Abstract
This article presents the hypothesis that there has developed in Africa in recent years a group of practices which constitutes a new pattern, to be called here ‘crude private neo-imperialism’. This term refers to unprincipled exploitation by some foreign firms of African governments that establish government-controlled, directly productive enterprises in an effort to accelerate economic development. The pattern referred to is ‘crude’ in that it involves outright dishonesty or hoodwinkery. It is ‘private’ in that the exploitative practices are carried on by private companies rather than by governments (although the latter have frequently given tacit and even explicit support). It is imperialism or ‘neo-imperialism’ in that the practices constitute not simply a series of similar incidents but a general phenomenon attributable to substantial contemporary causes.

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