Bad faith and underdevelopment in Africa: the case of the Democratic Republic of Congo
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Date
2021
Authors
Vunza, Mbay
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
The main research focus of this philosophical study is to investigate Jean Paul Sartre’s philosophical concept of bad faith critically in relation to the situation of underdevelopment and development in Africa in general and, more specifically, the socio-economic situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a case study. This study thus uses an existential-phenomenological interpretation of bad faith (mauvaise foi) in the African situation. It also searches (normatively) how this question can be addressed. The study starts (in Chapter 1) with some methodological and conceptual remarks that offer a preliminary basis on which the issues raised above will be addressed. These issues will be in a second step linked with an introductory definition of the concepts of underdevelopment, development and bad faith – which will be taken further in the following chapters. In Chapters 2 and 3, a more sociohistorical and empirical theoretical discussion will be provided on the concepts of underdevelopment and development. In Chapter 2, the focus is on slave trade, colonialism and corruption. Chapter 3 provides six theories of underdevelopment: imperialism theory, modernisation theory, theory of balance and unbalanced growth, the aid problem and sociopsychological theory. After these two sociohistorical and theoretical chapters, the focus shifts to an ontological interpretation of Sartre’s concept of the human being (Chapter 4) and its implications for the concept of bad faith (Chapter 5) – which in many ways is the heart of the study. In Chapter 6, the critical interpretation of Sartre's concept of bad faith is applied to the situation of underdevelopment in Africa, with specific reference to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). One of the central arguments of the study is that theories of underdevelopment and development are not the only reason for underdevelopment in Africa. The view is that the attitude of bad faith in African leaders and Africans in general is an important complementary reason of underdevelopment in Africa. The conclusion of the study (Chapter 7) revisits the argumentative path of the study and will make some recommendations for possible development in the African context.
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Keywords
Thesis (Ph.D. (Philosophy))--University of the Free State, 2021, Bad faith - Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Socio-economic - Democratic Republic of the Congo, African leaders - Bad faith