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Post by nebsen on Oct 5, 2014 2:05:38 GMT -5
A fine documentary about Kwame Nkruma one of my heroes, did by Black Nine Films, enjoy
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Post by zarahan on Nov 3, 2014 19:05:37 GMT -5
I sympathize some with Nkrumah. He did some good but he made several serious
mistakes. His rushed industrialization program for example was inappropriate for
Ghana- needing huge amounts of imported machinery, fuel and
material- a negative drain on resources rather than a positive.
And then there was the problem of maintenance - he did not have enough
trained people, hence expensive foreign experts had to be paid.
It was not sustainable, or realistic on some counts. Better alternatives
were available, such as export-driven models, and a less expensive
more sustainable industrial buildup.
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Post by nebsen on Nov 5, 2014 11:58:39 GMT -5
I sympathize some with Nkrumah. He did some good but he made several serious mistakes. His rushed industrialization program for example was inappropriate for Ghana- needing huge amounts of imported machinery, fuel and material- a negative drain on resources rather than a positive. And then there was the problem of maintenance - he did not have enough trained people, hence expensive foreign experts had to be paid. It was not sustainable, or realistic on some counts. Better alternatives were available, such as export-driven models, and a less expensive more sustainable industrial buildup. Oh zarahan, i can always count on you to bring much" Cheer & Joy" to any subject. You seem to fall into the camp of the" Glass is Half Empty". But pragmatism helps put things into balance & perspective, so I thank you for that. With that being said, 20/20 is always hind-sight as the saying goes. Being the first in any endeavor brings risk & pitfalls esp. during the time that Nkrumah set Ghana on the road to independence. We have the comfort in quarter backing from a position of the 21 century to make our informed analysis, be they right or wrong; he did not ! So I try to always see the historical context esp. with a iconoclastic & pioneering individual such as Nkrumah & the times he lived ; yes, their were failures, but their were triumphs as well, & most of all, helping Africa to see it's brilliance, & possibilities for the future, & that to my mind makes his" Star" shine bright for all times. |
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Post by zarahan on Nov 8, 2014 14:02:10 GMT -5
Fair enough, but its not just hindsight. Plenty of people in Nkrumah's time
warned that some of his policies and heavy spending were unsustainable. He
decided to ignore the blunt realities in favor of his ideology and soaring ambition,
with much pain and suffering sometimes resulting. This is not a particularly Western
critique- sone of his own people dissented and that discontent is one of the things
that led to his overthrow. Some Ghanians for example criticized Nkrumah for focusing
too much on foreign policy and not enough on the needs of his own country. In saying
this also I would acknowledge the machinations of the imperialists to undercut and undermine
the man. Some traditional leaders and cultures also felt slighted by Nkrumah's policies.
But I would agree that there are things that make him a Star for all time.
His unquestioned commitment to African liberation, his tweaking the noses
of colonialist/imperialists, some of his spending in education, economics and social
services and so on did do some good. No one can take that from him.
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