Short answer: because most African countries were never really practicing democracy, when you look at it most of the coups overthrew dictators that were masquerading as democratically elected leaders to put up a front that democracy was really working in Africa when in actuality it wasn’t, western leaders knew about it but even encouraged it because of the cheap natural resources they could get from those nations. I’m not a fan of military takeovers but these strings of coups are really just reactions to the terrible status quo of “African democracy” by the people of Africa
Uh, no? The real short answer is: Europe fucked shit up but colonizing Africa in the first place and establishing borders that cut through communities and put an end to the nomadic lives of different peoples. This isn't just about democracy, it's about European racism going back 200+ years.
@@melindacadarette3447 Which is exactly what the colonial powers did before democracy was even a thing in Europe. After 200+ years of colonial rule, no one remembered the old ways and if anyone *did* remember, they were too old and in the minority. There's no way the elders could stand up to the middle-aged and younger people, who vastly outnumbered them.
……. some of these strings of coups may have a partial basis in reactions to the terrible status quo……… There, fixed it for you! Sorry, but autocrats gonna autocrat, and definitely some of them are coups to change 1 autocrat for another.
That disparity between a country's high per capita GDP and widespread poverty among the people is fairly common among petrostates in particular and resource-rich countries in general.
@@Warmaker01 thanks to exploration imagine people in Ghana getting only 5% royalties on the resources mined by foreign countries and if they call them out they disappear.
What about Norway, UAE, Bahrain, even Russia, the income equality is actually higher than the USA. Take a look at the Gini coefficient for countries and it is generally former European colonies in Africa that are having the issues . Oil or not. After effects of the slave trade are still being felt.
Coming from Ghana, I can tell you Africa's biggest problem is corruption. People are probably not paying attention to Ghana because it seems the most unlikely for a government overthrow, but watch what has been happening in Ghana over the past several months, with demonstrations and general negative sentiment towards the political elite. If countries like Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, etc. succumb, then African democracy has truly failed.
Look at Zimbabwe liberated by a dictator who is seen as a darling by my fellow Africans, he led the nation for 40+ years, he said their was democracy but he rigged elections beat or made opposition disappear, to old to continue he’s former intelligence minister, right hand man with the military’s help Emerson Mnangagwa a man who spearheaded a genocide of 500 000 Ndebele speaking civilians. To this day he rules under the same or worse draconian laws of the former regime, he even had the army shoot unarmed civilians protesting the election results peacefully. West Africa has ECOWAS, Southern Africa has SADC a regional organization born out of the Non-Aligned Movement which helped pressure the Apartheid regime in South Africa, to relinquish power to the now ruling ANC , here’s the deal the SADC observer election team recently said the same elections in Zimbabwe weren’t free and fair for the first time, but fellow liberation Movement South African leader went to congratulate the military backed leader Mnangagwa, whilst back home the ANC is losing its strongholds, its a mess. So more military coups are on the rise unless probably the leader is an ex military man, or ho has the military behind him. But corruption, nepotism are the main causes.
I would argue that France has a centralized power structure, and has exported that model to its colonies. The British empire was relatively decentralized, and exported that model to its colonies. Look at the 13 provinces of Canada, the 50 states of America, or the many provinces of India. History shows us that democracy works best and is most stable where power, especially the power to make economic decisions, is decentralized. There’s a reason France is on its Fifth Republic.
Re. “5th Republic,” the 3rd Republic was ended by German invasion and the 5th was established because the 4th was not centralized enough for the liking of De Gaulle.
@@mikeg23063rd republic will still be descredited for failing to defend again Germany and the 5th is no less desimilar (not centralized enough? Seems like just a justification for a coup that may have happen anyway), I even think 4th is still vey centralized in context to others.
The Sudanese coup breaks my heart. The civilian government dud manage to negotiate a general cease fire, all the warlords and militias actually stopped shooting. It was the first peace they had ever known and it lasted only months.
A South Africans🇿🇦 perspective: Firstly as Simon mentioned, no colonial power was good, some were just worse than others so it’s not surprising why these coups are in Francophone countries. Secondly, the West has proped up a lot of Dictators who served their interests instead of the people (as far back as Ronald Reagan supporting mobutu sese seko in the Congo) which explains the deep distrust we have with the West. Myself included Thirdly is institutions. SA is corrupt & generally in a terrible state but we’ve never had a military junta or coup, Presidents are elected & they never serve more than two terms so the constitution still holds sway. This is critical because it ensures that the military remains loyal to the constitution & by extension the people instead of one strong man. Botswana 🇧🇼 is a great example of democracy in Africa. I’m obviously paraphrasing but these coups have deep reaching roots
Yes of course it's the west 8000km away that put bad african leaders in power and not the massive groups of locals who supported these bad leaders. While it is true that some western leaders supported african leaders who shared interests, these african leaders would never reach power without strong local support. You're acting like africans always vote for the right people but magically it's always the bad leader who's elected. Since you're a south african, please tell me who keeps voting for your terribly corrupted government who's running the country to the ground? Probably a bunch of french guys isn't it? And what about all the rest the west has been doing for africa? literaly a third of african countries survive on foreign aid. A third of your infrastructure is paid and built by the west. We have countless organisations gathering money to help. We have countless programs to eradicate diseases in your continent. In my opinion the west and africa relationship is doomed. You guys are too focused on the far past, we have been trying to help since independance but are met with racism or colonialist accusations. The best would be for both sides to stop interacting for a while and build up relationships from scratch
Anti colonialism is exactly how papa doc and many other dictators rise to power, feeding off the anger of the people. They then without fail become more oppressive than the colonials, and more often than not commit the same racial genocides. elites change skin color and names, the state remains the same
Fun fact: I was involved in a project designing Gabon Airport and Ali Bongo demanded Gold fittings throughout the Presidential Airport. Used by him and his family only. Proper corrupt stuff.
No we can't. We don't have the resources. We don't have the will. It's not worth it economically. It's not worth any price in blood. So stop the neo-colonial fantasies. Not happening.
I've been all over RUclips on different channels watching videos that have information on the conflicts going on in *Africa* and the different *Coups* that are happening and while those channels are good and have a lot of information on them, I always find myself wishing that this channel here did a deep dive on whats going on in *Africa* .... thanks for the videos! We appericate your time to make these and always looking forward to seeing more of them
Sadly it’s very hard to bet a proper neutral perspective on the Russia/Ukraine war. RUclips is awash with propaganda channels that clearly support one side or another and push nothing but one sided BS. But proper analysis is very hard to find.
Warographics went from being my least favorite channel within the Simon Whistler-verse, to probably one of my favorite. As someone living in the USA, I receive very little exposure to non-American centric media. Thank you for providing an ignorant American some much needed clarity regarding world events. 🌎
It is definitely pro western content. I wouldn’t go as far as calling it pure propaganda though. That’s Fox News or cnn. This is just pro western media. Usually folks who make comments like the one saying this propaganda would in the same breath say that Russian Television ISN’T Russian propaganda. It’s always your side is propaganda and my side is the victim” smh
Ah, another Jojo reference... I wonder if Simon realizes this, lol. To be frank, I didnt. While I am aware of the Jojo universe, what anime/manga fan isnt, I havent gotten into them
The problem with most if not all of the former French colonies is that France still has its fingers in those countries and now china is working behind the scenes to be the country they rely on instead of France through its dodgy loan deals.
Don't forget the for hire Russian muscle. Colonialism hasnt gone away, some players have been swapped out, some have changed tactics, but it won't go away.
8:03 "What is it about the French-speaking parts of the continent that seems to invite these coups?" Well, I mean... _Gestures at the last 250 years of French history._ Maybe coups are to France's former colonies as cricket is to Britain's; once the colonial overlords got kicked out, the locals decided there were a few parts of the culture they actually wanted to keep.
@@raptorjesus4142 Y’all can’t hate Africans all y’all want and twist history but Africa is fundamental to the global order whose role is to remain as a raw minerals producer for as long as possible and as cheap as possible. Everything is setup and taught from the global institutions to the academics they teach that Africa remain exactly where it is. If that continent were to industrialize at scale and became a manufacturing hub would require far less resources being exported and at a much higher price. Reducing the living standards and taking vast market share of European, Western and Asian economies. The consensus among the elite is that Africa has to continue this role for the good of everyone else. This is why there’s always coups on the continent to meet the interest of different superpowers every time there is a leader for the people. Africa isn’t hopeless there is something Africans can do, but it’s going to take just that Africans, any foreign aid is not and have not been genuine and only done to meet there own interest.
@@raptorjesus4142or it could be that the French elite and multinationals purposefully keep profess slow by empowering oligarchs and stealing all the value through resource extraction and controlling their financial systems.
@@dragano556 I didnt realize France also controlled how the money they spend in africa is spent by africans... Oh ait, they dont! HMMMMMM How about a little personal responsibility and ownership? Or is that too white of a thing?
@@dragano556 correct, we need the raw minerals and raw resources from Africa. We don't need the people. They are not educated or intelligent enough to be of use except for the extraction of those raw resources. Sit down and be quiet now thank you.
The problems with democracies are open and obvious, which is why authoritarian strong men can look appealing from the outside. Those same authoritarians though will never be transparent about their own shortcomings which only become painfully apparent once they take charge. At that point though, the population’s only recourse is to be subservient or risk death in an uprising.
@@TheeWolfiee1 Europe was poor before slavery. The Portuguese and Spaniards kidnapped Africans and threatened them first . You white supremacist are habitual liars
Blacks, on average, have smaller pre frontal cortexes, this is the part of the brain responsible for abstract thinking, long term planning, emotional processing etc. This is proven by many many studies, although scientists understandably will say 'there is no correlation between intelligence and race' their studies have proven otherwise. Once you understand that subsaharan africans have brains that are less capable of control and planning then you will understand the hellhole that is africa
@@amenx "The Ghana Empire, which ruled from 500-1240 CE, was wealthy from the Trans-Saharan Trade. The empire traded gold, iron, salt, and slaves. The economy of Ghana's precolonial states was almost entirely dependent on slave labor."
I'd like to hear more about Russia sponsoring coups. Exploiting Africa's problems to further itself is concerning, and if they are enabling coup governments on a wider scale, this should be examined more.
Note: on the fact that Africa had more successful coups than coup prone Latin America from 56’-2022. Africa has many more nation states (more than 2x) than Latin America”, thus the comparison of the 70 successful coups in Latin America to Africa’s 106 isn’t an extreme anomaly.
I traveled in Africa twice, lived there 5 weeks each time and as a Canadian it was really a shocking experience lol, on every levels. I was well prepared and had read every books, but to experience it is another thing. In most countries, its really chaotic, corrupted and you feel like everything can turn bad real quick. I had plans to buy a house there and live in the jungle but after my 2 trips decided it was definitely not worth it.
Clearly somebody has never been to Eastern Europe, South America or large swaths of Asia. News flash, most governments in the world are corrupt. North America is no exception, they just hide it better
1:20 - Chapter 1 - Age of impunity 5:55 - Chapter 2 - The french connection 11:05 - Chapter 3 - Economic factors 15:25 - Chapter 4 - The virus spreads 19:45 - Chapter 5 - The age of realpolitik 22:45 - Chapter 6 - The next domino to fall
The biggest matter is, almost every country that is in chaos of Africa today share mostly stronger connection to France than those others. The UK is no innocent, they were the reasons behind many chaos, but Britain didn't centralise power the same way France did so, while instances like Sudan, South Sudan, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone exist as unstable nations, most former British colonies were rather stable. Even the highly corrupt Egypt or Nigeria are still not descending to chaos. That doesn't happen with France. In fact, French authority is strongly centralised and deeply chaotic so ruthlessness is common. That means the only way to run a country after the devastating legacy of the French is you must be a strongman. This is why we have dictatorships in Vietnam, Laos, Syria, Cambodia and Algeria; or absolute monarchy like in Morocco. While there are some hopes of democratic reforms, and some former French colonies are successful, notably Tunisia and Senegal, they are infamously rare - nations like Lebanon, Haiti and most of Africa are so corrupt to a point that coups occur constantly. And if you still wonder the problematic French legacy, Spain may also become another worthy example. It was only briefly a French colony during the Napoleonic wars, but its government was Gaullicised since the 18th century after the Bourbon's victory over the Habsburg. Yet this Francised government proved to be the reason behind ongoing separatist sentiment in Basque and Catalan. Had the Habsburgs won the war instead, it might have not happened.
Keep on tackling these situations guys. It’s one of the few ways Western people can access them without digging, and most people won’t or can’t do so. Continue to love how this channel has evolved!
This is why I doubt many predictions about Africa. Like how Africa will supposedly have 1 billion people by 2100. With how unstable africa is, there’s a high chance that is wrong
If you look at the populations with a birth rate above 2.5 it's full of nations with ugly people. Under 2.5 it's mostly attractive populations. The social engineers of this realm are truly turds.
AFRICAN THINGS ...Africans don't gaf. Ask me, born here, live here, damn near impossible to escape. Come here, then you'll know why. Because AFRICA. That's why. Can't blame anyone but Africa and Africans.
Latin America, the Middle East, Asia have all had periods where there have been multiple coups and usually successful ( successful as in they toppled the legitimate Govt ) . Africa is no different .
my family lived in Mozambique until 1975, while my grandmother was leaving she said: "ill give them 1 year before this country goes down the toilet" by 1977 it was down the toilet.
Mark my words: Africa would still be having coups had Europe never colonized them. The continent has too many tribes and people groups to unify under one country.
Well part of the reason was that when the Europeans left they made the borders of the new nations without regards to ethnicity or geography. So you get countries with vastly different people having to work together. It is a very big continent after all, take for example Nigeria it officially has 371 ethnic groups and its 3 biggest ethnic groups are also split along religious lines having to govern the same country.
@@aceflaviuskaizokuaugustusc8427true but borders would be impossible even if they were drawn along ethnic lines. There's often cities and villages with multiple ethnic groups and things transition on a gradient rather than clean lines. Africa is so flat and had so many nomadic or at least pastoral people that it makes clean borders nearly impossible without forcibly relocating people. Often in places like the Caucus mountains or Iran you get ethnic groups split apart by mountains and valleys but large parts of Africa are as topographically varied as a pancake. Combine that the insane numbers of ethnic groups and it makes things pretty much impossible since forcing groups together causes nearly as many problems as splitting them apart or Balkanizing the whole region which would have left Africa as weak and imputent as feudal Europe.
@@aceflaviuskaizokuaugustusc8427 The USA is also made up of god knows how many ethnic groups and we all manage to co-exist peacefully (most of the time)
Great coverage of this complex issue. If you haven't read The Dictator's Handbook, I highly recommend that for more context on why rulers behave badly. CGP Grey made a video series about that book some years back as well, if you can't be bothered to read the book.
Africa will fizzle out before it can contribute in any significant way to humanity. We lost China to autocracy, we lost South America, we are losing India. This is not good. From a human advancements standpoint, we might have reached our zenith.
The exploitative relationship between France and its African colonies has had a range of consequences. France's economic exploitation of the colonies resulted in the extraction of natural resources without equitable compensation, hindering local development and perpetuating economic dependency. This dependency has limited the growth of self-sufficient economies in African nations, further reinforcing their reliance on France. France's political interference, both during and after independence, has led to political instability, corruption, and conflicts within these African countries. By propping up puppet governments to serve its interests, France has hindered democratic progress and self-governance in its former colonies. The cultural impact of French colonization is also significant. France imposed its language, culture, and values, leading to the erosion of local languages, traditions, and knowledge systems. This legacy continues to affect African countries today as they navigate the balance between their cultural identity and the remnants of French colonial influence. Additionally, France's involvement in African conflicts has been contentious. Often pursuing its own interests, French military interventions have been accused of exacerbating conflicts and sustaining violence, rather than offering sustainable solutions. Migration patterns have also been shaped by France's exploitative relationship with African colonies. Economic hardships, political instability, and lack of opportunities have pushed many Africans to seek better lives in France, leading to significant migration and immigration. However, these individuals often face challenges related to integration and discrimination in their new country. While efforts have been made to address some of the negative consequences, the exploitative legacy continues to impact relations between France and its African former colonies. The relationship between France and Africa is complex and multifaceted, with ongoing debates surrounding issues of economic, political, and cultural independence and cooperation.
@@raptorjesus4142 it takes more than 20 years for countries to stabilize buddy. Lmao. When Europe has constant warfare and fighting, it’s cool and interesting. When Africans do it, suddenly it’s bad
Do the French have their own version of the School of the Americas or something? The fact that so many military men who launch coups know each other seems to suggest that there's a connecting thread
Before I even watch this video, I'll answer the question in the thumbnail -- it's tribalism and corruption. "Tribalism and corruption" is the answer to the question of why anything is bad in Africa. Ask: "Why is ________ so bad in (insert name of African nation here)?" No matter what goes in that blank, the answer to the question is "tribalism and corruption." Anyway, let's watch, shall we?
100% correct. Multiculturalism has been bad for African countries. Also, the corruption runs from the leaders to the laymen on the streets. It's terrible.
Democracy is not always the best way for some countries. The ANC through Democracy took control of South Africa 30 years ago and drove it right into the ground.
The French have left their colonies in a far worse state than any other colonial power has. Britain at least attempted to prepare their colonies for independence. France lost most of theirs due to war.
Have you ever read history books? The BEST and MOST prosperous states in africa were those colonized by france. When france left all of these places went to all hell. Places like rhodesia were incredible! Now, not a single african country is even remotely close to the splendor of those times. Does this mean everything was kosher? Ofcourse not but to complain abt the past when your present is 10x worse is ridiculous.
I’m South African & there definitely is a difference between how Britain 🇬🇧 left and how the France 🇫🇷 did...it’s not a coincidence all these coups are in Francophone countries
before introduce democracy to any country, first must increase citizens educational level. to help them seeing through the lie of silver tongue corrupt politician.
Honestly education is the answer to the political problems in every nation, including and especially the United States. The reason Donald Trump has so many supporters and why he loves them so much is because they are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. He has said he loves the uneducated! Why? Because they can be led around by a fool with a few catchy slogans. They can be induced to vote against their own best interest. And they are more likely to fall for conspiracy theories, which is his bread and butter. The only inoculation against a terrible leader is better education.
I agree with this comment so much as an African You do not know the amount I've times I've heard someone voting for _"candidate A over B"_ just because candidate A speaks the same tribal language from their Area 😂💔
The organization of these countries were largely imposed on them by people who have a vastly different culture and tradition. So when the Africans themselves have to run it, it tends to go sideways very quickly and often look pretty goofy, because they're trying to imitate someone that they're clearly not. I'm trying to avoid value judging anyone here, so I'm just saying some cultures are very different and these things run deep. It also does not require much interaction to see an example of this is exactly between western/European and African way of being.
Since the 1950’s a huge proportion of the trouble spots around the World have been former French colonies from Vietnam to Haiti to Lebanon just for example.
I think many people forget the people that have to suffer through this and only focus on big picture stuff. Some people see it as a positive that there was a coup as France's influence in Africa is declining. There is something to be said about that, however this is still a military takeover. If this can be done to the current government, what is stopping it from happening again in the future? And who is going to hold them to their promises when they have the weapons?
It’s a symptom of the post-WW2 order quickly crumbling before our eyes. As an optimist, I believe when the dust settled and all truths are exposed, the world will be in a more balanced place, with a greater opportunity for human flourishing. But as the old order falls apart, there will be a lot of pain around the world.
Im a white South African and I can tell you that since black communist rule has taken over, my country is now falling apart. I grew up in the 80's so I know what we were as a country. People get stuck with apartheid but they really, really dont know what was actually going on here. Im not going to elaborated here but I will say this. Culturally speaking, most of the tribes here are hectically brutal and violent at the base of it. You do find peaceful, reasonable people however as a collective, they are unstable and thusly cannot create a conducive environment for something like a stable government to last. Their cultures are stooped in witch craft and worshipping their dead. Its basically an iron age mentality that has endured and now has to deal with 21st century problems. Im not speaking down to them, so please don't misunderstand it just is what it is. If you dont agree with me then answer this...why is it that no matter where they are in the world enmass, there is ALWAYS trouble and unrest? Even in the states, they are 13% of the population but commit 50% of the crime? Fatherless homes, here in South Africa and in the states. No discipline as a nation, why?
I'm a former Londoner and I have a good amount of experience with a wide range of Sub Saharans. They are mostly low IQ and not collectively equipped to deal with a society beyond throwing spears at gazelles. Sorry mate. You are kinda boned down there.
It's insane to me how you guys manage to put out a well-researched and produced episode every single day even as influencers who dance on tiktok complain about burnout. Just by the way, the "e"s at the end of "deutschE" and "wellE" are not silent lol
Is everyone going to ignore the obvious reason why these French colonies are revolting? France and revolutions are the only constant in politics. Now I am suspecting that the French language breeds mutiny.
Exactly! This hasn't happened in Tanzania, Botswana, Malawi or even south africa ffs and as a South African our country has become the definition of dysfunctional.
As soon as western politics aren’t sneaking up in their back yard anymore and actually come through the front and knock on the door? you’ll see the miraculous change on the African continent.
@@ThatOliveMrTUnfortunately it will get even worse before it gets better... I don't think people fully understand ramifications of what the Europeans left behind after decolonizing Africa... Take Nigeria for instance, the only thing the three major ethnic groups have in common is that they were colonized by the same people... Thats all!... No common language or culture or history or heritage..no nothing. Their shared hatred for the colonial masters brought them together in the early days but after that it's total chaos. Somehow these tribes are expected to forget centuries of rivalry and find a way to just move on in peace? (I don't even want to talk about the hundreds of other tribes in the same country) Think about it like this: Imagine if a hunter captured a monkey, a fish and a bird and forced them to live together in the same habitat...how would that even work? they'd literally have to form a new shared identity that is different from who they were. Thats how different some of these tribes are in ideology, religion, history, culture etc. And it's not just only in Nigeria. The problem with most African countries is that they should have never been one country in the first place... Drawing lines on maps and forcing people together who should have never been together in the first place is what brought us here and we haven't even lived long enough together to start liking each other talk less of forming a new shared identity that's not defined by non Africans
@@braxxian Y’all can’t hate Africans all y’all want and twist history but Africa is fundamental to the global order whose role is to remain as a raw minerals producer for as long as possible and as cheap as possible. Everything is setup and taught from the global institutions to the academics they teach that Africa remain exactly where it is. If that continent were to industrialize at scale and became a manufacturing hub would require far less resources being exported and at a much higher price. Reducing the living standards and taking vast market share of European, Western and Asian economies. The consensus among the elite is that Africa has to continue this role for the good of everyone else. This is why there’s always coups on the continent to meet the interest of different superpowers every time there is a leader for the people. Africa isn’t hopeless there is something Africans can do, but it’s going to take just that Africans, any foreign aid is not and have not been genuine and only done to meet there own interest.
@@braxxian lol euro descended people are to blame , imagine being so dumb and yet so confident, but alas the chickens have come home to roost and the west is facing an irreversible decline .
I don’t even remotely hate Africans as you put it. I’m simply stating facts. Africans are basically tribal in nature. They are for the most part incapable of running modern nation states. You can blame the colonials all you like but take them away and what you usually have is endless chaos.
What socialist government has been couped? Niger? Nope. Mali? Nope. Burkina Faso? Nope. Chad? Nope. Its almost as if all the countries suffering coups are explicity capitalist and pro western... Your point is so detached from reality it's funny. Par for the course for this channels audience
Didn't know how heavily involved France still was. That sounds like the key reason: railing against a historic oppressor can work as a popularist justification for a coup, but it's easier if they're still directly there.
Yeah everybody that has the resources to do so is involved in Africa in some regard But France really does take the cake as the current biggest meddler Russia is probably the second biggest, because they are welcomed nearly everywhere, as they have no history of colonialism in Africa specifically But not everyone who is engaging in Africa that are former colonizers of the continent are European, both Turkey and Oman are former colonial powers of Africa and they both disrespect Africa and downplay their colonial pasts and still meddle in Africa to some extent
Ali Bongo should consider seeking asylum in my home state of west bengal or as it is called in my native tongue, poschim bongo. I mean we cant very well turn him down. How can we in Bongo turn down a Bongo in need of help.
I feel like the concept of a failed coup leaving a country being more vulnerable to future coups is NOT a concept that needs to be explained to USA viewers anymore.
They do. It is just that Africa has a warrior and tribal background fresh in their minds. A civilian form of Government is alien to their culture as they see the military as the real source of authority, the true nationalists who form and protect the borders and establish order. The general is the chief, the warriors are the soldiers.
>Noooo you can't just free yourself from literally hundreds of years of Imperial French rule. Imperialism is cool if it has le French accent!!!!!! I've come to realize this guy has absolutely no idea what he's talking about and that's why all his channels are so successful.
I don't get it , what's the thing that unites africans countries. It seems like they don't know this basic question . Right now , priority of africa should be to find a thread that's powerful enough to overcome their differences and what binds them . .. religion? Language? Land that your country exist in? Without that thread. . a person has no reason to care about a random person living 1 lane down , if there were to be any problems . Without that thread .. it's just tribalisms and banana republics.
As a Kenyan,I can say that we as Africans have failed our continent. We have pigs who control our politics and we are stupidly following them. They have sold us to the West, and we have been so beaten down by poverty to the point that we say, 'what is the point in fighting them?' Its a sorry state we are living in Africa and most of us, we are trying th leave and let the pigs eat themsevles.
You can blame the colonial poswer all you want. But there were countries that were defacto colonies in Europe too. Yet you don't see the same level of chaos there.
@@SIMONK479 Ireland, Norway, Finland, Montengro, Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Portugal, Scotland, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latva, Estonia, Macedonia and Serbia. Just to name a few.
The lack of a stable govt system due to the leaving of the "colonial empires' in the mid 1900s. Leaving poor power hunger warlords to try and fill the vacumn
@@raptorjesus4142 European nations took advantage of the fighting warlords and tribes to colonize Africa in the first place. They became allies to some but not for long. Same strategy was used against the Native Americans.
In the mid 1990's I spent considerable time in Africa. Egypt, Senegal, Central African Rep, Sierra Leone, Gabon, Liberia, Rep of Congo and Zaire (as it was becoming DRC). Mostly doing Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations of Embassy's, Consulates, Missionary groups, Peace Corps, American, and other non citizens of whatever country we were in. And Humanitarian Aid. I missed out on Somalia. I spent the biggest amount of time in Brazzaville, Rep of Congo and Libreville, Gabon. But it didn't matter where we were the people were usually very friendly. But I also saw brutality, genocide, starvation, etc. Despite the bad stuff I fell in love with Africa and at one time contemplated moving to Kenya. NOT anymore. When I'm asked about my time in Africa my standard response is... "Africa is the the most beautiful place I've ever been, and the ugliest place I've ever seen. Its a shame the people of former colonial states were not able to continue to reap the rewards of the plentiful natural resources, develop industry, agriculture, railroad, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. Instead it was looted, destroyed, or left to ruins. Its the same story in every African Country. South Africa was the last shining hope and had the support of most of the world with Mandela and the end of apartheid. Sadly, now Johannesburg isn't much safer than Mogadishu, Somalia. Its like they are incapable of self governance. Now the main industry on the continent is corrupt Warlords and Dictators, terrorism, piracy, genocide, rape, human rights violations, one coup after another, and one failed govt after another.
The problem is this will chase most investment away no one wants to drop millions or more in to country’s that might change government. We may not like dictatorship or communist in the west but we totally can do business if we are allowed rules of law that don’t just change. Doesn’t have to be totally free and open but safe is required and that won’t exist if they keep fighting internally
Y’all can’t hate Africans all y’all want and twist history but Africa is fundamental to the global order whose role is to remain as a raw minerals producer for as long as possible and as cheap as possible. Everything is setup and taught from the global institutions to the academics they teach that Africa remain exactly where it is. If that continent were to industrialize at scale and became a manufacturing hub would require far less resources being exported and at a much higher price. Reducing the living standards and taking vast market share of European, Western and Asian economies. The consensus among the elite is that Africa has to continue this role for the good of everyone else. This is why there’s always coups on the continent to meet the interest of different superpowers every time there is a leader for the people. Africa isn’t hopeless there is something Africans can do, but it’s going to take just that Africans, any foreign aid is not and have not been genuine and only done to meet there own interest.
6:00 wasn't expecting a jojo reference in a warographics video, but I like that energy Simon!
Had to look everywhere for this comment.
Short answer: because most African countries were never really practicing democracy, when you look at it most of the coups overthrew dictators that were masquerading as democratically elected leaders to put up a front that democracy was really working in Africa when in actuality it wasn’t, western leaders knew about it but even encouraged it because of the cheap natural resources they could get from those nations. I’m not a fan of military takeovers but these strings of coups are really just reactions to the terrible status quo of “African democracy” by the people of Africa
Cause the military taking over always goes well 😅
Uh, no? The real short answer is: Europe fucked shit up but colonizing Africa in the first place and establishing borders that cut through communities and put an end to the nomadic lives of different peoples. This isn't just about democracy, it's about European racism going back 200+ years.
Except none of these countries were really democracies. If the government needs the military to hold onto power, then it's never was a democracy.
@@melindacadarette3447 Which is exactly what the colonial powers did before democracy was even a thing in Europe. After 200+ years of colonial rule, no one remembered the old ways and if anyone *did* remember, they were too old and in the minority. There's no way the elders could stand up to the middle-aged and younger people, who vastly outnumbered them.
……. some of these strings of coups may have a partial basis in reactions to the terrible status quo……… There, fixed it for you! Sorry, but autocrats gonna autocrat, and definitely some of them are coups to change 1 autocrat for another.
That disparity between a country's high per capita GDP and widespread poverty among the people is fairly common among petrostates in particular and resource-rich countries in general.
It's sad. Africa is resource rich yet there's so much poverty.
Dutch disease
@@Warmaker01 thanks to exploration imagine people in Ghana getting only 5% royalties on the resources mined by foreign countries and if they call them out they disappear.
That's called "The Curse of Oil"
What about Norway, UAE, Bahrain, even Russia, the income equality is actually higher than the USA. Take a look at the Gini coefficient for countries and it is generally former European colonies in Africa that are having the issues . Oil or not. After effects of the slave trade are still being felt.
Coming from Ghana, I can tell you Africa's biggest problem is corruption. People are probably not paying attention to Ghana because it seems the most unlikely for a government overthrow, but watch what has been happening in Ghana over the past several months, with demonstrations and general negative sentiment towards the political elite. If countries like Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, etc. succumb, then African democracy has truly failed.
Our African brothers are not prepared to accept that,they will ignore all the facts and just blame their favourite boogeyman,the west
@@BonVoyage861proof?
Look at Zimbabwe liberated by a dictator who is seen as a darling by my fellow Africans, he led the nation for 40+ years, he said their was democracy but he rigged elections beat or made opposition disappear, to old to continue he’s former intelligence minister, right hand man with the military’s help Emerson Mnangagwa a man who spearheaded a genocide of 500 000 Ndebele speaking civilians.
To this day he rules under the same or worse draconian laws of the former regime, he even had the army shoot unarmed civilians protesting the election results peacefully.
West Africa has ECOWAS, Southern Africa has SADC a regional organization born out of the Non-Aligned Movement which helped pressure the Apartheid regime in South Africa, to relinquish power to the now ruling ANC , here’s the deal the SADC observer election team recently said the same elections in Zimbabwe weren’t free and fair for the first time, but fellow liberation Movement South African leader went to congratulate the military backed leader Mnangagwa, whilst back home the ANC is losing its strongholds, its a mess.
So more military coups are on the rise unless probably the leader is an ex military man, or ho has the military behind him. But corruption, nepotism are the main causes.
They should do what the US did and just legal corruption. Can't have a corrupt country is corruption is legal /s
Would be nice if we, the west, would mind our own matters......history shows that we cannot....
I would argue that France has a centralized power structure, and has exported that model to its colonies. The British empire was relatively decentralized, and exported that model to its colonies. Look at the 13 provinces of Canada, the 50 states of America, or the many provinces of India. History shows us that democracy works best and is most stable where power, especially the power to make economic decisions, is decentralized. There’s a reason France is on its Fifth Republic.
Re. “5th Republic,” the 3rd Republic was ended by German invasion and the 5th was established because the 4th was not centralized enough for the liking of De Gaulle.
@@mikeg23063rd republic will still be descredited for failing to defend again Germany and the 5th is no less desimilar (not centralized enough? Seems like just a justification for a coup that may have happen anyway), I even think 4th is still vey centralized in context to others.
Decentralize! Absolutely.
It's wild how Simon portrayed this
If he has a majority in the National Assembly the French President is near enough an elected absolute monarch for five years.
The Sudanese coup breaks my heart. The civilian government dud manage to negotiate a general cease fire, all the warlords and militias actually stopped shooting. It was the first peace they had ever known and it lasted only months.
A South Africans🇿🇦 perspective:
Firstly as Simon mentioned, no colonial power was good, some were just worse than others so it’s not surprising why these coups are in Francophone countries.
Secondly, the West has proped up a lot of Dictators who served their interests instead of the people (as far back as Ronald Reagan supporting mobutu sese seko in the Congo) which explains the deep distrust we have with the West. Myself included
Thirdly is institutions. SA is corrupt & generally in a terrible state but we’ve never had a military junta or coup, Presidents are elected & they never serve more than two terms so the constitution still holds sway. This is critical because it ensures that the military remains loyal to the constitution & by extension the people instead of one strong man. Botswana 🇧🇼 is a great example of democracy in Africa.
I’m obviously paraphrasing but these coups have deep reaching roots
Yes of course it's the west 8000km away that put bad african leaders in power and not the massive groups of locals who supported these bad leaders.
While it is true that some western leaders supported african leaders who shared interests, these african leaders would never reach power without strong local support. You're acting like africans always vote for the right people but magically it's always the bad leader who's elected. Since you're a south african, please tell me who keeps voting for your terribly corrupted government who's running the country to the ground? Probably a bunch of french guys isn't it?
And what about all the rest the west has been doing for africa? literaly a third of african countries survive on foreign aid. A third of your infrastructure is paid and built by the west. We have countless organisations gathering money to help. We have countless programs to eradicate diseases in your continent.
In my opinion the west and africa relationship is doomed. You guys are too focused on the far past, we have been trying to help since independance but are met with racism or colonialist accusations. The best would be for both sides to stop interacting for a while and build up relationships from scratch
Brother these people won't like your post. It makes too much sense. You can't reason with people with a God complex
Anti colonialism is exactly how papa doc and many other dictators rise to power, feeding off the anger of the people. They then without fail become more oppressive than the colonials, and more often than not commit the same racial genocides. elites change skin color and names, the state remains the same
As a fellow south african, this is right here makes more sense then most of the comments here
Gonna disagree there, colonial British rule was undoubtedly better. then the failed state South Africa has become.
"If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must Man be of learning from experience." -- George Bernard Shaw
Fun fact: I was involved in a project designing Gabon Airport and Ali Bongo demanded Gold fittings throughout the Presidential Airport. Used by him and his family only. Proper corrupt stuff.
Sounds African
How often do you tell lies
In case anyone is curious, the Portuguese equivalent to anglophone and francophone is lusophone
That's actually interesting, thanks!
Spanish=Hispanophone
German=Germanophone
@@ZeroResurrected and Dutch is Batavophone, from the Latin name of a tribe (the Batavi) that lived in Holland way back when
Every 60 seconds in Africa, a minute passes. Together, we can put a stop to this.
An entire minute? That’s a fuckin’ atrocity. Where do I send my money?
If there wasn't anyone alive in Africa to experience 60 seconds, would a minute pass anyway?
No we can't.
We don't have the resources. We don't have the will. It's not worth it economically. It's not worth any price in blood.
So stop the neo-colonial fantasies. Not happening.
@@CantHandleThisCanYano, time is a societal structure, no society to declare a minute has passed
I've been all over RUclips on different channels watching videos that have information on the conflicts going on in *Africa* and the different *Coups* that are happening and while those channels are good and have a lot of information on them, I always find myself wishing that this channel here did a deep dive on whats going on in *Africa* .... thanks for the videos! We appericate your time to make these and always looking forward to seeing more of them
Sadly it’s very hard to bet a proper neutral perspective on the Russia/Ukraine war. RUclips is awash with propaganda channels that clearly support one side or another and push nothing but one sided BS. But proper analysis is very hard to find.
Warographics went from being my least favorite channel within the Simon Whistler-verse, to probably one of my favorite. As someone living in the USA, I receive very little exposure to non-American centric media. Thank you for providing an ignorant American some much needed clarity regarding world events. 🌎
This channel is pure American/NATO Propaganda, but interesting if you know that going in.
Literally media from all over the world at your fingertips. This isn't China and Russia where state media is the only news allowed.
Better than CCP, USSR, or middle-eastern propaganda @@ryangilles386
It is definitely pro western content. I wouldn’t go as far as calling it pure propaganda though. That’s Fox News or cnn. This is just pro western media. Usually folks who make comments like the one saying this propaganda would in the same breath say that Russian Television ISN’T Russian propaganda. It’s always your side is propaganda and my side is the victim” smh
hahahahhahahaha. Russia is losing, nerd.@@ryangilles386
Battle tendency was indeed better than phantom blood.
I preferred Phantom Blood
Ah, another Jojo reference... I wonder if Simon realizes this, lol. To be frank, I didnt. While I am aware of the Jojo universe, what anime/manga fan isnt, I havent gotten into them
i had to rewind to make sure i didn't mishear him lol
The problem with most if not all of the former French colonies is that France still has its fingers in those countries and now china is working behind the scenes to be the country they rely on instead of France through its dodgy loan deals.
So how do you explain them being just as unstable precolonization?
You can also look at Vietnam and Haiti. When France teaches civilization, this is the result.
@@vonfaustien3957wtf are you talking about, MALI WAS A DAMN EMPIRE BEFORE EUROPEANS
@@OXHAMMERSTONE_NYCRunning a big slave trade?
Don't forget the for hire Russian muscle.
Colonialism hasnt gone away, some players have been swapped out, some have changed tactics, but it won't go away.
8:03 "What is it about the French-speaking parts of the continent that seems to invite these coups?"
Well, I mean...
_Gestures at the last 250 years of French history._
Maybe coups are to France's former colonies as cricket is to Britain's; once the colonial overlords got kicked out, the locals decided there were a few parts of the culture they actually wanted to keep.
@@raptorjesus4142 Y’all can’t hate Africans all y’all want and twist history but Africa is fundamental to the global order whose role is to remain as a raw minerals producer for as long as possible and as cheap as possible. Everything is setup and taught from the global institutions to the academics they teach that Africa remain exactly where it is. If that continent were to industrialize at scale and became a manufacturing hub would require far less resources being exported and at a much higher price. Reducing the living standards and taking vast market share of European, Western and Asian economies. The consensus among the elite is that Africa has to continue this role for the good of everyone else. This is why there’s always coups on the continent to meet the interest of different superpowers every time there is a leader for the people. Africa isn’t hopeless there is something Africans can do, but it’s going to take just that Africans, any foreign aid is not and have not been genuine and only done to meet there own interest.
@@raptorjesus4142or it could be that the French elite and multinationals purposefully keep profess slow by empowering oligarchs and stealing all the value through resource extraction and controlling their financial systems.
@@dragano556 I didnt realize France also controlled how the money they spend in africa is spent by africans... Oh ait, they dont! HMMMMMM
How about a little personal responsibility and ownership? Or is that too white of a thing?
@@raptorjesus4142 no they don’t many of the populace hate the west and go as far as to wave Russian flags because it is not as western
@@dragano556 correct, we need the raw minerals and raw resources from Africa. We don't need the people. They are not educated or intelligent enough to be of use except for the extraction of those raw resources. Sit down and be quiet now thank you.
The problems with democracies are open and obvious, which is why authoritarian strong men can look appealing from the outside. Those same authoritarians though will never be transparent about their own shortcomings which only become painfully apparent once they take charge. At that point though, the population’s only recourse is to be subservient or risk death in an uprising.
Wonder who they'll blame for all their problems when they have no one left to blame but themselves.
There were no problems of this extent before colonialism
@@amenxyeah right mate 😂 is that why tribal leaders were more than happy to sell the slaves to the Europeans then?
(And to eachother too)
@@TheeWolfiee1 Europe was poor before slavery. The Portuguese and Spaniards kidnapped Africans and threatened them first . You white supremacist are habitual liars
Blacks, on average, have smaller pre frontal cortexes, this is the part of the brain responsible for abstract thinking, long term planning, emotional processing etc. This is proven by many many studies, although scientists understandably will say 'there is no correlation between intelligence and race' their studies have proven otherwise.
Once you understand that subsaharan africans have brains that are less capable of control and planning then you will understand the hellhole that is africa
@@amenx "The Ghana Empire, which ruled from 500-1240 CE, was wealthy from the Trans-Saharan Trade. The empire traded gold, iron, salt, and slaves. The economy of Ghana's precolonial states was almost entirely dependent on slave labor."
I'd like to hear more about Russia sponsoring coups. Exploiting Africa's problems to further itself is concerning, and if they are enabling coup governments on a wider scale, this should be examined more.
yeah, gotta examine that one more once the US and the French stop stealing the spotlight.
Russian sponsored coup almost happened in the US too, back in Jan 6th, 2021.
@@ElBanditoYeah, when they tried to overthrow the government while having literally no weapons.
@@jaysleezy5464 Five capital police officers died that day because of those murderous mobs. It was not a simple sight seeing event.
Obama openly backed the overthrow of three African governments. And the media applauded.
Note: on the fact that Africa had more successful coups than coup prone Latin America from 56’-2022.
Africa has many more nation states (more than 2x) than Latin America”, thus the comparison of the 70 successful coups in Latin America to Africa’s 106 isn’t an extreme anomaly.
The French love revolutions and protests, so it makes sense to me their former colonies would adopt that
I traveled in Africa twice, lived there 5 weeks each time and as a Canadian it was really a shocking experience lol, on every levels. I was well prepared and had read every books, but to experience it is another thing. In most countries, its really chaotic, corrupted and you feel like everything can turn bad real quick. I had plans to buy a house there and live in the jungle but after my 2 trips decided it was definitely not worth it.
Canada is a third world country mate. I moved here and it's awful.
Africa is not a country.
Where did you stay during your trips?
@@seanstewart8942...don't get me started on the self righteous rhetoric, you'd think hypocrisy was a national sport! 🤣😂🤣😂🤣
Clearly somebody has never been to Eastern Europe, South America or large swaths of Asia. News flash, most governments in the world are corrupt. North America is no exception, they just hide it better
Don't think of coming to Africa for permanent residence. If you were not born here, you will find it hard to cope.
1:20 - Chapter 1 - Age of impunity
5:55 - Chapter 2 - The french connection
11:05 - Chapter 3 - Economic factors
15:25 - Chapter 4 - The virus spreads
19:45 - Chapter 5 - The age of realpolitik
22:45 - Chapter 6 - The next domino to fall
I have no idea. Its a total mystery
Another good piece, Morris M. Thanks.
The biggest matter is, almost every country that is in chaos of Africa today share mostly stronger connection to France than those others. The UK is no innocent, they were the reasons behind many chaos, but Britain didn't centralise power the same way France did so, while instances like Sudan, South Sudan, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone exist as unstable nations, most former British colonies were rather stable. Even the highly corrupt Egypt or Nigeria are still not descending to chaos.
That doesn't happen with France. In fact, French authority is strongly centralised and deeply chaotic so ruthlessness is common. That means the only way to run a country after the devastating legacy of the French is you must be a strongman. This is why we have dictatorships in Vietnam, Laos, Syria, Cambodia and Algeria; or absolute monarchy like in Morocco. While there are some hopes of democratic reforms, and some former French colonies are successful, notably Tunisia and Senegal, they are infamously rare - nations like Lebanon, Haiti and most of Africa are so corrupt to a point that coups occur constantly.
And if you still wonder the problematic French legacy, Spain may also become another worthy example. It was only briefly a French colony during the Napoleonic wars, but its government was Gaullicised since the 18th century after the Bourbon's victory over the Habsburg. Yet this Francised government proved to be the reason behind ongoing separatist sentiment in Basque and Catalan. Had the Habsburgs won the war instead, it might have not happened.
Keep on tackling these situations guys. It’s one of the few ways Western people can access them without digging, and most people won’t or can’t do so. Continue to love how this channel has evolved!
Too bad westerners only get exposed to these issues by other westerners
This is why I doubt many predictions about Africa. Like how Africa will supposedly have 1 billion people by 2100. With how unstable africa is, there’s a high chance that is wrong
Half of them will be in Europe by then.
@@braxxian
Only half?
@@commisaryarreck3974assuming 50% are taken out before they invade
If you look at the populations with a birth rate above 2.5 it's full of nations with ugly people. Under 2.5 it's mostly attractive populations. The social engineers of this realm are truly turds.
@@CantHandleThisCanYataken out by who 😂
AFRICAN THINGS
...Africans don't gaf.
Ask me, born here, live here, damn near impossible to escape. Come here, then you'll know why. Because AFRICA. That's why. Can't blame anyone but Africa and Africans.
Latin America, the Middle East, Asia have all had periods where there have been multiple coups and usually successful ( successful as in they toppled the legitimate Govt ) . Africa is no different .
At this point, let them do what they want. There's no helping the situation, and if outsiders do people get mad.
Without outside help their in just anarchy. With outside help they complain about colonialism. Can’t win either way with them.
@@braxxian so why won’t you leave?
@@borginburkes1819tf?😂
@@borginburkes1819 Blacks begin to starve when the white farmer leaves.
@braxxian that sounds pretty racist to me? I feel like you're projecting with that shit take.
Battle Tendencies IS way better than Phantom Blood!
The whole community agrees
All other parts are better than Phantom Blood
Fight me
Phantom blood served it purpose in establishing the jojo franchise. Without it we wouldn't have anything like we do today
@@Xayver1082 Truly it does but it still sux tho. If it wouldnt be combined with Battle Tendency, JoJo would be cancelled immediately at season 1.
Was that a JoJo's reference?
my family lived in Mozambique until 1975, while my grandmother was leaving she said: "ill give them 1 year before this country goes down the toilet" by 1977 it was down the toilet.
Mark my words: Africa would still be having coups had Europe never colonized them. The continent has too many tribes and people groups to unify under one country.
YES! Been going on before white people. Still gonna go on forever.
Well part of the reason was that when the Europeans left they made the borders of the new nations without regards to ethnicity or geography. So you get countries with vastly different people having to work together. It is a very big continent after all, take for example Nigeria it officially has 371 ethnic groups and its 3 biggest ethnic groups are also split along religious lines having to govern the same country.
@@aceflaviuskaizokuaugustusc8427true but borders would be impossible even if they were drawn along ethnic lines. There's often cities and villages with multiple ethnic groups and things transition on a gradient rather than clean lines. Africa is so flat and had so many nomadic or at least pastoral people that it makes clean borders nearly impossible without forcibly relocating people. Often in places like the Caucus mountains or Iran you get ethnic groups split apart by mountains and valleys but large parts of Africa are as topographically varied as a pancake. Combine that the insane numbers of ethnic groups and it makes things pretty much impossible since forcing groups together causes nearly as many problems as splitting them apart or Balkanizing the whole region which would have left Africa as weak and imputent as feudal Europe.
False
@@aceflaviuskaizokuaugustusc8427 The USA is also made up of god knows how many ethnic groups and we all manage to co-exist peacefully (most of the time)
I always find it funny when people assume that there's democracy in West and Central Africa.
It's more like "democracy"
Great coverage of this complex issue. If you haven't read The Dictator's Handbook, I highly recommend that for more context on why rulers behave badly. CGP Grey made a video series about that book some years back as well, if you can't be bothered to read the book.
That JoJo reference that Simon definitely doesn't understand tho jajajaja
It makes it so funny
Wkwkwkwkwkwk
Never expected to hear a JoJo reference while learning about Africa Coups
Africa will fizzle out before it can contribute in any significant way to humanity. We lost China to autocracy, we lost South America, we are losing India. This is not good. From a human advancements standpoint, we might have reached our zenith.
Dude, thank you for covering this, I am Kenyan.
6:00 DAAAAAAAMN!!!!. Is that a mothafugggggin Jojo reference? I am thoroughly impressed Mr. Whistler 💯💥👏👏👏
Thank you so much for always such fantastic and educational content while always being as entertaining as you are! ❤️
As long as you know that this channel is American/NATO propaganda
Whenever I have a long drive, Simon is the go to
The exploitative relationship between France and its African colonies has had a range of consequences. France's economic exploitation of the colonies resulted in the extraction of natural resources without equitable compensation, hindering local development and perpetuating economic dependency. This dependency has limited the growth of self-sufficient economies in African nations, further reinforcing their reliance on France. France's political interference, both during and after independence, has led to political instability, corruption, and conflicts within these African countries. By propping up puppet governments to serve its interests, France has hindered democratic progress and self-governance in its former colonies.
The cultural impact of French colonization is also significant. France imposed its language, culture, and values, leading to the erosion of local languages, traditions, and knowledge systems. This legacy continues to affect African countries today as they navigate the balance between their cultural identity and the remnants of French colonial influence.
Additionally, France's involvement in African conflicts has been contentious. Often pursuing its own interests, French military interventions have been accused of exacerbating conflicts and sustaining violence, rather than offering sustainable solutions.
Migration patterns have also been shaped by France's exploitative relationship with African colonies. Economic hardships, political instability, and lack of opportunities have pushed many Africans to seek better lives in France, leading to significant migration and immigration. However, these individuals often face challenges related to integration and discrimination in their new country.
While efforts have been made to address some of the negative consequences, the exploitative legacy continues to impact relations between France and its African former colonies. The relationship between France and Africa is complex and multifaceted, with ongoing debates surrounding issues of economic, political, and cultural independence and cooperation.
Are you aware that france paid average prices for everything they bought.
Stop with this stupid colonialism bs
@@sH-ed5yfwhat are average prices worth if the nature of transaction with the west has been entirely exploitative
@@raptorjesus4142 it takes more than 20 years for countries to stabilize buddy. Lmao.
When Europe has constant warfare and fighting, it’s cool and interesting. When Africans do it, suddenly it’s bad
I am sure you never set foot in a post french colony. Stop defending them they have no one to blame but themselves
it wont, conditions change over time. Compare africa now to the previous decade. @@raptorjesus4142
Do the French have their own version of the School of the Americas or something? The fact that so many military men who launch coups know each other seems to suggest that there's a connecting thread
Can you do a video on the Myanmar war? There's not a lot of information coming from how the war is going
Before I even watch this video, I'll answer the question in the thumbnail -- it's tribalism and corruption.
"Tribalism and corruption" is the answer to the question of why anything is bad in Africa. Ask: "Why is ________ so bad in (insert name of African nation here)?" No matter what goes in that blank, the answer to the question is "tribalism and corruption." Anyway, let's watch, shall we?
100% correct. Multiculturalism has been bad for African countries. Also, the corruption runs from the leaders to the laymen on the streets. It's terrible.
And France, don't forget to add France to that list
Turns out that colonialism fucks over a country for many years afterwards, who knew
@@alerav4826 you can add a lot of countries to that list Russia ,China, UK, Germany, Turkey, Oman Saudi Arabia, US to name a few
Your not wrong. Africa has a very generous quote of corrupt leaders.
It would help if outside influences weren’t using Africa for poxy war purposes.
Aye that's true, everyone who has the resources is involved in Africa somewhat, from France, to Turkey, and even Russia
The Chinese are there too
Love your program, we'll researched very imformational with a perfect touch of sarcasm.
Democracy is not always the best way for some countries. The ANC through Democracy took control of South Africa 30 years ago and drove it right into the ground.
The French have left their colonies in a far worse state than any other colonial power has. Britain at least attempted to prepare their colonies for independence. France lost most of theirs due to war.
I don't think there's any former colonizers in Africa that left a good nation behind as a direct result of their colonial overseeing
Not even Turkey
Have you ever read history books? The BEST and MOST prosperous states in africa were those colonized by france. When france left all of these places went to all hell. Places like rhodesia were incredible!
Now, not a single african country is even remotely close to the splendor of those times. Does this mean everything was kosher? Ofcourse not but to complain abt the past when your present is 10x worse is ridiculous.
@@sashasullivan4875rhodesia was founded by anglos lmao
@@sashasullivan4875 what twisted history is this. Or I’m a just viewing history through the lens of how Europeans viewed those glory plunder days.
I’m South African & there definitely is a difference between how Britain 🇬🇧 left and how the France 🇫🇷 did...it’s not a coincidence all these coups are in Francophone countries
before introduce democracy to any country, first must increase citizens educational level.
to help them seeing through the lie of silver tongue corrupt politician.
Honestly education is the answer to the political problems in every nation, including and especially the United States. The reason Donald Trump has so many supporters and why he loves them so much is because they are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. He has said he loves the uneducated! Why? Because they can be led around by a fool with a few catchy slogans. They can be induced to vote against their own best interest. And they are more likely to fall for conspiracy theories, which is his bread and butter. The only inoculation against a terrible leader is better education.
That's funny America should increase their education level then.
I agree with this comment so much as an African
You do not know the amount I've times I've heard someone voting for _"candidate A over B"_ just because candidate A speaks the same tribal language from their Area 😂💔
@@IK_MKwhat is tribal language you animal humper 😂
Democracy is an illusion
Africa has complained about others causing their poverty when we all know it because if corruption its a disease
Africa is devolving back to Cold War times with strong men everywhere
Africa never really evolved in the first place.
prove it @@braxxian
More like the dark ages, when Rome fell and many different tribes and kingdoms were fighting each other.
The organization of these countries were largely imposed on them by people who have a vastly different culture and tradition.
So when the Africans themselves have to run it, it tends to go sideways very quickly and often look pretty goofy, because they're trying to imitate someone that they're clearly not.
I'm trying to avoid value judging anyone here, so I'm just saying some cultures are very different and these things run deep. It also does not require much interaction to see an example of this is exactly between western/European and African way of being.
Since the 1950’s a huge proportion of the trouble spots around the World have been former French colonies from Vietnam to Haiti to Lebanon just for example.
And the worst of this century: Syria
you gain a another follower , thank you too say that's note very often say in france , salutation from the other side of the french channel
What is happening in Myanmar right now would be great video on one of Simons channels!
He covered it on this channel a few months back. Focused on the air strikes against civilians
Of all the places to expect a JoJo reference, a video essay on contemporary African coups was not one of them I had in mind.
I think many people forget the people that have to suffer through this and only focus on big picture stuff. Some people see it as a positive that there was a coup as France's influence in Africa is declining. There is something to be said about that, however this is still a military takeover. If this can be done to the current government, what is stopping it from happening again in the future? And who is going to hold them to their promises when they have the weapons?
It’s a symptom of the post-WW2 order quickly crumbling before our eyes.
As an optimist, I believe when the dust settled and all truths are exposed, the world will be in a more balanced place, with a greater opportunity for human flourishing.
But as the old order falls apart, there will be a lot of pain around the world.
15:17 "sum it up in a single word:"
Me: Macron?
"Contagion"
Me: Oh. Yeah, that...
Im a white South African and I can tell you that since black communist rule has taken over, my country is now falling apart. I grew up in the 80's so I know what we were as a country.
People get stuck with apartheid but they really, really dont know what was actually going on here. Im not going to elaborated here but I will say this.
Culturally speaking, most of the tribes here are hectically brutal and violent at the base of it.
You do find peaceful, reasonable people however as a collective, they are unstable and thusly cannot create a conducive environment for something like a stable government to last.
Their cultures are stooped in witch craft and worshipping their dead. Its basically an iron age mentality that has endured and now has to deal with 21st century problems. Im not speaking down to them, so please don't misunderstand it just is what it is.
If you dont agree with me then answer this...why is it that no matter where they are in the world enmass, there is ALWAYS trouble and unrest? Even in the states, they are 13% of the population but commit 50% of the crime? Fatherless homes, here in South Africa and in the states. No discipline as a nation, why?
I'm a former Londoner and I have a good amount of experience with a wide range of Sub Saharans. They are mostly low IQ and not collectively equipped to deal with a society beyond throwing spears at gazelles. Sorry mate. You are kinda boned down there.
6:00 Did he just give a JOJO reference 😂😂😂. Battle tendencies & SDC are the 🐐 🐐
Battle tendency is just so so much better that Phantom blood. But skip either of them and there will be... problems.
Was that a subtle Jojo's Reference?! That Jojo's Greatness though!
The bucket of crabs are at it again. They just can’t let each other prosper or develop. They always drag each other down.
It's insane to me how you guys manage to put out a well-researched and produced episode every single day even as influencers who dance on tiktok complain about burnout. Just by the way, the "e"s at the end of "deutschE" and "wellE" are not silent lol
Is everyone going to ignore the obvious reason why these French colonies are revolting? France and revolutions are the only constant in politics. Now I am suspecting that the French language breeds mutiny.
Mdrr
Exactly! This hasn't happened in Tanzania, Botswana, Malawi or even south africa ffs and as a South African our country has become the definition of dysfunctional.
With the exception of Sudan which was British
Ugh French is disturbing!
@@noblesix2983is south Africa a one party state or is it so bad you'd rather have the same party rule than have an even worse one take over
Africa is Africa. One lot of despots gets kicked off the corruption driven gravy train, another lot of despots takes over. It is what it is.
I will never escape Jo Jo references.
I really hope Africa finds peace.
These nations are young and bound to have growing pains. Hopefully it'll get better sooner
As soon as western politics aren’t sneaking up in their back yard anymore and actually come through the front and knock on the door? you’ll see the miraculous change on the African continent.
@@ThatOliveMrTUnfortunately it will get even worse before it gets better... I don't think people fully understand ramifications of what the Europeans left behind after decolonizing Africa... Take Nigeria for instance, the only thing the three major ethnic groups have in common is that they were colonized by the same people... Thats all!... No common language or culture or history or heritage..no nothing. Their shared hatred for the colonial masters brought them together in the early days but after that it's total chaos. Somehow these tribes are expected to forget centuries of rivalry and find a way to just move on in peace? (I don't even want to talk about the hundreds of other tribes in the same country)
Think about it like this:
Imagine if a hunter captured a monkey, a fish and a bird and forced them to live together in the same habitat...how would that even work? they'd literally have to form a new shared identity that is different from who they were. Thats how different some of these tribes are in ideology, religion, history, culture etc. And it's not just only in Nigeria.
The problem with most African countries is that they should have never been one country in the first place... Drawing lines on maps and forcing people together who should have never been together in the first place is what brought us here and we haven't even lived long enough together to start liking each other talk less of forming a new shared identity that's not defined by non Africans
@@ThatOliveMrT it's already is getting better.
@@ThatOliveMrTIt is especially hard as the colonial powers left these new countries with hardly any functional institutions.
Just Africa being Africa
Indeed. Take away “evil colonialism” and this is their normal state of affairs. Chaos.
@@braxxian Y’all can’t hate Africans all y’all want and twist history but Africa is fundamental to the global order whose role is to remain as a raw minerals producer for as long as possible and as cheap as possible. Everything is setup and taught from the global institutions to the academics they teach that Africa remain exactly where it is. If that continent were to industrialize at scale and became a manufacturing hub would require far less resources being exported and at a much higher price. Reducing the living standards and taking vast market share of European, Western and Asian economies. The consensus among the elite is that Africa has to continue this role for the good of everyone else. This is why there’s always coups on the continent to meet the interest of different superpowers every time there is a leader for the people. Africa isn’t hopeless there is something Africans can do, but it’s going to take just that Africans, any foreign aid is not and have not been genuine and only done to meet there own interest.
@@braxxian lol euro descended people are to blame , imagine being so dumb and yet so confident, but alas the chickens have come home to roost and the west is facing an irreversible decline .
I don’t even remotely hate Africans as you put it. I’m simply stating facts. Africans are basically tribal in nature. They are for the most part incapable of running modern nation states. You can blame the colonials all you like but take them away and what you usually have is endless chaos.
“My authoritarian socialist government is better”
“No mine.”
“No mine!”
Repeat ad nauseam for 50 years
*10 years
Correction: Authoritarian kleptocratic government. :D
@@ElBandito
Potato potato
What socialist government has been couped? Niger? Nope. Mali? Nope. Burkina Faso? Nope. Chad? Nope.
Its almost as if all the countries suffering coups are explicity capitalist and pro western...
Your point is so detached from reality it's funny. Par for the course for this channels audience
Battle Tendency is VASTLY superior to Phantom Blood, Jonathan is a good boy but his feats reached nowhere near the level of Joseph.
Didn't know how heavily involved France still was. That sounds like the key reason: railing against a historic oppressor can work as a popularist justification for a coup, but it's easier if they're still directly there.
Yeah everybody that has the resources to do so is involved in Africa in some regard
But France really does take the cake as the current biggest meddler
Russia is probably the second biggest, because they are welcomed nearly everywhere, as they have no history of colonialism in Africa specifically
But not everyone who is engaging in Africa that are former colonizers of the continent are European, both Turkey and Oman are former colonial powers of Africa and they both disrespect Africa and downplay their colonial pasts and still meddle in Africa to some extent
Ali Bongo should consider seeking asylum in my home state of west bengal or as it is called in my native tongue, poschim bongo. I mean we cant very well turn him down. How can we in Bongo turn down a Bongo in need of help.
I love your channel man lol
I feel like the concept of a failed coup leaving a country being more vulnerable to future coups is NOT a concept that needs to be explained to USA viewers anymore.
More episodes on Africa please. Thanks for your work.
Because Africa has neither the institutional or infrastructural regime to stop coups.
They do. It is just that Africa has a warrior and tribal background fresh in their minds. A civilian form of Government is alien to their culture as they see the military as the real source of authority, the true nationalists who form and protect the borders and establish order. The general is the chief, the warriors are the soldiers.
Ali Bongo is the best name ever.
>Noooo you can't just free yourself from literally hundreds of years of Imperial French rule. Imperialism is cool if it has le French accent!!!!!!
I've come to realize this guy has absolutely no idea what he's talking about and that's why all his channels are so successful.
The fact this man made a jojo reference made my jaw fall to the ground, also battle tendency over phantom blood anyday.
Thank god, I thought I was going insane
Thank you
coup d'état - "We're so back boysss!"
Democracies - "Ahhhh shiii here we go again"
I don't get it , what's the thing that unites africans countries. It seems like they don't know this basic question . Right now , priority of africa should be to find a thread that's powerful enough to overcome their differences and what binds them . .. religion? Language? Land that your country exist in? Without that thread. . a person has no reason to care about a random person living 1 lane down , if there were to be any problems . Without that thread .. it's just tribalisms and banana republics.
As a Kenyan,I can say that we as Africans have failed our continent. We have pigs who control our politics and we are stupidly following them. They have sold us to the West, and we have been so beaten down by poverty to the point that we say, 'what is the point in fighting them?' Its a sorry state we are living in Africa and most of us, we are trying th leave and let the pigs eat themsevles.
"trynna leave" don't come here my country isn't meant for immigrations
"Sold us to the West"
Ah yes, the evil West, at it again.
@@kingtachalla6181can u do the same and tell your people not to come to Africa? Cuz they do come without invitation
Stay where you are, nobody in the West wants you here!
@@kingtachalla6181 mate, your country doesn't even exist.
Short answer: They are not unified nations... They are nations of differing tribes, that most of the time hate each other...
You can blame the colonial poswer all you want. But there were countries that were defacto colonies in Europe too.
Yet you don't see the same level of chaos there.
Colonies in Europe? Such as ? Very interesting
@@SIMONK479 Ireland, Norway, Finland, Montengro, Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Portugal, Scotland, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latva, Estonia, Macedonia and Serbia.
Just to name a few.
All of Europe is essentially colonized by Russia or US
Whole of Balkan was ottoman colony
What year did these colonial experiments take place in and how long were they in place?
It’s now become a thing where everytime there’s a coup, I have to buy my spouse Panera.
I wish your finances luck.
6:00 is that a JoJo reference? I did not expect that here.
The lack of a stable govt system due to the leaving of the "colonial empires' in the mid 1900s. Leaving poor power hunger warlords to try and fill the vacumn
That is what was there before the colonial powers.
Wonder why it was so easy for the colonial powers to become colonial powers.@@ryangilles386
Or maybe the colonial powers never really left and many of the coups are legitimate reactions to French propped up governments and millitary presence.
@@ryangilles386 you people are so confident in your stupidity you just blatantly lie
@@raptorjesus4142 European nations took advantage of the fighting warlords and tribes to colonize Africa in the first place. They became allies to some but not for long. Same strategy was used against the Native Americans.
Wheeze the jojo reference caught me off guard.
Good reporting still
Since Simon said that Phantom Blood was inferior to battle tendency, i would argue that Battle tendency was indeed inferior to phantom blood
In the mid 1990's I spent considerable time in Africa. Egypt, Senegal, Central African Rep, Sierra Leone, Gabon, Liberia, Rep of Congo and Zaire (as it was becoming DRC). Mostly doing Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations of Embassy's, Consulates, Missionary groups, Peace Corps, American, and other non citizens of whatever country we were in. And Humanitarian Aid. I missed out on Somalia.
I spent the biggest amount of time in Brazzaville, Rep of Congo and Libreville, Gabon. But it didn't matter where we were the people were usually very friendly. But I also saw brutality, genocide, starvation, etc. Despite the bad stuff I fell in love with Africa and at one time contemplated moving to Kenya. NOT anymore.
When I'm asked about my time in Africa my standard response is... "Africa is the the most beautiful place I've ever been, and the ugliest place I've ever seen.
Its a shame the people of former colonial states were not able to continue to reap the rewards of the plentiful natural resources, develop industry, agriculture, railroad, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. Instead it was looted, destroyed, or left to ruins.
Its the same story in every African Country. South Africa was the last shining hope and had the support of most of the world with Mandela and the end of apartheid. Sadly, now Johannesburg isn't much safer than Mogadishu, Somalia. Its like they are incapable of self governance. Now the main industry on the continent is corrupt Warlords and Dictators, terrorism, piracy, genocide, rape, human rights violations, one coup after another, and one failed govt after another.
The problem is this will chase most investment away no one wants to drop millions or more in to country’s that might change government. We may not like dictatorship or communist in the west but we totally can do business if we are allowed rules of law that don’t just change. Doesn’t have to be totally free and open but safe is required and that won’t exist if they keep fighting internally
1 minute posted and I’m here 😅😅
Y’all can’t hate Africans all y’all want and twist history but Africa is fundamental to the global order whose role is to remain as a raw minerals producer for as long as possible and as cheap as possible. Everything is setup and taught from the global institutions to the academics they teach that Africa remain exactly where it is. If that continent were to industrialize at scale and became a manufacturing hub would require far less resources being exported and at a much higher price. Reducing the living standards and taking vast market share of European, Western and Asian economies. The consensus among the elite is that Africa has to continue this role for the good of everyone else. This is why there’s always coups on the continent to meet the interest of different superpowers every time there is a leader for the people. Africa isn’t hopeless there is something Africans can do, but it’s going to take just that Africans, any foreign aid is not and have not been genuine and only done to meet there own interest.
Can't believe I've lived to see the day where Simon Whistler drops at JoJo's reference in such a serious video