiting who when Ethiopia spend more % GDP on defence (defence against what?) than the US. South Africa is increasing spending on defence when AIDs is hitting hard."

Just another thought: who are the main suppliers of arms to these governments in the first place? You can rest assured that G-8 countries are at the top of the list, and there's a long and continuing campaign by international NGO's to put an end to such arms trade which only fuels these conflicts even more. This is not to say that African governments are devoid of all responsibility, and i'm sure other countries such as China would jump in to fill the gap in the event of Western countries putting a stop to such arms trade. But that's no excuse to continue a shameful business as usual.

The US spends 30 times more on defence than it does for development programmes. I dare say the figure is similar for the rest of the G-8 countries. The US accounts for almost half of global military spending, more than the combined total of the 32 next most powerful nations. What does that say about US priorities?

Yes, corruption is a big problem. Just look at Shell in Nigeria. It is estimated that they have drilled $30 billion worth of oil since the 1950's while today 70% of the population live on less than $1 a day. When people began to protest the fact that their resource-rich country was so poor, corrupt government elites simply hanged dissenters to protect their super-rich lifestyles. Yet how much responsibility also lies with Shell for these human rights abuses? Western governments and companies have a long history of propping up corrupt elites in power to ensure 'stability' and a 'favourable investment environment'.

The waters become even muddier when, for example, a woman who was peacefully protesting the bulldozing of her crops in preparation for a Shell pipeline is shot dead by Nigerian troops called in by Shell. Or when villages are destroyed by Nigerian soldiers in helicoptors and boats owned by Chevron.

Well, why don't you enlighten us then Big O? Contribute rather than slag off on the sidelines. So far all posters are making sense. What's your take?

The decline of Africa started with the the expulsion of their colonial masters.Africa is just going back to the reality of pre-colonial times.

There is a price for civilisation ie work ethic,discipline,sacrifice for family,education,ethics in business, sense of fairness etc.

We in the west are losing these values and may well go the way of Africa.