Only six African countries (Botswana, Gambia, Mauritius, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia) finished in the top half of countries in the Fraser Institutes latest Economic Freedom of the World report. On the other hand African countries made up 17 of the bottom 25 (Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Niger, Togo, and Zimbabwe).

Why have some African countries experienced increases in standard of living, while others have remained mired in poverty? Using the discussions in class, and the various political economic theories therein, provide a comprehensive answer to this question.

You don't have to focus on one African country in particular but follow a more general discussion as to why these countries are still in poverty using the concepts of differing types of capitalism and the nature of the business systems and government in these countries. You can use one or two countries as examples of your ideas comparing them with the six countries in the top half. So it's really a comparative discussion about the differing reasons for the leaders and the losers in African development.