Published in late 2024 by South African publisher Inkani Books, Can Africans do Economics? examines the intersection of economic development and freedom across Africa. Across its six chapters, the book makes the urgent case for transformative policies grounded in African realities, and for rejecting foreign-led interventions on the continent. Here, we post in full the volume's second chapter by Grieve Chelwa, 'Development as Emancipation', which charts the long history of Africa's struggle for emancipatory development and freedom from its former colonisers.

Many observers wonder why numerous countries that gained independence long after most African nations now enjoy significantly stronger economies and development indicators. Looking beyond superficial explanations requires understanding how...