Why is Africa so poor while Europe and North America are so wealthy?

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/04/24/why-is-africa-so-poor-while-europe-and-north-america-are-so-wealthy/
Published: Apr 24, 2016
Author: Andrew Gelman
Post Date: 2016-04-24 13:57:37 by Justified
Views: 16088

A few years ago, two economics professors, Quamrul Ashraf and Oded Galor, published a paper, “The Out of Africa Hypothesis, Human Genetic Diversity, and Comparative Economic Development,” that drew inferences about poverty and genetics based on a statistical pattern.

The world’s most genetically diverse countries (using their measure of what counts as genetically diverse) are in sub-Saharan Africa, which is the world’s poorest region. The least genetically diverse countries are in places like Bolivia, which have low incomes but not as low as in that region of Africa. There’s an intermediate level of genetic diversity among the residents of the middle-income and rich countries in Asia, Europe and North America.

Genetic diversity arises from migratory distance of populations from East Africa. Countries in east Africa have the highest genetic diversity because this is where humans evolved. Populations that settled in other parts of the world descend from various subgroups of people who left Africa at different times. Thus, these groups are less varied in their genetic profiles.

Ashraf and Galor put this together and argued that this is “reflecting the trade-off between the beneficial and the detrimental effects of diversity on productivity.” Their argument was that a little bit of genetic diversity is a good thing because “a wider spectrum of traits is more likely to be complementary to the development and successful implementation of advanced technological paradigms,” but if a country is too genetically diverse, its economy will suffer from “reduced cooperation and efficiency.” Thus, they wrote, “the high degree of diversity among African populations and the low degree of diversity among Native American populations have been a detrimental force in the development of those regions.”

Any claim that economic outcomes can be explained by genes will be immediately controversial. It can be interpreted as a justification of the status quo, as if it is arguing that existing economic inequality among countries has a natural, genetic cause. See this paper by Guedes et al. for further discussion of this point.

When the paper by Ashraf and Galor came out, I criticzed it from a statistical perspective, questioning what I considered its overreach in making counterfactual causal claims such as:

… increasing the diversity of the most homogenous country in the sample (Bolivia) by 1 percentage point would raise its income per capita in the year 2000 CE by 41 percent, (ii) decreasing the diversity of the most diverse country in the sample (Ethiopia) by 1 percentage point would raise its income per capita by 21 percent.

I argued (and continue to believe) that the problems in that paper reflect a more general issue in social science: There is an incentive to make strong and dramatic claims to get published in a top journal.

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My criticisms were of a general sort. Recently, Shiping Tang sent me a paper criticizing Ashraf and Galor from a data-analysis perspective, arguing that their effect goes away after including allowing for a “Eurasia” effect, from Jared Diamond’s hypothesis in his book, “Guns, Germs, and Steel” that Eurasia had an economic advantage from two sources: the availability of domesticable animals and a more favorable geography in that innovations could be spread along east-west rather than north-south axes, with these two features favoring the development of agricultural societies.

Tang writes:

… we provide a systematic econometric rebuttal against Ashraf and Galor, based on Ashraf and Galor’s (2012) own data. We do not question the possible link between migratory distance and predicted genetic diversity: We give Ashraf and Galor the benefit of doubt that migratory distance is a good proxy for predicted genetic diversity. Neither do we challenge the link between genetic diversity and innovation or the link between genetic diversity and cooperation/conflict, although we do wish to note that the case presented by Ashraf and Galor (2012) on these two possible causal links has been weak at best. . . . Finally, we do not even challenge the data collected by Ashraf and Galor: We assume that all of their data are valid and accurate. Instead, we attempt to unambiguously show that even with their own data, Ashraf and Galor’s (2012) results cannot hold after controlling for a key variable that is missing in their inquiry.

I have not tried to evaluate the details of Tang’s reanalysis because I continue to think that Ashraf and Galor’s paper is essentially an analysis of three data points (sub-Saharan Africa, remote Andean countries and Eurasia). It offered little more than the already-known stylized fact that sub-Saharan African countries are very poor, Amerindian countries are somewhat poor, and countries with Eurasians and their descendants tend to have middle or high incomes.

That said, this new paper by Tang could be useful in that it criticizes Ashraf and Galor on their own terms.

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#1: misterwhite    To: Justified (#0)

"Any claim that economic outcomes can be explained by genes will be immediately controversial."

Um, because it's true?

South Africa was more economically successful than other African countries. But when the whites were kicked out, the country went downhill.

misterwhite posted on 2016-04-24 14:21:57   Reply   Private Reply

#2: rlk    To: Justified (#0)

Why is Africa so poor while Europe and North America are so wealthy?

Quamrul Ashraf and Oded Galor should take courses in biology. The determining factor is not economic speculation, but a matter of simple genetics.

rlk posted on 2016-04-24 14:43:53   Reply   Private Reply

#3: jeremiad    To: Justified (#0)

It is the Naggers. I don't know why but the women in Afreaka just nag nag nag. It keeps their menfolk from accomplishin' any ole' thang.

jeremiad posted on 2016-04-24 14:52:41   Reply   Private Reply

#4: goodnessmarlok    To: Justified (#0)

This article and the comments below it reminds me of something on another website that shall not be named here. I'm going to amp it up to a thousand. Thanks OP.

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 14:58:34   Reply   Private Reply

#5: goodnessmarlok    To: misterwhite (#1)

Just like it's because of genes that the whites get cucked by the brown, white, and black Muslims invading their little safe countries to breed with their women and make their men suffer from a biological dead end?

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 14:59:41   Reply   Private Reply

#6: goodnessmarlok    To: rlk (#2)

I guess the Southwest Asians and the Southeast Asians are genetically superior to West and North Europeans then. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore are all very wealthy countries that surpass the economic level of the West.

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 15:01:55   Reply   Private Reply

#7: goodnessmarlok    To: jeremiad (#3)

>implying Africa is only full of Negroid people

lmao de lol

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 15:02:52   Reply   Private Reply

#8: jeremiad    To: misterwhite (#1)

There were 7 million whites in S Africa, that is down to about 3 million now. The people that are left cannot afford to move to another country. They are considered both too racist to allow in any other country, and not the correct color or religion. South Africa was nothing but an empty piece of land with a few of the true "Bushmen" tribes there. After the success of the white people in turning the country into quite a wonderful country, it was destroyed by political correctness, Communists, and assholes in the Western nations. What the S. Africans did with blacks was no different than Canadians, Americans or other countries did. They allowed immigrants from surrounding countries in, that wanted to share in the jobs and wealth. They built them enclaves, but kept them separate from them, didn't allow them to become part of the political process. Didn't recognize that they were even citizens, as they lived in another nation. The Communists through the murderous "saint" and his "lovely Winnie" took over the nation, which was really an invasion from other countries from the continent. They pushed the whites into enclaves, where they are living in garbage dumps, under tin roofs equivalent to "the box" one sees in a WW II POW movie. The children are not allowed to go to school, the people are dying but not one country in "the West" acknowledges it. The Commies of S Africa do not allow anyone but police or military to own guns, but roving gangs of rapists and murderers prey upon the whites weapons. How do they get guns? They rent them from the cops, while those that are supposed to uphold the law, turn their heads. GOOD JOB AMERICA, you did this to an ally, a friend, a fellow group of human beings. All in the name of supporting heathen, raging animals. At least we still can have that mental image of the mass murderer Nelson, with his insane grinning visage to make us feel righteous.

jeremiad posted on 2016-04-24 15:06:59   Reply   Private Reply

#9: BorisY    To: Justified (#0)

Genetic diversity arises from migratory distance of populations from East Africa. Countries in east Africa have the highest genetic diversity because this is where humans evolved.

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BorisY posted on 2016-04-24 15:11:19   Reply   Private Reply

#10: goodnessmarlok    To: jeremiad (#8)

>South Africa ever a good country

>Entitled Dutch people commit genocide and establish stupid colonial laws over there a la colonies of the past in the Americas

>Full of scattered about and poor natives while a foreigner class rules over

Whether you disagree or not it WAS bullshit what they did. Let those people live in "savage" ways as you call it why does it harm you?They aren't harming you so don't give a fuck about it. Simple as that. That's why people can't agree with you.

Funny enough you idiots can't keep your dusty heads out of anything, so that's why you have all these problems coming to your countries tripled with the already internal ones your dumbfuck countries suffer. It's completely your fault.

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 15:15:22   Reply   Private Reply

#11: A Pole    To: Justified (#0)

Why Greece and Italy, earlier Egypt, Iraq and Syria were the richest while Skandinavia and Germany were dirt poor?

Why China was the number 1 economy before they met British?

Why Muslims in Spain were rich and Christian Spaniards poor?

A Pole posted on 2016-04-24 15:42:40   Reply   Private Reply

#12: jeremiad    To: goodnessmarlok (#10)

South Africa was essentially empty of organized tribes when the Dutch came. If you asked any sane person where they would rather live, in an African "native" ruled country, or white ruled they overwhelmingly choose white. Then, they slowly turn it back to black and a certain desolation of spirit and poverty. The oil wealthy nations are actually quite poor. There are a few with incredible wealth, and the majority with not so much. Sort of like it is turning into in American as we lose the European majority position of years past. Is that a coin kee doink? I don't think so at all.

jeremiad posted on 2016-04-24 16:33:39   Reply   Private Reply

#13: sneakypete    To: goodnessmarlok (#5)

Just like it's because of genes that the whites get cucked by the brown, white, and black Muslims invading their little safe countries to breed with their women and make their men suffer from a biological dead end?

Just how heavy is that inferiority genes chip on your shoulder?

sneakypete posted on 2016-04-24 16:59:25   Reply   Private Reply

#14: goodnessmarlok    To: jeremiad (#12)

No. That's not what I was getting at. I said what was the point of colonizing and imposing your way on the peoples? Out of entitlement and greed. Exactly. So don't be surprised when there are foreigners invading your lands RIGHT NOW out of that same entitlement and greed. They aren't bothering you being savages as you call it. I don't see why you gotta poke your heads in everything just because.

The oil wealthy nations are not poor, no. Their wealthy is wealthier than ours. The greatest civilizations for the majority of the world has been the East not the West.

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 17:01:00   Reply   Private Reply

#15: goodnessmarlok    To: sneakypete (#13)

Sounds like someone is buttflustered because their wife is getting gangbanged by Achmed and Jamal as we speak.

R.I.P your genes.

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 17:01:59   Reply   Private Reply

#16: SOSO    To: A Pole, Justified (#11)

Why Greece and Italy, earlier Egypt, Iraq and Syria were the richest while Skandinavia and Germany were dirt poor?

Why China was the number 1 economy before they met British?

Why Muslims in Spain were rich and Christian Spaniards poor?

It's not where you start but where you finish.

"Why Muslims in Spain were rich and Christian Spaniards poor?

Stronger swords.

"Why China was the number 1 economy before they met British?

Please prove that with credible references - if you can.

"Why Greece and Italy, earlier Egypt, Iraq and Syria were the richest while Skandinavia and Germany were dirt poor?"

And now?

SOSO posted on 2016-04-24 17:04:15   Reply   Private Reply

#17: goodnessmarlok    To: SOSO (#16)

And who says we're finished? We know the power is going back to the East again and the West is falling.

Just... lol

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 17:05:10   Reply   Private Reply

#18: SOSO    To: A Pole, Justified (#11)

"Why China was the number 1 economy before they met British?

BTW just how genetically diverse was China then?

SOSO posted on 2016-04-24 17:05:53   Reply   Private Reply

#19: SOSO    To: goodnessmarlok (#17)

And who says we're finished? We know the power is going back to the East again and the West is falling.

And just how genetically diverse is your East?

SOSO posted on 2016-04-24 17:07:05   Reply   Private Reply

#20: sneakypete    To: A Pole (#11)

Why China was the number 1 economy before they met British?

They were number 1 in China,for sure. Other than that,they had no trade with anyone before the British came in and took over.

Why Muslims in Spain were rich and Christian Spaniards poor?

Because Muslim clergy didn't object to individual Muslims becoming wealthy,and the Catholic Church wanted the people kept poor so they were easier to control and it was easier for the Church to own all the money and property.

sneakypete posted on 2016-04-24 17:07:59   Reply   Private Reply

#21: goodnessmarlok    To: SOSO (#19)

The East is extremely genetically diverse.

It has Berbers, Arabs, Kurds, Persians, Turkics, Dravidians, Aborigines, Monogoloids, Pacific Islanders, Negroids, ect.

You tried it, but you failed.

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 17:09:07   Reply   Private Reply

#22: SOSO    To: goodnessmarlok (#21)

It has Berbers, Arabs, Kurds, Persians, Turkics, Dravidians, Aborigines, Monogoloids, Pacific Islanders, Negroids, ect.

You tried it, but you failed.

And all of these are ascending? Riiiiight........... I shoot, I score. LMAO.

SOSO posted on 2016-04-24 17:10:43   Reply   Private Reply

#23: goodnessmarlok    To: sneakypete (#20)

>Because Muslim clergy didn't object to individual Muslims becoming wealthy,and the Catholic Church wanted the people kept poor so they were easier to control and it was easier for the Church to own all the money and property.

Source: your ass

I know you're very daft sneakypete but come on. lmao.

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 17:10:51   Reply   Private Reply

#24: SOSO    To: goodnessmarlok (#21)

The East is extremely genetically diverse.

It has Berbers, Arabs, Kurds, Persians, Turkics, Dravidians, Aborigines, Monogoloids, Pacific Islanders, Negroids, ect.

How's that tribalism working out for them? LMAO again.

SOSO posted on 2016-04-24 17:11:50   Reply   Private Reply

#25: sneakypete    To: goodnessmarlok (#15)

Sounds like someone is buttflustered because their wife is getting gangbanged by Achmed and Jamal as we speak.

I'm sure that's just one of the fantasies that you and your favorite goat share.

sneakypete posted on 2016-04-24 17:12:03   Reply   Private Reply

#26: goodnessmarlok    To: SOSO (#22)

Yeah, they're ascending both figuratively and literally. Through your countries and your governments which favor them. And your women who have a soft spot for them.

It doesn't matter if their home countries are shit. Why bother when there's new better land to conquer? Even the genetics is shifting. And it doesn't have a favor with the native population either.

You shoot and ya missed. As usual. lmao de lol

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 17:13:07   Reply   Private Reply

#27: goodnessmarlok    To: sneakypete (#25)

Well I think your wife would be more prone to using goats and other farm animals since I doubt you can please her yourself.

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 17:15:13   Reply   Private Reply

#28: Justified    To: All (#0)

Im not sure how I feel about this article. There is always more to the story.

Religion, property rights, economic systems and more go into why people succeed in life. It seems when life if cheap to people economic systems fail. Over populations produced cheap life. Religion stifles productivity. Over bearing governments take rights away and without the ability to keep what you work for why invest in the future?

There are so many reason why.

Justified posted on 2016-04-24 17:16:45   Reply   Private Reply

#29: sneakypete    To: goodnessmarlok (#27)

Well I think your wife would be more prone to using goats and other farm animals since I doubt you can please her yourself.

Well,I can't really blame you for feeling insecure and inferior. It's in your genes.

sneakypete posted on 2016-04-24 17:17:08   Reply   Private Reply

#30: SOSO    To: goodnessmarlok (#26)

It doesn't matter if their home countries are shit. Why bother when there's new better land to conquer? Even the genetics is shifting. And it doesn't have a favor with the native population either.

Oh but it does matter that they come from shitholes that are of their own making. That is why they are trying to leave and corrupt every place that they try to go. And as for women, since when did rape and forced sex slaves constitute a soft spot.

You reveal your nature,, shit wad and that is why I will always have the last laugh on you and you shit eating asswipe hordes of goat f*ckers.

SOSO posted on 2016-04-24 17:17:22   Reply   Private Reply

#31: goodnessmarlok    To: SOSO (#24)

A lot better than your stupid tribalism. Which involved saying "im better" then stupidly going out and screwing with other countries. Now you have the gall to whine that other countries problems are coming into yours.

Face it bud we will see a Eastern West very soon. It's evident that your people rather write mean things on message boards to people they sheepishly perceive as the "enemy" than go out and actually DO something and protect THEIR women. But you know, they don't. I guess it's god's way. "Inshallah" I suppose.

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 17:17:38   Reply   Private Reply

#32: goodnessmarlok    To: SOSO (#30)

It's a shithole because you retards made it. So now what you idiots did the people you come from (Europeans) have to suffer for it. You're completely selfish and I love it. If it wasn't for the Amerifat than the West wouldn't have been crippling from its long- term disease even more.

Um no, a lot of European women like the handsome Eastern men. Nice try. Eastern men are better looking and actually act like MEN.

Last laugh? No. Technically the last laugh is with the goat fuckers since their religion and their demographics are winning. Fail.

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 17:19:35   Reply   Private Reply

#33: SOSO    To: Justified, All (#28)

Im not sure how I feel about this article. There is always more to the story. . There are so many reason why.

This is the first article that I have seen that challenges the BS meme that diversity always leads to a better society. The facts simply do not support that PC carp.

SOSO posted on 2016-04-24 17:19:41   Reply   Private Reply

#34: goodnessmarlok    To: sneakypete (#29)

Weak response. I guess your wife really is getting that Muslim pounding taken to her. Just shameful.

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 17:20:26   Reply   Private Reply

#35: Justified    To: SOSO (#33)

This is the first article that I have seen that challenges the BS meme that diversity always leads to a better society. The facts simply do not support that PC carp.

I agree diversity is not always better and can be harm greatly.

Forced diversity is the worst and should never be allowed. In fact I believe our constitution does not allow government to force diversity to happen but who really cares about the constitution.

Justified posted on 2016-04-24 17:23:28   Reply   Private Reply

#36: SOSO    To: goodnessmarlok (#32)

It's a shithole because you retards made it.

Who made the Middle East, ex. Israel, a shithole? Outsiders from the West? Geez, Mustafa, you are a laugh a minute. I piss on you with great glee as you and your dogs continue to f*ck camels and eat their shit. If it wasn't for the Western modernity you and your turd cultures would still be eating your own shit and liking it.

SOSO posted on 2016-04-24 17:25:09   Reply   Private Reply

#37: SOSO    To: Justified (#35)

In fact I believe our constitution does not allow government to force diversity to happen but who really cares about the constitution.

Don't say that out loud to a DRat.

SOSO posted on 2016-04-24 17:25:53   Reply   Private Reply

#38: goodnessmarlok    To: SOSO (#36)

>Western modernity

Do you mean letting your wives fuck men on camera and then gleefully selling your daughters for other men to masturbate to? What about worshiping material objects and obsessing over celebrities? oh geez, I sure can't wait for Western modernity.

I'd rather live in a shithole in Syria than "Western modernity". Sweden is the most prime example of that and just LOOK at them. LOL

Also you unironically believe the architectures and advances of the East was with Western help. Oh mai gawd.

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 17:30:49   Reply   Private Reply

#39: goodnessmarlok    To: SOSO (#36)

Tommy, obviously Western modernity loves us because they just can't stop from inviting violent and criminal Easterners to their "nice" places just to say they aren't racist.

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 17:31:42   Reply   Private Reply

#40: Justified    To: goodnessmarlok, everyone (#38)

I hope people realize this is a true racist person trying to stir the pot.

I would not waste even one word on this person.

Justified posted on 2016-04-24 17:37:44   Reply   Private Reply

#41: goodnessmarlok    To: Justified (#40)

i'm not racist in particular but i do dislike certain cultures or behaviors

goodnessmarlok posted on 2016-04-24 17:45:02   Reply   Private Reply

#42: paraclete    To: jeremiad (#3)

could it be that those men are just naturally shiftless and lazy or they are happy with what they have got

paraclete posted on 2016-04-24 18:16:37   Reply   Private Reply

#43: A Pole    To: sneakypete (#20)

They were number 1 in China,for sure. Other than that,they had no trade with anyone before the British came in and took over.

China was a major exporter for centuries. Silk, china, tea and several other things to the whole world.

Start with with Silk Road and look at great sea trade to India, Middle East and Europe.

British increased drug imports to China.

A Pole posted on 2016-04-24 18:40:40   Reply   Private Reply

#44: A Pole    To: sneakypete (#20)

Why Muslims in Spain were rich and Christian Spaniards poor?

Because Muslim clergy didn't object to individual Muslims becoming wealthy,and the Catholic Church wanted the people kept poor so they were easier to control and it was easier for the Church to own all the money and property.

No cookie. Because Muslims were the rulers over the conquered Christians.

A Pole posted on 2016-04-24 18:43:51   Reply   Private Reply

#45: A Pole    To: SOSO (#36)

Who made the Middle East, ex. Israel, a shithole?

Are you talking about Libya?

A Pole posted on 2016-04-24 18:46:10   Reply   Private Reply

#46: misterwhite    To: jeremiad (#8)

On the plus side there's no more black apartheid.

misterwhite posted on 2016-04-24 19:30:25   Reply   Private Reply

#47: jeremiad    To: paraclete (#42)

It is years of knowing that whatever one attempts to accomplish, it will never happen. Turn that into total faith of the same, and you have the custom of apathy. It is very hard to get out of, and easy to get into, as Americans are not finding out.

jeremiad posted on 2016-04-24 19:31:15   Reply   Private Reply

#48: buckeroo    To: misterwhite (#46)

On the plus side there's no more black apartheid.

That is just one 0bama opin, ain't it?

buckeroo posted on 2016-04-24 19:40:01   Reply   Private Reply

#49: rlk    To: goodnessmarlok (#6)

I guess the Southwest Asians and the Southeast Asians are genetically superior to West and North Europeans then. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore are all very wealthy countries that surpass the economic level of the West.

Saudi Arabia is wealthy only because because it allowed American engineers and oil companies to install oil wells for a piece of the profits. Beyond that, it has never done anything. Asians representing the Mandarin level of population are, on the average, a little genetically intellectually superior to the average White person. That is why U. S. universities tend to recruit them to become students in the hard advanced basic sciences while minorities in the U. S. cry that it's discrimination. If I want serious conversation, I'll go to a madarin Chinaman rather that the typical American gopplehead. Conversation with the average minority member in America is like speaking to a programmed wind-up toy.

rlk posted on 2016-04-24 19:49:34   Reply   Private Reply

#50: sneakypete    To: goodnessmarlok (#23)

I know you're very daft sneakypete but come on. lmao.

Don't blame me because you are wrong. I had nothing to do with either your breeding or your education.

sneakypete posted on 2016-04-24 19:54:44   Reply   Private Reply