1.1.2 Global patterns of economic development

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The slave trade removed millions of people from the continent, devastating societies and economies

Colonial infrastructure (e.g. railways) was built to extract resources, not to connect communities

Colonial education systems taught people to devalue their own cultures, languages and customs

Cold War interference forced newly independent countries into ideological battles rather than allowing them to chart their own course

Structural adjustment policies imposed by the World Bank and IMF crippled developing economies

Multinational corporations misreport imports and exports to avoid paying tax in poorer countries

Trade deals force poorer countries to open markets to rich countries' surplus production, destroying local industries

Unfair intellectual property laws benefit wealthy nations at the expense of poorer ones

The costs of climate change fall hardest on the world's poorest people, despite being caused mainly by wealthier nations

Cultural values in wealthy nations (e.g. relentless consumer demand, constant innovation) drive economic systems that exploit poorer countries

Countries built around resource extraction struggle to develop balanced, diversified economies

Poorer countries lack the tax base to fund adequate health care and education, even if they spend the same percentage of GDP as rich countries

Brain drain sees skilled workers leave for wealthier countries

Corruption and lack of transparency weaken governance and the rule of law

Civil wars destroy health, education and infrastructure systems and displace millions of people

Fragile health systems create vicious cycles, as crises like Ebola cause further damage to already weak infrastructure