The Economic Dimension of the Postcolonial African Migration to the West

Corruption, poverty, unemployment, and weak economic institutions are seen in many migration discussions as causes of postcolonial African migration to the West. Many researchers argue that Africa is exposed to the neocolonial capitalist economic system. Accordingly, Africa as a junior partner is not able to shape the global economic structure for itself. While it is fair to argue that colonialism and global economic structures have caused massive and long-lasting damage to Africa, however, Africa’s home-made poor economic governance structures cannot be ignored. Neocolonialism is a poor argument to explain current African socio-economic problems. Africa’s problems are primarily caused by the free choice of African poor economic decision-makers. This chapter explores the counterproductivity of the African victim-mentality, self-pitying, blame-someone-else, and scapegoating ultimately leading to emigration.