Drawing on the material covered in class, in your view, how much of current differences in economic development have their origins in the past? Once when at a conference in the DRC, while talking to government officials about Africa’s history and current underdevelopment, one individual said “That was the past. Colonialism is over. Slavery is over. None of that matters any more.” In your view, is the evidence consistent with this statement? Please argue your position with references to evidence covered in the class. You are free to argue for or against the statement.

Drawing on the material covered in class, in your view, how much of current differences in economic development have their origins in the past? Once when at a conference in the DRC, while talking to government officials about Africa’s history and current underdevelopment, one individual said “That was the past. Colonialism is over. Slavery is over. None of that matters any more.” In your view, is the evidence consistent with this statement? Please argue your position with references to evidence covered in the class. You are free to argue for or against the statement.