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Africonomics: A History of Western Ignorance
A bold, concise history of Western economic interventions in Africa, by the former director of the Centre of African Studies at the University of Cambridge
For centuries, Westerners have tried to “fix” African economies. From the abolition of slavery onward, missionaries, philanthropists, development economists, and NGOs have arrived on the continent, full of good intentions and bad ideas. Their experiments have invariably gone awry, to the great surprise of all involved.
Historian Bronwen Everill argues that these interventions fail, and frequently cause harm, because they start from a misguided that African economies just need to be more like the West. Ignoring Africa’s own traditions of economic thought, Americans and Europeans assumed a set of universal economic laws that they thought could be applied anywhere. They enforced specifically Western ideas about growth, wealth, debt, unemployment, inflation, women’s work and more, and used Western metrics to find African countries wanting.
The West does not know better than African nations how an economy should be run. By laying bare the myths and realities of our tangled economic history, Africanomics moves from Western ignorance to African knowledge.
For centuries, Westerners have tried to “fix” African economies. From the abolition of slavery onward, missionaries, philanthropists, development economists, and NGOs have arrived on the continent, full of good intentions and bad ideas. Their experiments have invariably gone awry, to the great surprise of all involved.
Historian Bronwen Everill argues that these interventions fail, and frequently cause harm, because they start from a misguided that African economies just need to be more like the West. Ignoring Africa’s own traditions of economic thought, Americans and Europeans assumed a set of universal economic laws that they thought could be applied anywhere. They enforced specifically Western ideas about growth, wealth, debt, unemployment, inflation, women’s work and more, and used Western metrics to find African countries wanting.
The West does not know better than African nations how an economy should be run. By laying bare the myths and realities of our tangled economic history, Africanomics moves from Western ignorance to African knowledge.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published September 9, 2025
15 people want to read
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July 4, 2025
Book Review: Africonomics: A History of Western Ignorance by Bronwen Everill
Rating: 4.8/5
Reactions & Emotional Impact
Everill’s Africonomics is a revelatory gut-punch of a book that left me oscillating between indignation and admiration. As someone familiar with postcolonial critiques, I was still stunned by the systematicity with which Everill dismantles centuries of Western economic hubris. Her prose—sharp yet accessible—transforms complex economic history into a gripping narrative. The chapter dissecting how Western metrics (like GDP) erase African economic traditions sparked visceral frustration, while her spotlight on African intellectual resistance filled me with hope. This isn’t just history; it’s a compelling indictment of ongoing paternalism.
Strengths
-Decolonial Rigor: Everill masterfully exposes how Western “universal” economic laws are culturally specific impositions, ignoring indigenous African systems like communal labor or gendered trade networks.
-Historical Breadth: From colonial-era missionaries to modern NGOs, she traces a 200-year arc of failed interventions without oversimplifying.
-Centering African Voices: The book’s power lies in elevating African economic thought—showcasing how local knowledge was (and is) systematically sidelined.
-Concise Forcefulness: At under 300 pages, it’s taut yet comprehensive, with punchy case studies (e.g., structural adjustment disasters) that linger.
Constructive Criticism
-Policy Prescriptions Wanted: While diagnosing problems brilliantly, I craved more concrete alternatives—e.g., how African nations might leverage this history to reject harmful frameworks today.
-Regional Nuance: A deeper dive into variations across Africa (e.g., Francophone vs. Anglophone colonial legacies) could enrich the analysis.
-Visual Aids: Given the data-heavy subject, infographics comparing Western vs. African economic models would amplify impact.
Final Thoughts
This book is essential reading for economists, policymakers, and anyone questioning why “development” often feels like dispossession. Everill doesn’t just critique—she reorients the entire discourse, proving that Africa’s economic “problems” are often Western projections.
Gratitude:
Thank you to Ingram Publisher Services and Edelweiss for the gifted copy—this book reshaped my understanding of global inequality.
Why 4.8?
Docked slightly for wanting more forward-looking solutions, but Africonomics is a near-flawless excavation of economic arrogance. A landmark work.
Rating: 4.8/5
Reactions & Emotional Impact
Everill’s Africonomics is a revelatory gut-punch of a book that left me oscillating between indignation and admiration. As someone familiar with postcolonial critiques, I was still stunned by the systematicity with which Everill dismantles centuries of Western economic hubris. Her prose—sharp yet accessible—transforms complex economic history into a gripping narrative. The chapter dissecting how Western metrics (like GDP) erase African economic traditions sparked visceral frustration, while her spotlight on African intellectual resistance filled me with hope. This isn’t just history; it’s a compelling indictment of ongoing paternalism.
Strengths
-Decolonial Rigor: Everill masterfully exposes how Western “universal” economic laws are culturally specific impositions, ignoring indigenous African systems like communal labor or gendered trade networks.
-Historical Breadth: From colonial-era missionaries to modern NGOs, she traces a 200-year arc of failed interventions without oversimplifying.
-Centering African Voices: The book’s power lies in elevating African economic thought—showcasing how local knowledge was (and is) systematically sidelined.
-Concise Forcefulness: At under 300 pages, it’s taut yet comprehensive, with punchy case studies (e.g., structural adjustment disasters) that linger.
Constructive Criticism
-Policy Prescriptions Wanted: While diagnosing problems brilliantly, I craved more concrete alternatives—e.g., how African nations might leverage this history to reject harmful frameworks today.
-Regional Nuance: A deeper dive into variations across Africa (e.g., Francophone vs. Anglophone colonial legacies) could enrich the analysis.
-Visual Aids: Given the data-heavy subject, infographics comparing Western vs. African economic models would amplify impact.
Final Thoughts
This book is essential reading for economists, policymakers, and anyone questioning why “development” often feels like dispossession. Everill doesn’t just critique—she reorients the entire discourse, proving that Africa’s economic “problems” are often Western projections.
Gratitude:
Thank you to Ingram Publisher Services and Edelweiss for the gifted copy—this book reshaped my understanding of global inequality.
Why 4.8?
Docked slightly for wanting more forward-looking solutions, but Africonomics is a near-flawless excavation of economic arrogance. A landmark work.
Displaying 1 of 1 review