- Capitalism and Alternatives -

mind telling us why Sankora was overthrown?

In Reply to: Rates of Change posted by Nikhil Jaikumar on July 29, 1999 at 14:41:46:

: Burkina Faso (in Dioula, "the people's democratic state of honest men" ) was one of the poorest states in the world prior to the socialist revolution in 1983, and remains so today. During the 4 years that Thomas Sankara was in power, however, education increased by a third, one of the major diseases of teh counrty was eliminated, 60% of children were vaccinated in one two-week period, GDP began growing isgnificantly, and a railroad was completed solely with volunteer labor.. Obviously, since the man was overthrown in 1987, some of these indicators have deteriorated since then.

If all this good stuff happened so quickly under socialism, mind telling us why Sankora was overthrown??? You'll probably reply with some capitalist regime, but I would also bet that as time went on, some people became disillusioned that they were working to build railroads and other infrastructure and not receiving any direct compensation. Apparently Sankora couldn't motivate his people to protect their own government.

BTW, would there even BE railroads if not for the imagination and investment that made the first railroad possible. And guess where? In CAPITALIST England during the 1820's and 1830's!

Follow Ups:

• Infighting Nikhil Jaikumar DSA MA, USA August 02 1999 (0)