GLOBALISATION IN AFRICA: A CRITICAL REFLECTION ON KANU’S CONCEPT OF GLOBALIZATION AS A PROCESS

Résumé

The word ‘globalisation’ seems to be a misnomer in view of what it designates. This is because it includes in its extension the idea of the ontological movement of the world towards cultural, political, religious and economic unity. But that is not what happens in reality. The converse is really the case; the world is moving in the opposite direction. There is irrefragable evidence that shows this disintegration of the world. It happens not ontologically but consciously through the instrumentality of human actors. The political objectives of politicians, countries and regional political groups are unimpeachable epiphanies of this movement towards greater disintegration. They set these political objectives for themselves because they find disintegration more rewarding than integration. But the African countries are being sold the idea that integration, that is, that globalisation is more beneficial than disintegration; that they have everything to gain if they join the globalising ship. This idea is being propagated by the beneficiaries of globalisation. This paper maintains that the word ‘globalisation’ will be extirpated and indeed will become a shibboleth if African countries and in fact all the countries of the world become developed economies.