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Culturel Difference Europe Vs Africa.

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CyberWolf575 View Drop Down
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  Quote CyberWolf575 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Culturel Difference Europe Vs Africa.
    Posted: 08-Oct-2010 at 01:58
So i have a case study, on
  
Which of the following was the largest cultural difference between Europeans and Africans?

a)      Europeans believed in standardized currency.

b)      Europeans did not understand matriarchal societies.

c)      Africans did not believe in standardized religion.

a)      Africans did not believe in individual property ownership.

e)      Africans did not understand capitalism.

Could anyone please help me?
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ConradWeiser View Drop Down
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  Quote ConradWeiser Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Oct-2010 at 03:12
Sure thing.

Could you provide a little more information? Like, what is the class? Are you studying a particular time period (colonial?)?

As it stands, Africa and Europe are so widely culturally diverse over time and space that generalizing would be a no-no in almost any occasion. But I'll give this a go:

a) I would say this one isn't it. In both Europe and Africa, cultures have for generations used valued resources (like cattle or sea shells or metal pieces) as currency against which everything else is measured. As for standardized currency, the definition of which is a little vague right now inside my head, I would push aside as a much more recent phenomena tied to the rise of Nation-States. For a great deal of time, peoples of neither continent would have known of such a system.

b) I don't know what to say to this one. Not all African societies are matriarchal (actually, most are patriarchal), so one might say many Africans did not understand matriarchal systems (the contrasting systems often caused problems during inter-tribal marriages, as one might expect). To say Europeans didn't understand matriarchal systems might be true, but it certainly isn't the greatest cultural contrast.

c) This one is a little confusing. Putting my best foot forward, I'm going to say that standardized religion is when a religion dogmatically strives to unite its disparate parts into one unified teaching while attacking and ostracizing those who disagree with that teaching (Catholic Church much? haha :P). If this is the case, then I wouldn't hedge my bets on this one either. Islam in Africa has been notorious for trying to force people to follow a stricter and "correct" teaching. In many cases, African jihadists would target populations that "strayed" from the correct Islamic teaching (usually this meant that local traditions and beliefs had some priority over the introduction of Islamic law and scripture.) Some tribes succumb to these Jihadist movements. Others successfully resisted them.

d) I would say no to this one too. Some African tribes might have been more communal in some ways, but the immense wealth accumulated by kings, warriors, and merchants throughout Africa's history stands as a testament to Africa's ideas about indvidual ownership. And that's not to say Europe is a communal-free zone. Communal activities in Europe have spanned from ancient times right into the modern era. Much of it has been stamped out, however, in favor of capitalist modes of production.

e) I'd say this is your best bet. Although its still relatively a recent phenomena in Europe (only been around for a few centuries---and is ever changing) it was a European development, and initially misunderstood by populations in America, Africa, and Asia. Of course, the rest of the world adapted (and is still adapting in some places) to the capitalist mode fairly quickly.

Did that help at all?
Another year! Another deadly blow!
Another mighty empire overthrown!
And we are left, or shall be left, alone.
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