Boyle 1

Power to the People: A Reflection

Eileen Boyle

“The New Scramble for Africa”

The Economist – March 9, 2019 – pg. 9

The Economist’s Editorial Board

 Boyle 2

Power to the People

One of the most important things a person can do in their life is take advantage of the

opportunities given to them. This is what the people of the many African countries may do,

finally taking charge of their own legacy after other countries have wronged them so many times

throughout history. Africa has been a consistent target for the self-serving gain of other countries

through the means of extracting commercial, political, and tangible resources, which has taken a

toll on the country’s land and people. However, a demand of African resources is on the rise

again, this time for their internally expanding economic wealth. Countries with their own

prominent economies (i.e. the United States and China) are beginning to reach their claws toward

Africa once again in the name of further expanding their own economies. Of course, the people

living in Africa, especially those who lived through the Cold War and have already seen the

effects of intrusion, already recognize the punch that foreigners are winding up for. And so, the

leaders, politicians, celebrities, and even just the common people are prepared to assert

themselves in order to gain something from the inevitable deals that will be struck over the next

few months and years. Something that struck me is the many ways that the people in Africa can

help themselves, including activism, insistence on transparency, and by simply bringing the

continent together after it was torn apart in the colonial age. The colonization done by Europeans

did the most significant damage to Africa because it shattered the continent and it wasn’t put

back together quite right. This can be righted if they decide to continue choosing their own path

and bettering themselves as a united group of countries instead of falling to the whims of

foreigners.