US policy of capitalization and its discontents in Africa: A post-Marxist reading of postcolonial responses in art, film and social ‘writings’

Abstract

This interdisciplinary paper investigated the impact of US capitalization policy on Africa and the postcolonial
responses of Africans to these forces of internationalism by applying post-Marxist theory to a selection of social
‘writings’, creative works of art and films. It examined the post-World War II environment that necessitated the
politics of capitalization by the emerging US Core and its allied powers. It analyzed the impact of capitalization
on this environment and found that the policy led to new ideological clashes, widening social gaps, political and
economic conditionalities, patron-client regimes, ineffective delivery systems, militarization of aid delivery and
new consumerist practices. It concluded with suggestions for new strategic perspectives on how to deliver the
capitalization policy in the globalizing context of Africa. It pointed out that social ‘writings’, creative works of art
and films were ideally placed as qualitative sources of data for this kind of research.