Quote Originally Posted by RandBlade View Post
Colonization - No absolutely not! Nations that were colonised but have maintained the rule of law have thrived, in fact some have arguably thrived because they were colonised. C.f. the massive per capita difference between British Hong Kong and Communist China, which China is only now belatedly closing the gap in. Zimbabwe pre-Mugabe was the breadbasket of Africa, post-Mugabe it is the basket case of Africa.

Cold war exploitation and proxy wars - again no. The biggest divergence in many nations has happened entirely away from war or the Cold War. To take Zimbabwe again it collapsed economically following the corrupt "land reforms" that happened in peace time a decade after the Cold War ended.

Resource exploitation - again no. Nations have virtually all had their own resources to do with as they please for half a century or more at least.

The one consistent thing that really explains what happens is corruption and a lack of the rule of law. In nations where the rule of law applies like Botswana then growth can flourish.
You know, you could just take a look at Haiti's history.