Introduction
West African region comprises of several states that are found in the western part of the African continent. These states occupy the vast Sahara Desert and is normally referred to as Sahel.
West African has gone economic and political revolution since the twentieth century. After the colonial period, several cities in West Africa were converted into independent states.
The region comprises of the states in the Maghreb region, and they occupy a total of 6,140,000 square kilometers
Much of the region depends on Mediterranean politics, and this has made the region to be politically powerful
The region witnesses the economic resource imbalance that has resulted in poverty index in the region. Thus, most of the people are economically dependent on their governments.
Cultural Diversity at times affects the economic viability of the region.
Geopolitical Characteristics
The region is known as the Westernmost African subcontinent
It occupies the Maghreb region of western Africa
Most of the countries in the region have altitudes fewer than 300 meters above sea level and thus the region at times is referred to as the vast plains of Africa.
It is the transitional zone between the western Sudan and the savannahs
The modern West Africa reflects the colonial boundaries
Main Sources of Social Power
Trade is the main source of economic power in the region
The region has the capacity to control large area which becomes a source of military power for the region
Ideological power is seen in the ability of the region to shape peoples believes and preferences.
Countries in the region also depend on trading activities as sources of social power
Militarily is powerful in the region, and most of the military armaments are sourced from powerful military countries such as U.S and Israel
Education is an important aspect of ideologies and people in this region make independent decisions
In terms of ideological power, the region has the ability to shape beliefs and preferences of the citizens.
Ideological power is seen where the region has the ability to control large number of citizens with ideological diversities.
In terms of political power, the region has the ability regulate the social lives of the citizens within the region.
Furthermore, the region has strong and organized power that comprises of armies, states, firms and churches.
The army within the region has strong firearms that is sourced from countries such as America and Israel.
Challenges
Lack of common currency
Cultural diversity
Political differences
Ideological differences
Introduction
In the twentieth century, West Africa has gone through a revolution that consisted of population explosion and rising of huge cities. The political division of the region also happened during the same period. The colonial cities were converted to independent states during the same period. However, the region remains poor as compared to other regions all over the world. The region mainly remains poor due to the poor politics that take place in the region. The imbalances in economic resource distribution also becomes another contributor to the poverty that takes place in West Africa. Many problems that are being witnessed in West Africa have deep rooted causes which include the improper balance of power.
However, some other factors are more recent, and this might include the contemporary political economy which has become a long-run framework that leaders in the region use to emphasize on the region's unity. More attention has been devoted to West Africa by different scholars as the societies in this region are believed to have the strongest powers in the whole of Africa. The powers that were found in the region during the precolonial period still shapes the region and its political powers (Lewis 34). It is believed that West Africa is the nearest tropical region to Europe. Much of the region’s history depends on the European and the Mediterranean politics. The societal Kingdoms and powers that were found in West Africa during the precolonial period still shape the contemporary political powers and politics of the same region. For example Ghana Empire/the Kingdom of Ghana is considered the powerful Kingdom and the whole region of West Africa region use the tactics used by the leaders of this Kingdom to run the affairs of their region.
Geopolitical Characteristics
Geopolitics basically refer to the geography of a region and this is the fundamental aspect in understanding the region. Further according to Max Weber, a German sociologist, geopolitics can refer to the legitimate use of force within a given region (Weber, 1920).He continues to state that geopolitics can refer to set of institutions which can include parliament, police and government departments. Geopolitics emphasizes on the role of force in shaping the society.
West African region is also known as the West of Africa, as it is the westernmost African subcontinent. West African region comprises of about eighteen countries. West Africa is a region in the African continent and is primarily an economic and political designation of the countries in the western region of Africa. West Africa comprises of the western region of the Maghreb and occupies an area of about 6,140,000 square kilometers (Lewis 34). This is considered to be one-fifth of the African continent. The large portion of this region is vast plains that lie less than 300 meters above the sea level. However, there are isolated high regions found in the area, and these high regions are found along the southern shores of the West Africa. The northern region of the West Africa mainly composed of the arid and semi-arid lands known as the Sahel region of West Africa. This is a transitional Zone between the western Sudan and the savannahs.
West African lies between 10 degrees east of the longitude and is in the north-south of the axis. It borders the Atlantic Ocean. The northernmost part of the region is the Sahara Desert, and this region is considered economically invaluable. Furthermore, the eastern region is considered to be less precise, and geographers argue that a line by the name Benue Trough runs through the eastern region (Lewis 104). The modern West Africa countries reflect the colonial boundaries as the regional boundaries are defined and there are no boundary disputes. This has enabled the mutual coexistence of the states within the region. Most of the transitional vegetation and Sahara zones are drained, and there is inadequate rain that supports the growth of the vegetation. The condition has made the region to be at times termed as a desert.
The West African population is known to have stagnated until the 19th century when most of the countries in African were experiencing fast population growth. In West Africa, research shows that the population growth started to grow after the 20th century when there was an improvement in health conditions. Since the improvement of health conditions in the region, the population has been increasing by 3% yearly. In 1930, the population of West Africa region was recorded at 40 million but by 2005, the population had reached 290 million as per the United Nations report. The population dynamic is expected to continue and by the year 2010, the region is expected to have reached a 430 million people and will have gone beyond half a billion by the year 2040 (Cowell, 105). West Africa region is also experiencing a rapid increase in the growth and development of cities. Currently, the cities in West Africa are hosting 45% of the total population in the region. However, the projections indicate that the population of the cities will be 60% of the total population between 2020 and 2025.
Even though the rural population is growing at a slow pace, it is known that its growth is significant as it builds the rural economy. In the pre-colonial period, majority of the people in West African were living in the rural areas since most of them were pastoralists, but currently, a large population is found in urban areas since they have shifted to other forms of surviving such as trading (Petch, 33). The population structure in West African is believed to have evolved due to the reduced mortality rate and increased fertility due to the improved health conditions. It is found that majority of the people in West Africa comprises of young people who are still energetic. The problem with this population is that they live in rural areas and leave the old and unenergetic people in the rural areas.
Main Sources of Social Power
The theory that is used is the Steven Lukes’ theory which is referred to as a radical view describes power in different forms. It argues that power can have three dimensions. The first dimension having the capacity to prevail in open conflict. This is the power that can be used to address conflicts especially in war-torn areas. The theory also argues about the second dimension explains power that has the capacity to control societal agenda. This is referred to as a structural power and can be used for maintaining peace in the society. The third dimension is the ability to shape the view of the world. According to the theory, this dimension applies in international level. Thus, the power of a region depends on the social, economic, military and ideological power of such a state. Another theory that can be used is the “Phenomenon in space” theory that was advanced by Swede Rudolf Kjellen in 1899, and it argues that geopolitics focuses on the state power and political strategy. According to Swede, the political power of a region depends on how organize it is in terms of political perspective.
In West African, the social power is traced back to a precolonial period where most of the communities that lived in the region were hunters and gatherers. It is also known that these communities were living in small groups which were known as family groupings. During that time again, trade was also another main activity that gave them social power. The long distance trade that took place in the region is considered to have contributed much to the social power of the people who lived in the region (Hargreaves, 79). Archeologists have shown that the people in this region engaged in trading of goods such as the precious metals and shells across the entire region. This commodity provided them with powerful means of enriching themselves.
Regarding social power, West Africa State has the oldest and longest economic history. The social power found in the region is attributed to the trade that covered long distances as the traders in this region did not just trade within the region alone, but they also traded outside the region. The cultural values that are witnessed in this region also trace back to the precolonial period. The cultural values are also believed to be a significant contributor to the social power in West Africa. The main economic activity of the West African countries is agriculture. The majority of the people in West Africa practice agriculture. Agriculture in West African dates back to the 5200 BC where the pastoralists were keeping large herds of animals. They had the pride in animal keeping, and anybody who had large heads of animals was considered powerful and in most cases was given the responsibility to lead the community. The current West Africa region also believes in agriculture and any person who is agriculturally endowed is respected in the region. Since the region comprises of many states, these states practice modern agriculture even though there are some states that practice traditional agriculture. For example, Ghana is believed to be a major producer of cocoa, and this has given it the social power as it can use the proceeds from the crop to feed its population and run the affairs of the state as well (Hargreaves, 89). Data shows that the region is experiencing fast growth because of the modernized agricultural activities and increasing political stability that have allowed many people to engage in meaningful agricultural activities. The fast growth in West Africa is believed to surpass the global growth average rate, and this is attributed to the well-fed population.
Apart from agricultural activities that provide social power to the West Africa States, trade is also believed to be the primary contributor of social power to the West Africa region. Trade has influenced much of the growth in West Africa in the 21st century. There is an expanding trade in the West Africa region due to the improved literacy. The education system has made people in the country to be literate and thus, they do not see agriculture as the only economic activity they can engage in (Ehrhardt 67). The young and rowing population also have the ability to engage in international trade. Research shows that West Africa region is growing regarding labor force, and the region is not able to provide them with jobs. Those people who are unable to secure themselves government jobs engage in trading activities and the dependency ratio has dropped. People engage in different forms of trade but majority of them sell fast moving consumer goods and services. West Africa has about 90 million people whose household income exceeding $5,000 meaning these people have the opportunity to spend their money on discretionary goods.
The economic growth in West Africa is attributed to several factors which include the infrastructure. The Overseas Development Institute in the year 2001, reported that majority of the countries in West Africa have developed infrastructure and thus most of the people engaged in trading activities since they view it as an easy way of living rather than engaging in agricultural activities. It is also believed that colonial powers taught the West African people the importance of hard working. Even though the colonial powers mistreated people, most of those who were working in the colonizers' farms copied the style of working and thus, they have been able to transform the West Africa region using the same knowledge and skills. The language diversity is also considered an important factor that improves the economic activities in the West Africa States. Because of the diversity in language, they can trade with different commodities. Furthermore, the trade based theories such as the dependency theory have been used as economic factor improvement in West Africa countries (Cowell,45) As most of the countries in West Africa have worked with the European countries, such as Europe, North American, and East Asia, they have been able to learn the dependency policy. These countries currently have the opportunity of working and having self-dependency, and they have been able to reduce the poverty index in the region. They have given them the social power and the countries in this region can depend on their economies.
The most important economic power in the region is the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc that has become a pillar of the social power in the whole region. This bloc was founded in the year 1975 after the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, and its mission is to promote the integration of the region economically. This bloc ensures that the countries in the region trade without any trading problems or barriers. It has been in a position to improve the economic status of the region since trading activities, and the information is equally shared among the states within the region.
The military power in the region was acquired after the colonial period. Most of the communities within the region were using crude weapons during the precolonial period. Even though Kingdoms such as the Ghana Empire were using sophisticated weapons, majority of the communities had not acquired this knowledge. The majority of the states in West Africa were colonized by French, and thus, they have their independence at a closed range. Sources show that after they had gained their independence, these countries started to train their military men and abandoned the tactics used by the French colonizers. Leaders of these countries acquire their military equipment from the powerful military countries such as U.S and Israel.
The primary sources of military power in West Africa is the ability of the region to control over a large armed forces. The region has well-equipped armed forces and their military is equipment is sourced from powerful states. The region is considered among the top most military in the whole Africa continent. The region has a common army which is well equipped and respond to emergencies at any given time. Ghana having the strongest military has contributed majorly to the common army.
Politics in the West Africa States is majorly considered as the primary contributor to the social power. After the West African countries became independent, they gain political supremacy. People in West African countries engage in the election to elect their leaders. These people see that the primary way of being powerful politically is to elect leaders who are independent minded and cannot be swayed by international politics. They based their political power in the policies of kingdoms and empires such as the Ghana Empire since they value their social culture (Cowell 56). Some of the states such as Mali had heredity policies where they could elect the leaders from the community that had already led the people. However, this policy has been amended, and any person can be elected. Politics of the West African States are strong, and unity is embraced. This has given the region social power and thus can strive in all aspects of life.
Political power in West African is seen in the ability of the region to regulate social lives of the citizens within the region. Politics in the region is based on the tyranny of numbers whereby leaders are chosen on the basis of the number of registered voters. Voters are seen as the primary source of political power. The region has large number of voters and thus is able to elect leaders who have constructive ideologies. In the region there is smart power since both hard and soft power has been combined for effective governance. The political power in West Africa is significant in that it prevails notably during the war and the ability of the leaders from this region to address war issues peacefully is known worldwide. The region also has the power to control African as its structural power is organized and effective.
Ideological differences are normally witnessed in the region. Because most of the people in the region are educated, they understand their affairs well. Thus, at times, the countries in the region can differ ideologically, but that is considered a healthy way of living. The education system in the region encourages people to be independent minded and thus they can make their independent decisions based their ideas. The leaders in the region have the ability to shape the region. The beliefs and preferences are based on the technological advances.
Challenges facing West Africa
Since the region has cultural diversity, these cultural diversity at times clashes and thus can affect the economic developments. Regarding the economy, the region lacks a common currency and this influences the effective transactions. Furthermore, most of the countries in the region lie in the vast Sahara Desert, and they are unable to carry out meaningful agricultural activities. What is more, poverty index is still high in West Africa, and this has made majority of the people to be economically dependent on their governments. Furthermore, the cost of military equipment has made it difficult for the region to fight terrorists effectively. The rise of new terrorists in countries such as Mali has deteriorated the economic development of the country. Illiteracy rate is still high in the region and this has significantly impacted the region economically since majority of the people have low or no levels of education. Thus, the dependency rate is high. What is more, innovation in the region is low and it depends majorly on imported technology. This has also been seen as regional challenge and it has made the region to lag behind technologically. Political differences have also been witnessed among countries within this region. Some of the countries at times differ politically and it affects the smooth relationship among those countries. Political differences are attributed to the boundary disputes among the countries bordering each other. Boundary disputes in most cases spur war among the disputing countries and this has resulted in high number of refugees from the region who go and seek refuge in other regions of Africa continent.
Works Cited
Araoye, Lasisi A. Sources of Conflict in the Post-Colonial African State.Oxford University Press, 2014. Print.
Cowell, Alan. Killing the Wizards: Wars of Power and Freedom from Zaire to South Africa. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002. Print.
Ehrhardt, David. "Politics of West Africa." Oxford Bibliographies Online s: Washington DC,2008. Print.
Hargreaves, John D. "A Military King-maker." France and West Africa. Oxford University Press, 2009: 198-200. Print.
Lewis, W A. Politics in West Africa. Toronto: Oxford UP, 1965. Print.
Petch, G A. Economic Development and Modern West Africa. London: U of London P, 2001. Print.
