Abstract: Colonial identity is one of the legacies of colonialism on the African continent, and has lingered on long after many African states have attained their independence. The Critical theory as advanced by Max Horkheimer of the Frankfurt School, questions social systems that have emerged throughout human history. Socio-economic development is a concept common to all human races, including Africans. A common belief held and propagated by Nineteenth Century colonizers was that Africans lacked the capacity for industry, creativity, and advancement of society, hence the need for a colonial master to introduce the necessary civilization. Specific images and narratives were actively manufactured and propagated to justify the colonization of a people. Through this, the colonizers could rationalise the subjugation of Africans to anyone that would question the practise. Africa’s performance record since independence in the mid-20th century has been disappointing. Poor economic performance, environmental degradation, political instability, and a host of other negative trends, have plagued the continent for generations. The abundance of evidence provided by scholars reveal the ability of Africans to do that which the European colonialists claimed was beyond African capacity. Africans need to take ownership of their development agenda, and wean themselves off dependence on Western states. This can be done through intellectual enlightenment, educational reforms, and developing country ownership.
Keywords: Colonialism, development, critical theory.
Title: Colonial Identity and Underdevelopment in Africa: A Critical Theory Perspective
Author: Brian Sanare Sempele
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
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