George Ayittey: Cheetahs vs. Hippos for Africa's future

www.ted.com Ghanaian economist George Ayittey unleashes a torrent of controlled anger toward corrupt leaders in Africa -- and calls on the Cheetah generation to take back the continent.
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers are invited to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes -- including speakers such as Jill Bolte Taylor, Sir Ken Robinson, Hans Rosling, Al Gore and Arthur Benjamin. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, politics and the arts. Watch the Top 10 TEDTalks on TED.com, at
www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10

[@HuggumsMcgehee]

It's so awesome to hear all these African speakers talking about the failures of wealth redistribution and free markets and liberty. I hope it takes hold.

[@bigsmoke8816]

Sadly it did not

[@kelvinnaholo8234]

I will be very stupid not to like this. George Ayittey indeed one great of giant African scholar and confronter of dictatorship and an advocate of free-thinking. Great presentation. I revere you sir.

[@MOSIBUDIRAT]

love this man and his charisma.. I am a Cheetah ! lets fix our Africa _ South Africa...Mobalization

[@MwashighadiAshton]

"Its like the blind leading the clueless" SAYING IT LIKE IT IS!!!

[@CrowdPleeza]

What Botswana did differently was that they didn't emphasize nationalization(Socialism),they used their traditional system called Kogtla to solve disputes and they don't squander their diamond wealth.

[@aussenseitermagazin]

"In the economic system in tradition Africa, the means of production is privately owned. It's owned by extended families.The extended family system pulls its ressources together. They own farms. They decide what to do and produce on their own. When they produce their crops, they sell the surplus on marketplaces. When they make a profit, it is theirs to keep. Not for the chief to sequester it from them. So, in a Nutshell, we had in traditioal Africa a free market system. There were markets in Africa, before the colonialists stepped foot on the continent. Timbuktu was one great big market town. Kano, Salaga, they were all there. [...] The market is not alien to Africa. What Africans practiced was a different form of capitalism. But then, after indepence, all of a sudden markets and capitalism became a "western institution". And the leaders said, that Africans were ready for socialism. Nonsense."

[@sandal_thong8631]

What he calls socialism needs to be defined. In Europe democratic socialism means democracy with state institutions looking out for the young, the sick and the elderly. What he means is a Marxist-state that sets prices to control the economy as well as crony-capitalism.

[@coffeecryptid9865]

Sich a great mind. RIP George Ayittey, you are missed

[@angel4real228]

I am so sad to find this out!!!! I first heard this speech in my geography class and I've loved him ever since!

[@ngonea]

Much respect for the clear and powerful description of the reality of the problems faced in Afrika.

[@AnthonyWilsonOlympian]

Great interview, I have been saying this for years until we stopped with the blame game we will never fulfill our potential. The lack of accountability is glaring.

[@TetuaMaana]

To cover any bits where the sound dip, google 'TRANSCRIPT OF THE GEORGE AYITTEY TED LECTURE'

[@lanviofficial3728]

I just want to improve my listening skill, so i will watch all of tedtalk videos which i like

[@ivankivinge2987]

Rest in peace prof. 1945-2022

[@globbo100]

The very same article by Karen Kwiatkowski also brought me here.What Africa needs now more than ever is the absence of corrupt governments and their parasitical policies.Freedom without the State.

[@LouisFrayser]

Great speaker. Good discussion.

[@fetewei83]

i saw the title and thought there is humor here ,,,,but the guy beat that ith endless data!!!

[@benjaminosei6086]

Lets go Cheetahs, you can do. One Villaga at a Time...

[@LusoCMD]

This is the type of leader Africa needs, well informed and with the inside view of Africa not the outside view, but this type of leaders must exist in all levels from bottom up. By the way we so called developed countries also need this type of clarity,"a lot". I still believe that Africa will become a great Continent, with the help of us all "Cheetah´s"

[@maziefuna2143]

I am Igbo African and I say wao! My brother, I am so taken by your speech. What you preach is the exact problem that encourages Biafra. Biafra is about complete love for Nigeria and the cheetah Africa at large. Biafra addresses the fundamental wrongs both internal and external of Africa. All we need is two Biafra Africa and the coveted support for the cheetah will come to stay. Thank you for this wonderful presentation.

[@yaaobenewaah1697]

Dr George Ayittey. Legend

[@tindindunda]

Slowly but surely Africa is re-discovering herself.. and i'm proud to be riding the wave of that re-discovery!!

[@Lafjord]

JAMES SHIKWATI! Tribute to James Shikwati indeed...and to you, too, George Ayittey. So much love to you. Love, A fellow cheetah.

[@ASimplyFabLife]

Selfish interests in Africa make it difficult for the cheetah generation, but it's not impossible. Small npo's, like Suni-Ridge Org ZA, work closely with rural communties, showing young leaders how to grow organic home gardens, rediscover traditional medicines, why biodiversity protection is important, as well as preserving their natural and cultural heritage. Change takes place at grass roots level & people empower themselves. "Alone we are a drop, together we are an ocean."

[@sandal_thong8631]

Sorry, I don't agree with the "traditional medicine" idea whether in China or Africa or even those in America who deny modern medicine to their children. If they can figure out how to get Coca-Cola to villages, then they can figure out how to get medicines and medical supplies to rural areas.

[@donnamckinney4217]

❤ This man is amazing and truthful, I am super grateful for his symbolism because what he is saying is not only relatable to Africa but also to African Americans, this is eye opening to me, I am starting to become more aware of the hippo and please believe me when I say 🦛 hippo's are everywhere blocking newness and transformation.

[@Nova2Yung]

agreed, i am watching this today, i am one of those cheetahs.

[@charleslotara]

*"Assortment of military, fufu heads, Swiss bank socialists, crocodile liberators and quirky revolutionaries"*

[@richardque4952]

Remind me of blm. jesse jackson sharpton....

[@seanankerr]

There's nothing glamorous about how the AU sits on its hands and lets Zimbabwe rot away into nothing.

[@seanbedlam]

This is powerful.

[@Shaft2009]

George Ayittey is an honest African, he is a very powerful economist and very knowlegeable historian. I have heard him speak in many occasions, he is very well informed, and he has the ability to inform others.

[@sandal_thong8631]

He's right about defeating dictators and reforming institutions starting with a free media and independent election commissions. He doesn't sound right on a lot of other economic issues.

[@TetuaMaana]

They are reliant on foreign 'aid' to stay in power and run their governments. Look at the budget of say the UK and see how much is earmarked as 'developmental aid' or 'foreign aid'. (As a sidenote, that country is in the middle of an economic recession but overseas aid money is still going to be ringfaced even though health/education and other sectors of their country are going to experience cuts.)

[@BrentGrace79]

This video is a couple of years old but its interesting to think of this in light of what's happening in Egypt. It's the Cheetah revolution.

[@CrowdPleeza]

Yes not all countries are in the same situation but much of what Ayittey advocates is good for most countries. He's for a free press and traditional influences on the political and economic systems of Africa.

[@Becoming_Hope]

Africa, is like America, a land blessed with so many natural resources - also cursed with many tyrants. But we also once had a free market - capitalism is not a free market, and people don't often understand the difference. Great video!! 💛

[@sandal_thong8631]

A so-called "free market" is not good unless it's a "fair market." In the movie _The Karate Kid Part II_ the bad guy in Okinawa had somehow bought a big boat and caught all the fish, thus putting out of work almost an entire fishing village. I guess he was free to do that. Capitalism has a tendency towards monopoly and oligopoly that has to be broken up or prevented by the state. It sounds like the crony-capitalism and state tyranny has done the people wrong, so needs to get out of the way of the little guy. But that doesn't mean it's not needed for some functions.

[@rovrola]

to lordmetroid- indeed, there are various and complicated problems specific to certain areas. what he discusses has ramifications across the board.

[@enizle5]

Yo, that intro is *so loud*

[@TetuaMaana]

Of course they are. Who in their right mind would choose the current plight for their people?

[@elegance212]

RUN for president Mr. Ayittey for Ghana!! PLEASE DO! and yes i am a cheetah generation..

[@newdawn775]

Time to spring into action

[@CrowdPleeza]

@hasahnee What economic developement models do you recommend for African countries? Latin American countries like Brazil and Peru have adopted pro business policies that have improved their economies. African governments need to adopt similar policies for their countries.

[@curvaciousakos]

@toreskog agreed

[@TetuaMaana]

Yes, this is true. African leaders are pretty powerless when you really look into it. However, I still believe that they can do more than what they do now. If you look beyond Ayittey's disapproval, you will see that his ideas are about bypassing centrally-organised administration as much as possible. A combination of microfinance combined with an end to intergovernmental aid (Check out Andrew Mwenda's lecture on this) will do more to empower from the grassroots up.

[@africanjusticemedia8815]

Andrew mwenda?? Provide some links?

[@africanjusticemedia8815]

Andrew mwenda give some links?

[@andylee531]

you can say it again, google under the title "WHO PAYS THE GHANAIAN PROF. GEORGE AYITTEY" i asure you that you will find out how genius this guy has been jajaja , dont mess up with this guy

[@wikieditspam]

How can you unleash something that's controlled?

[@n02hbby16]

He has done his research im telling you

[@chitownmo]

I would like to hear his position on African americans(if he has one).

[@YukiChannelShibaInu]

17:26

[@TetuaMaana]

Then look at the recipient African nation and see how and where the money is being spent. A good example of this can be seen in Andrew Mwenda's vid (it's featured on my channel) If a country is dependent on overseas intergovernmental aid, can it's leaders really be independent?

[@stylebiabi]

rip legend

[@kurtilein3]

most of what he says applies only to a very small percentage of africa. it only applies to a few states, a few areas, a few people. there are problems, and there are ideas for solutions, but the problems are more diverse and complicated, and the solutions have to be differentiated.

[@prophedeus8075]

It's not only Afrika who has to suffer from corruption. But its a global aspect & issue of corrupted systems, chaos & idiotic and corrupted ideologies. Esspecialy when it comes to certain subjects such as politics & other corrupting aspects that the world suffers from. And the bad news is, this is just a start and beginning of the end. And thats a fact! And it will keep on evolving and manifest in even more difficult times that lies ahead of us. Not only in Afrika but it will become a global issue. Progress has already started. And this will keep on continuing.

[@edmundlubega9647]

It would be interesting to hear George's thoughts today on this topic. That said, I absolutely agree with his concept of "the confederacy principle", which unfortunately is a politically incorrect idea in most of Sub-Saharan Africa. My main criticism of him is he seems not to appreciate the impact of Western/Anglo-American imperialism and globalist corporate power. But that's another long discussion

[@sandal_thong8631]

It would be more interesting to analyze if his book _Defeating Dictators_ has had an effect in the last 10 years or so, or if opposition groups for instance still remain divided and dictators are still prospering.

[@edmundlubega9647]

@@sandal_thong8631 In the face of the globalist influence around the world I don't think a genuine pluralistic democracy is possible because a true democracy would work for the best interests of its people and not outside powers. Today's "open" societies allow for interference by outside powers in internal affairs of countries with such systems which negates the whole purpose of pluralism

[@jaucity]

Não é muito diferente do Brasil e talvez de quase todo mundo.

[@LanceCashion]

"Benefit from the ROTTEN status quo" & "Vampire State" .... awesome descriptive words. Bureaucracy gone wild. Sound familiar America?

[@richardque4952]

Same thing happening right now in california illinois nj ..

[@CKempire9183]

a great speech but poor intro spoils everything.....the change stage with you....how many conference have you organized?

[@milosavage7327]

Ayittey go ask Nkurumah what happened to him when he tried to lift Africa up.

[@deporteeeee]

This guy is right. Something is wrong...

[@TetuaMaana]

Xinsight, if the stuff you just typed above is the most important thing you got from this video, you really need to take the time to read what I have taken the time to type below in my responses to you.

[@Afrikolo]

Africans can redeem control over their land and resources by accumulating and ministering capital, organize industry catering to under-served [low -income i.e the global majority] markets by way of commercial enterprise in the form of : Social Enterprise --(Social Programs that are turn into businesses) Small and Medium Enterprise -- (Businesses that use a franchise model) Co-operative Corporation -- ( Integrates: credit unions, worker co-op and R&D) In this way Africans can be self-reliant.

[@richiexp2]

Well said!! i couldn't agree more.

[@TetuaMaana]

Another word for powerless is weak. If you are easily corruptible, you are easily controlled.

[@ahjushi87]

botswana is just one country, and they do things differently than the other african countries.

[@NtandoMbele]

Could name maybe 5. Leaders..

[@RKAddict101]

An article by Karen Kwiatkowski brought me here. And I completely agree with her, this argument applies equally well to America. Government is taking away from free market efficiency to empower corporatism, the welfare state, and an overseas empire.

[@sandal_thong8631]

Americans don't believe in Libertarianism. They've heard what it has to say and prefer the so-called welfare state that provides a free public education, Medicare and Social Security.

[@NewBaldwin]

@irvnz not really the French & British were more so, they just didn't have 24 news cycles of cynical agenda driven media. 58 African countries and people are ignorant enough to keep saying "African leaders." something does not add up.

[@socialstreaming6940]

Lovely presentation by intellectual gadfly!

[@milosavage7327]

Social Streaming let the gadfly go home .stupid man begging his slave master to help him .Let him go to Nkuruma grave and ask him what happened.

[@TetuaMaana]

*ring-fenced

[@CrowdPleeza]

" Africa is resource rich so they will stay poor. The U.S. will exploit them for... " If that's true then what's Botswana doing differently from other African countries rich in diamonds?

[@kingmatt2563DABEST]

Botswana is has one of the most Liberal economic systems in the World and the most liberalised market in the continent

[@irvnz]

@hasahnee.. perhaps you are thinking that this exported ''wealth'' is the result of slavery or theft, when in fact the producers of that are simply exercising their property rights, and have no legal obligation to have it remain where there is nothing to buy: does Ayittey posit the corrupt governments should confiscate it and redistribute? Not a bad way to guarantee it evaporating, and these producers seeking profit elsewhere..

[@NewBaldwin]

40% of Africa's annual revenue goes to imf/world bank. so much for foreign aid.

[@vocabularymillionaire]

Wonderful delivery. All the words in your speech have found their marks. The cheetahs will someday effect that paradigm change Africa has been longing for.

[@toreskog]

"Goerge Ayittey for president of Africa." Clever comment, Africa is a continent... It's like saying Chavez for president of America.

[@miltonnavaia]

Wise man

[@TetuaMaana]

Please God, take all the hippos back

[@TetuaMaana]

*dips

[@RickWeberEcon]

@TexasMotions I like "Swiss bank socialists"!

[@aledownard6564]

Ayittey is brilliant.

[@MegaUltra17]

Ayittey is absolutely brilliant. He would be a great leader had he gone the political path.

[@TetuaMaana]

Basic two-way communication requires that you actually read/listen to what the other person has written/said. This wasn't about you, this was a discussion about themes raised in the video. Get over yourself.

[@MrFrankBullitt]

Sure. He wants to go back to a tribal system. Unfortunately, globalization will keep destroying Africa. There are forces at work that are much too powerful to stop.

[@ignatiusmensah1645]

Not necessarily tribal system .but incorporating a regulated capitalist or free market systems

[@skmats0210]

頑張れアフリカ👍

[@tetebubi5677]

Cheetah generation will take over

[@TetuaMaana]

(sigh) Say something of substance or don't bother responding to me; Stick to stand alone comments. Based on what caught your attention in the video and statements like 'we are both humans... not the same mind' you remind me of 'liberal types'

[@producerbigsouth]

A waist of time explaining the conditions of Afrikan poverty to those who benefit from it. And are against Africas independence.

[@GLORYInintact]

We somalis call this guy a SILLY CRAZY OLD DUDE...

[@spencerantoniomarlen-starr3069]

I'm glad you think you can speak for all Somalis, it must feel strange having that awesome level of power at your finger tips every day

[@Googaa]

Well said, Spencer! This notion of absolute presentation disregards others right to their own opinion. It's sick!

[@enizle5]

Kringle judging by the way you run your country and treat each other, I wouldn't listen to anything someone claiming to speak for all Somalian's has to say.

[@eliasflores1377]

BLOOD are you from Somalia??