African Economic Humanism

Contents

Acknowledgements

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Prologue

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Introduction
The Primacy of Africa's Own History
African Ethics versus Western Capitalism
An Economic Paradigm Shift
The Blaek African Middle Class
African Indigenous Economic Systems
The Bantu Philosophy of MM
Culture and Economy
About this Book
1

Pre-colonial Indigenous African Economic Relations

Egypt and its Pre-colonial Economic System
Farming, Fishing and Manufacturing in Ancient Egyptian Trade
Indigenous Economic Institutions
Economic Development and Freedom in Pre-colonial Africa
Indigenous Economic Relations: The Bantu World
Communalism versus Socialism
Post-colonial African Socialist Ideologies
The Ujamaa of Julius Nyerere of Tanzania
African Socialism as Explained by Kwame Nkrumah
Conclusion

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The Ascendancy of Western Capitalism

Introduction
The Appropriation of Western Capitalism
The African Prestige Motive versus the Western Profit Motive
The Emulation of Western Capitalism
Anthropological Economics and Western Capitalism
The Transition from a Traditional Indigenous African .
Barter Society to the Western Cash Economy

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AFRICAN ECONOMIC HUMANISM

The Effects of Western Capitalism/Colonialism on

Africa and Africans
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Conclusion

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The Nature of South African Capitalism

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Introduction
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South Africa: A Microcosm of Global Capitalist Development
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From Slavery to Pass Laws
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The Cheap Labour Imperative: Driving Down the
Cost of Capitalism
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The South Africa Act of 1909
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The Socio-economic Structure of Segregation
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The Beneficiaries of Political Exclusion and State Capitalism '. 65
The Crisis of Poverty in Rural Areas
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Conclusion
71
Responses to Western Capitalism
Introduction
The Aims of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE)
What Does 'Black' Mean in the South African Context?
The African National Congress's (ANC's) Perspective of BEE
'ANC Inc.'
Divergence of Opinions over BEE
Problems Related to BEE
BEE-related Corruption
Warnings to Africans
Critique of BEE
Conclusion
'The Capitalist Comrades'
Introduction
South Africa as a Middle-income Country
The Debate on Capitalism and Socialism
'Get Rich! Get Rich! Get Rich!'
The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP)
Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR)
Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for
South Africa (ASGISA)
The Growth of the African Middle Class
BEE and the 'Capitalist Comrades'

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CONTENTS

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'African Capitalist Comrades': Capitalists without Capital

Divided African Capitalist Comrades
Perspectives on the South African Capitalist Economy
Previous and Current Approaches
The Way Forward?
Conclusion

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The Bantu Philosophy of Ntu

Introduction
Can an Ubuntu-based Economic Alternative Bring a
Balance between Freedom and Equality?
The Ten Virtues for Egyptian Initiates
The Hierarchy of Beings
God's Essence or Life Force
The Principle of Cosmic Unity
The Principle of Harmony or the 'Orderedness of Being'
The Communal/Relational Nature of Being
The Cooperative and Ethical Character of Being
South Africa's Economic Transformation
Africa's Indigenous Strengths
The Tradition-Modernity Ideology
Monika Brodnicka's Critical Evaluation of Gyekye's Work
The Space between Tradition and Modernity
Modernity and Tradition in the Post-colonial Global Village
The Resurgence of Indigenous non-Western Cultures and the
Fading of Western Influence
Reinventing Local, Reinventing Global
Conclusion

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A Theory of African Economic Humanism

Introduction
Cultural Awareness
Defining Terms
The Underlying Principles of African Economic Humanism
The Basic Economic Law of African Economic Humanism
Disciplines of African Economic Humanism
Characteristics of African Economic Humanism Theory
Conclusion

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AFRICAN ECONOMIC HUMANISM

Epilogue: The Birth of the Human Future

Introduction
'
African Economic Humanism in Global Economic Integrity
African Economic Humanism versus Western Institutions
The Failed Doha Round
Conclusion
Appendix: An Enterprise that Profits Society The Personal Story of Albert Koopman
Introduction
i
The Search for a Better Way
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The 'One Right Way' is No Longer the 'Only Right Way'

What No One Teaches You in College

Moving the Action Forward: Turning Ideas into Ideals
The Bigger Picture: Becoming Part of a Better Way to Create a
Successful Business in Africa
Mismatching Science and Sociology
The H-Factor: African Economic Humanism
The Mismatch of Western Organizational Governance and
African Cultural 'Sensibilities'
Conclusion
References
Index

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