Assignment 4 Part 2: Standard of Living

Based on the following five categories I rate the standard of living in Ghana as medium.
1. Physical Geography 

Historically the natural resources of gold and ivory led to conflict and violence. Currently the main resources in the country are gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone. The presence of natural resources creates foreign exchange. Agriculture is about of quarter of the economy and is affected by the dry, dusty winds that occur from January to March. There is also a recurrent drought in the north that hurts agriculture, along with environmental problems of deforestation and overgrazing. Water pollution and lack of supply of adequate potable water also lower the standard of living. 

2. Government System

The current government is a constitutional democracy. When Ghanaian President Mills visited the White House several weeks ago, President Obama called Ghana “a model of Africa in terms of its democratic practices.” In a recent U.S. analysis of Ghanaian government reported that Ghana rates well in its level of democracy and political participation. This includes its free and fair elections and protection of civil liberties and human rights. However it claims that Ghana has been less successful in broadening the scope of participation—most of the elected officials are of a small group of political elite who then hold much government control in an overly powerful executive branch. Also there is an emphasis in government to maintain the status quo, which seems to be under what Ghanaians want in terms of economic and social benefits. In 2008 Kufuor lost the election due to reports of corruption, despite his improvements in social service and welfare. It seems that Ghanaians are particularly sensitive to this issue given their rocky political past. Though there is apparent political freedom, there are still weaknesses concerning the inaccessibility of disadvantaged groups to the political process, including rural areas, the poor, and women. Also management and transparency of public resources could use improvement which potentially affect the ability of the government to reduce poverty. There is some wariness of the judicial system, so people generally try to work things out individually or through family ties. 

3. Economic System 

The economy is composed of 56% agriculture, 15% industry, and 29% services. The GDP per capita is $3,100, 168^th in the world. The country currently has a public debt of 38.7% of GDP, or $5.671 billion. However, Ghana has been taking measures to reduce their national debt by becoming a part of the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002, and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative in 2006. The country also signed a three year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF to improve its economic stability, competitiveness, human resource development and good governance and civic responsibility. Cocoa and gold exports help keep the economy resilient and recently the discovery of oil offshore hints at economic upturn.

4. History

The standard of living has been affected by political turmoil throughout the past few centuries, which has generally caused economic instability.  Of the pre-colonial ethnic groups, the Asante were the one that had the most influence on the country’s history and by the mid-18^th century they were a very organized state. During the 15^th century Europeans arrived in the area and established trading posts in gold, ivory, and slaves. By the 16^th century the main item of trade had switched from gold to slaves, and the west coast of Africa was the main source. Soon the European nations present in this area were in conflict amongst themselves and local tribes for power in the area. The Portuguese were first in the area, the Dutch then held power, but finally in the 19^th century the British obtained control. Slavery in Africa at this time was an accepted social institution, however the practice among Africans was very different than how it manifested in the New World. Generally, slaves were members of captured tribes and were treated as lower members of society, possessing certain rights and often becoming a part of their owners’ families. The Asante were involved in trading, but it was not the sole focus of their empires and conquests. After a series of wars in the late 19^th century, however, the British established control over the Asantes in 1902.

The modern movement for independence began in the 20^th century. A growing nationalist movement within the country and the weakening of European nations after WWII lead to decolonization. Slowly there begins to be some Ghanain representation in government, although the British continue to possess ultimate authority. In 1947 the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) is the first nationalist movement aiming towards self-governance. They want not only freedom from the British but a replacement of tribal chief leaders with educated, and westernized, leaders. Though its goal was independence in the near future, the party was generally conservative until the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah, who wanted immediate independence. Soon Nkrumah left the UGCC and formed his own organization in 1949, the Convention People’s Party (CPP). Nkrumah appealed to workers, farmers, and youth and quickly became the main leader in the independence movement. He becomes the first African prime minister and government leader in 1952, but continues to share power with a British governor. In 1957 Ghana becomes the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to gain its independence.

Shortly after the economy has hit a downturn and in 1964 Nkrumah suspends the country’s constitution and democracy and assumes dictatorship, aligning with the Soviet Union rather than Western nations. Starting in 1966 there are several coups that gain power in the country. The first, the National Liberation Council (NLC), overthrows Nkrumah. The NLC approaches the country’s growing problems with conservativism and severs ties with the Soviet Union. In 1969 elections are reinstated and multi-party elections result in the new leader Dr. Kofi Busia of the Progress Party. However the economy continues to do poorly and the Nation Redemption Council takes control through another coup. Corruption increase and the economy continues on a downturn; the government goes through several different military leaders. Lt. Jerry Rawlings leads another coup in 1979 and installs elections, but the winner becomes corrupt and in 1981 Rawlings resumes power through a coup. Though he rules strictly, and faces several failed coup attempts, he remains popular with the people as the economy improves. After a new law allows opponents to be imprisoned and one is hanged, Ghana gains attention for its lack of human rights. In 1990 Rawlings creates the National Commision for Democracy and in 1992 a new democratic constitution is passed but Rawlings wins an after opponents boycott, continues to hold control. The economy keeps improving. In 1994 the “Guinea Fowl War” takes place due to historical tribal conflicts and 2000 are killed and 150,000 displaced. Violence continues in the next few years, despite a peace treaty. In 1996 Rawlings in reelected but loses popularity during his term. He is not allowed to run for a third term and in 2000 John Kufour becomes president. In the 2008 John Atta Mills was elected. 

5. Cultural Factors 

There are over 100 ethnic groups in Ghana. Relations between them are generally free of hostility. But there is a major cultural division between poorer north and the more developed and educated south. Discrimination in types of jobs, even when migrated to the south exists.

Religion—Historically religion was influenced by the presence of Muslims in pre-colonial times, who played a significant role in the trade between north and south. Along with religion, the Muslims brought writing and other skills. Today nearly 70% of the population is Christian and 15% Muslim, but both are influenced by traditional Ghanaian culture and religion. The importance of education is a message relayed through churches and that the following of Jesus and the church will lead to economic success. Religious groups can be an avenue to education when they have their own schools, which are sometimes considered better than public education. While Muslims and those who subscribe to traditional religion don’t have any particular disadvantage, Christians do seem to have an advantage in education due to better access to religions schooling, which can lead to a difference in standard of living between the groups. 

Traditions—Age is very much respected, family is very important; tradition, honor and reputation are important and individuals’ are applied to the family.

Gender—there are some difference among ethnic groups but generally labor is divided by gender. In traditional, pre-colonial society, women had a certain amount of economic and political power since they were able to control their own income and property. Some of the largest clans were matrilineal. With colonialism women’s status in society decreased. Today women generally control any money they make on their own through agriculture or petty trade, though their main role is domestic.  

Class—Stratification is based on education and wealth to a certain degree, which has led to mobility since independence. Western consumer items mark wealth and status, especially western clothing. Northerners form an underclass and hold most of the low status jobs the Bukinabe and Togolese are disadvantaged because they cannot own land with their status as foreigners.

6. Relate the above to your project. 

 Though there has been some slow improvement in equalizing education opportunities in addition to laws addressing equal opportunity and violence against women, the remaining actual disparity in education, job opportunity and gender violence suggests that traditional ideas about gender persist in society. This is in part explained by the sense of removal and distrust of the general public from the legal system. In all likelihood, if a woman experiences gender violence or discrimination, she will turn to traditional family supports rather than governmental, leading to a disparity between the content and actual practice of law. An interesting note was that there is a sizable amount of petty trade, and that it is mostly women who are the traders of this kind. This explains some of the numbers I saw in another recent article that noted women make up a large percentage of the self-employed. Openness and accessibility to this type of economic activity suggests and acceptance to female entrepreneurship which can lead to empowerment for women. In addition, if the legal components of equality are present, empowering women can mean working to end the disconnect between law and social reality.