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Max Witt Anthropology 183 2-26-10 AQCI 3 Central Quotation: Corruption (or, more precisely, the combination of positions

of public office with positions of accumulation) was always a feature of the mercantilist trade system which was at its zenith in Africa from 1930 to 1980. The phenomenon may be identified at the heart of colonial regimes and nationalist movements, as well as of postcolonial states which in certain cases, gave rise to literal kleptocracies in the 1970s and 1980s, such as Zaire, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Somalia. (Bayart, Ellis, Hibou 1997:9) Argument: The central argument of this piece is the interrelation of the aspects of crisis in sub-Saharan Africa. Corruption, violence, illicit trade, and banditry are all caused by government positions becoming a way to gain wealth. At the same time, the existence of the illicit trades enables the accumulation by those in power. Question: To what degree is this crisis caused by both the arrival and departure of Colonial Europeans? Textual Connection: In Mahmood Mamdanis piece When Victims become Killers, he describes the manner in which the political structure in much of Africa is a direct result of the colonial political structures. Political identification and division based on ethnicity or race were set up to break up the racial majority, in order to reduce the risk of an uprising against the European colonists. These ethnic communities would have power, and would restrict rights to their own, as in the case of land use.

Mamdani 2001:29

To me, it seems as if this ethnic favoritism for resources is a logical precursor to the combination of Government Power and Accumulation. Those in power will favor their constituents who have given them power. They feel that because of their power, they deserve to be wealthy. The powerful may feel that they deserve their (bigger) share of the pie because of their position. The extra wealth has to come from somewhere, namely from others, leading to a Kleptocracy, or government by thieves. Implications: It is important to see that there are many parts to the problems of corruption, each of which has its roots somewhere in the political structure and human nature. These two texts each deal with a different aspect of the underlying problems of unequal power, and its abuses.

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