Which African nation, South Africa or Nigeria, will have greater difficulty overcoming problems that stem from its colonial legacy? Why?

Essay by XordaxJunior High, 9th gradeB+, May 2006

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South Africa will have greater difficulty recovering from its colonial legacy because of, apartheid, damages done by the Dutch East India Company, and the disruption of migration peoples caused by the Europeans.

Apartheid

Apartheid was the separation of races in South Africa. "Under apartheid the government classified all South Africans as white black "coloured" (people of mixed race), or Asian. It then passed laws to keep the races separate. Nonwhites could not vote. They were also restricted as to where they could live and work." (Iftikhar 139). The transition out of apartheid will be challenging because "After years of hardship under apartheid, many blacks were eager to see rapid change. Yet Mandela also vowed to keep the economy from faltering. Even though foreign countries ended economic sanctions, the new South Africa could not afford to outspend its income." (Iftikhar 142).

The Dutch East India Company set up its first permanent base at Cape Town in 1652, within five years they would already start to make permanent wounds to South Africa. "Pastoral competition led to quarrels over trade and raids for stock, bloodshed and colonial expansion." (Freund 5). The Dutch East India Company some times lent money to the veeboers. " The veeboers themselves organized fighting commandos who often effectively dislodged Khoi Khoi populations in raids." ( Freund 5). Eventually permanent cultural damage was done when " Gradually the Khoi Khoi were pushed far to the east or north of the Cape or pressed into clientage relationships with the veeboers who appropriated most of their stock. Without the stock, Khoi social organization dissolved." (Freund 5).

"For many hundreds of years, groups of Africans had been migrating into Southern Africa." (Iftikhar 100). There was a pattern to how the migration would work, new comers were farmers and because...