why are Africans so corrupt?
89971
good question.  Many argue that Africa has no native tradition of democracy and rule of law in a modern context.  Europeans colonised the majority of the continent and forced or otherwise encouraged the natives to abandon their traditional lifeways in favor of "western civilisation" Upon Europe's withdraw at the end of the colonial period, Africans were essentially left high and dry, no longer versed in the ways of their ancestors (political or practical systems) and unable to emulate the traditions of Europe for whatever reason.  Attempts at democracy and market-based economic systems, much less a universal idea of basic human rights have mostly failed in the face of Tribal warfare, government corruption, and bald-faced criminal intent.  Why can't they do better?  Who knows...maybe "European"-style values cannot be easily assimilated into an alien land without the included negative aspects- corruption, abuse, greed.\n\nOScar- to say Africa was living in peace with no problems is outright fantasy- The fact that Africa was misappropriated and abused by Europe in no way justifies such claims. Africa was a mess long before the white man set foot there.  War, disease, strife, violence- all these existed in spades.  You are simply falling into the white liberal guilt trap of pretending everyone else in the world were somehow pure and innocent of such notions.  The fact that Europe and Asia just did it better (or worse) doesn't mean that Africa, the Americas, etc, would not have done the same if they had the ability to.
644010
Africa is an extremely rich continent. It's natural resources have been barely touched. Unfortunately for the Africans its wealth is held by very few and is used to make other people and nations rich.
57927
No.  It comes from industrialization.  Most western nations have been industrialized for some time and it generates wealth.  Africa has resources, but have corrupt governments and tribalism that is hampering its ability to industrialize.  You have to get a centralized government that functions and have rules of trade that will allow people to earn profit for a country to industrialize.  Unless that happens, poor nations will stay poor.  It is not the work of the western world keeping them poor.  It is up to them to make it work.
400723
Because they have no moral problem with it. Many of them are sociopaths who only think of themselves. They don't feel other people's pain. To them it's just easy money with little risk.\n\nA lot of scammers in Nigeria feel that when they're stealing from Europeans or Americans they are taking money from people who are rich, who wouldn't feel the loss or they justify it as some kind of collective payback for Slavery. This is total nonsense of course.\n\nIn years of dealing with online fraud, I have yet to find a crime so low that criminals would not do it. Online scammers steal from orphans, from single mothers, from families with severely ill family members and no job, from crippled war veterans, from dying AIDS patients, etc.\n\nThe best prevention is education. The more people know about how scams operate, the fewer people will fall for it. If you come an offer that seems too good to be true or is otherwise unusual, search on the internet. Talk to others about it. Ask a question in here. There will be many people willing to offer advice and experience.
578368
Greed and corruption.
632239
Nigeria does not seem to have a great fiscal policy or a proper program for implementation. Also statistics of Nigeria can be totally misleading considering the corrupt governance of the country. African countries have beautiful paper work but little practical application. It is a sad thing to note that so much of money is pumped into these countries that vanish in thin air without reaching the needy. The people have to change their attitude first. Pride and honesty must be their top priority if at all they need to become a respectable nations.
761982
yes, there is corruption in all governments at all levels and more so in some countries than in others. americans would rather believe thought that we have the most here but just take mexico for example, every time they get stopped for a traffic violation there has to be a bribe paid, and they get stopped alot. most other countries have very obvious corruption like venezuela, india, and many other third world countries.
115171
I don't think that this is necessarily an African problem.  I think that in order to successfully cultivate a democracy that the people have to have a deep inner desire for that democracy.  They have to want it to work.  In a lot of countries we're trying to do some nation-building, and in such we're trying to help other countries become democracies, but that only worked for us because we wanted it.  We can't force it on people as we're finding out all over the world.  If there are people against a democratic form of government (and if the people who are for it aren't for it strongly enough), then there are too many ways they can muck it up for everyone else.
574020
Lets not forget that africa is looked down upon because it's citizens are mostly black people. Around the world people have been prejudiced and treated the people of this continent just horribly. \n\nThere has been many many groups that have enslaved/abused them for centuries. Is it because we have seen them running around in their jungle clothes and we equate that with the idea of this group of people is not respectable and therefore we will step on them?  Well we know the answer to this has been yes. \n\nEven today the world looks at africa and see's hostilities and corruption at every turn. \n\nRemember Idi Amin? Ruthless leader that killed hundreds if not thousands of his own citizens.\n\nNot to mention stories of genocide that pop up every few years.\n\nI have heard stories of when slavery was legal that when countries went to africa to get slaves, their own leaders gladly sold them. \n\nAll this adds up to a contintent that has been abused by just about everyone, and the prejudice and bigotry to this day is prevalent. \n\nWhay can africa do to turn this all around? The answer has to be education, it would give them the ability to compete at a greater level with the rest of the world. It would help cut down on the spread of disease. A.I.D.S could be slowed down, as we all know A.I.D.S. is way out of control. I have heard estimates that some countries have as much as 30% infection rate.\n\nIf we can educate, run out the prejudice, run out the corruption, and most likely economic relief. Africa can turn things around.
1004814
cuz ppl are racist against poor black people
73894
Because we don't see our own corruption - we choose not to see it.  Corrupt people, murderers and other individuals, don't see what they're doing as wrong, they rationalize and justify it in their minds.\n\nCountries do the same.  We stop seeing our own corruption (read the Ugly American and know that it has been going on for many, many years).  And we use the perceived "corruption" of third world countries as justification for whatever greed-driven activities we wish to pursue.
1171826
Their aim to join politics is to make money...so..they are corrupt..it is normal everywhere i think..
577206
Because the UN/US isn't interested in the African people other than as slave labour to mine the minerals for the corporations. By the 'peacekeepers' doing what they are doing, it will undermine their position leading to riots/demonstrations/protests. Then when these turn ugly, more 'peacekeepers' with 'bigger guns' will be sent to 'resolve the conflict'.
466591
The resources of Africa have historically been exploited by Europeans and Americans, etc. The Africans themselves have been largely cut out of the deal. \n\nA handful of African leaders get rich, the rest of the population dies of malaria and dysentery.
26359
Because they are blinde by power and corruption!
870629
Africans DON'T NEED SH!T, from ANYBODY.. trust me. ALL THEY NEED is YOU to stop supporting THEIR CORRUPTED LEADERS IN FAVOR OF NATURAL RESOURCES, such as oil, diamonds, useful soil for glass, and other minerals. They use that money to buy MORE ARMS AND SUBDUE THEIR RIVALS AND STARVE THE POPULATION AND KEEPING THEM IN THE DARK.\n\nALL AFRICA NEEDS IS, to YOU to stop SUPPORTING their bloody leaders.\n\nBy the way Mr. Ahmednajad, since they got PLENTY of uranium help them get the ISLAMIC BOMB too. Will you?,, please.
558702
As an African, I dont like the idea of getting funds from the west but since the western countries are taking all the children of the africa who have the brains to work for them leaving their home countries poor.  How can these countries develop yet we still get the so called investors who end up employing mainly their statemens in good positions yet with good pay, working conditions. And when we talk of good pay, these guys are paid in dollars, pounds, euros irrespective of the countries they are working in.. This money is sent back to their home countries... \n\nIts still these developed western countries who are designing and producing dangerous weapons which are in most cases being used by African dictators to kill innocent children, women. These very good learned western friends always have hidden agendas as you will find two different countries supporting say 1 supports the rebels with guns, medicine, education and the other supports the government.\n\nI have alot I could say but you  western countries need to visit care.org such that you can start supporting the africans,  healing the sick with AIDs, and many other problems caused by many of our brothers, sisters who have hidden agendas in conflicts in Africa and the World at large.