[Gladwin]

I don't think decolonization worked very well in any country - as far as standard of living, or the crime rate is concerned. I remember a National Geographic article from the eighties that shoed a decolonized town in central Africa. All the stop lights were burned out and broken and main street was all busted up. Kind of depressing, really.

On the other hand, I am not sure anyone wants to live under a benign dictatorship or oligarchy.

[SJackson]

On the other hand, I am not sure anyone wants to live under a benign dictatorship or oligarchy.

Agreed, I don't think they can be said to have been better off under apartheid, without freedom. But it every measureable way they were.

[KC_Conspirator]

I don't think decolonization worked very well in any country - as far as standard of living, or the crime rate is concerned.

Well, it probably would have helped if they had not embraced totalitarians, communism, and socialism after the colonial governments left. The ANC ideology of socialism/communims has wrecked every single economy it has toyed with. Countries like the United States and India have faired far better because of capitalistic systems after colonialism.