Rethinking Economics
African economies inherited systems shaped by extraction, fragmented production, weak industrial bases, imported curricula, interrupted political continuity, and young populations trying to enter a global economy already shaped by others. These conditions still influence how African countries produce, trade, educate, govern, and imagine development.
Made in China
Growing up in Malawi, “Made in China” suggested something cheap, something temporary, something that might break sooner than expected. If a product was Made in China, it was often viewed as an inferior alternative to goods from Europe, America, or Japan. The label became a shorthand for low quality.
