"Go back to Africa", What Would Happen If An Actual Mass Migration Takes Place?
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Dafunkdoc_Unlimited
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Matt504 said:
They gon' nuke the entire continent?
They gon' nuke the entire continent?
If we repatriated the continent, it's likely that many of us (Black Americans), would want to live in close proximity to other Black Americans.
Dafunkdoc_Unlimited
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Matt504 said:
Look at the founding of Liberia for a historical reference. 2 things to consider.
1. Do the people native to x place in Africa want to be colonized by American Blacks? How will relations there be more constructive than here? What's our impact as refugees/ invasive population on the current tribalistic legacy of colonialism induced conflicts across the continent?
2. How do you provide economic opportunity for these newly displaced refugees in a country where the native population sends their best and brightest abroad for education and access to jobs?
It'd be a shame to relocate to say Zambia and then find out that the path to wealth there was through attending British boarding schools and then college in the States and that you could not access these opportunities due to class or ethnicity.
1. Do the people native to x place in Africa want to be colonized by American Blacks? How will relations there be more constructive than here? What's our impact as refugees/ invasive population on the current tribalistic legacy of colonialism induced conflicts across the continent?
2. How do you provide economic opportunity for these newly displaced refugees in a country where the native population sends their best and brightest abroad for education and access to jobs?
It'd be a shame to relocate to say Zambia and then find out that the path to wealth there was through attending British boarding schools and then college in the States and that you could not access these opportunities due to class or ethnicity.
In what aspect?
Natives won't tolerate "foreigners" coming over and taking resources ----see liberia
The difference between a 3rd world nation and developed countries like US is vast.
Only African country which can give you the same "experience" as living in America in terms of responses in my opinion is South Africa.
But would such a theoretical mass migration offer the same "experience" as living in America, or would it be something different all together, and possibly revolutionary?
Birnin Zana
Honorary Wakandan
It will be completely different altogether.
1. Outside of North Africa, the countries are strongly majority black.
2. Many countries have made a lot of progress, but overall most countries in the continent aren't completely developed. So to expect the same amnesties and infrastructure would be very unrealistic.
3. Assuming you saved some cash, you dollars would go way farther in African countries than in the US. Plus, because a lot of countries lack infrastructure, you can play a role in actually building it and even have a piece of ownership to it.
The key to all this is that those who migrate HAVE to be willing to integrate to whichever country they end up moving. Liberia's situation got the way it did because the repatriates shut out the natives from the power structures, which caused a lot of resentment and thus civil wars.
Remember, in the end, its their land and they (whether the governments or the people in it) are letting you in. If you make contributions to whatever country you're in, especially in critical areas such as healthcare, banking, general infrastructure, and so on, its win/win for both parties.
Birnin Zana
Honorary Wakandan
1. For one thing, American blacks won't be colonizing anyone: you will be entering established nations with established populations.
Relations more constructive compared to what exactly?
Unlike other refugees, you mostly have two advantages: well-educated population and you have dollars. That's a big leverage.
2. Good question. The reality is a lot of African countries simply haven't made it a priority yet, and thats mostly a leadership issues. The guys at the top are happy with just being in power and getting props from foreigners, specifically the west, rather than improving their nations. Therefore, the native population feels they have no choice but to sent their child overseas for education and opportunity.
However, there are African countries that are about their business and, despite their flaws, are making good efforts. In fact there's a ranking for that, via the Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance. Here's the top 11 in "Sustainable Economic Opportunity":
1. Mauritius
2. Rwanda
3. South Africa
4. Botswana
5. Morocco
6. Senegal
7. Namibia
8. Ghana
9. Cabo Verde
10. Zambia
11. Seychelles
Check out the page, its a great way to get an idea of which countries are making moves in the right direction: http://www.moibrahimfoundation.org/interact/
Well, that would require one to research whichever country, or region, is of interest to you. Some are more welcoming to foreign investment, some are not. And so on. Gotta find out where / if you'd fit in, and if its the right fit for you.
^good info.
More constructive in the sense that a large segment of the population of Blacks that would potentially benefit he most from moving don't always have the strongest connection or desire to associate with Africans. That goes for the talented tenth as much as the average brother on the block.
I do thinks its feasible with planning and willing partners. Ideally, we'd start with a cultural exchange program and start putting together connections so that no matter where you were from across the diaspora you would have a home country in Africa. Then slowly start repatriating to those countries that were willing to have us.
Another place to look for an example of how things could play out would be the Jews in Israel. Native Jews vs Russian & European Jews, American Jews, etc and how it's impacted their neighbors. From the outside looking in, they've only been successful as 1 country because they are actively making war on their enemy. W/O that I'm not sure how these different groups would cohabit-ate.
More constructive in the sense that a large segment of the population of Blacks that would potentially benefit he most from moving don't always have the strongest connection or desire to associate with Africans. That goes for the talented tenth as much as the average brother on the block.
I do thinks its feasible with planning and willing partners. Ideally, we'd start with a cultural exchange program and start putting together connections so that no matter where you were from across the diaspora you would have a home country in Africa. Then slowly start repatriating to those countries that were willing to have us.
Another place to look for an example of how things could play out would be the Jews in Israel. Native Jews vs Russian & European Jews, American Jews, etc and how it's impacted their neighbors. From the outside looking in, they've only been successful as 1 country because they are actively making war on their enemy. W/O that I'm not sure how these different groups would cohabit-ate.
Birnin Zana
Honorary Wakandan
Ahhh I see what you mean now. If such personalities want to make moves in Africa, but don't want to associate with Africans, then yea, that would absolutely cause tensions in the long term. Its one thing if a non-African (euros, Chinese, etc) were to do that. But someone that looks like the locals doing this? That's something else.
With that said, I think the chances of that happening is pretty low. Fact is most black Americans don't want much to do with Africa anyway, whether it is visiting, moving or investing there. Most likely those that do either of the three, especially moving and investing, would want their new surroundings to be doing well, so they will care a lot about the opinion and well being of the natives of whichever nation they are in.
Agreed. In fairness to those in the diaspora, most African countries haven't really done that great of a job in promoting themselves to them. Even the countries most people know of (South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana for example), the average person probably doesn't know much about the economic situation, the cultures of each country, political situations, etc. Culture exchanges can take care of that however.
Now that you mention it, I didn't even know where were tensions between each Jewish group. Good point there.
The big difference in this case is that they will be moving to areas with an established population, rather than being in one country for themselves. Sooner or later, they or their next generation will be integrated into whichever country they are in. It would be when various europeans move to a majority white country: they may keep certain things about their culture that is unique to them, but would assimilate to whatever nation they are in.
Also, rather than focusing on moving to one country, I'm starting to think diasporans should consider moving to a region, if possible. Not only does it lessen the pressure off of one nation, but if done properly can help several nations develop. When more African countries improve, Africa wins. When Africa wins, black people worldwide get more respect.
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