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Review: Busting African Delusions

In short, Lipton Matthews persuasively argues that African societies can modernize and Westernize, but they must avoid the decadent wokeness that has taught Western thinkers and leaders to despise their own history and accomplishments. 

Arthur Schaper | May 28, 2026

Lipton Matthews is a Jamaican-born, U.K.-trained academic with multiple writing credentials across conservative and libertarian websites. I first encountered him after reading his excellent reporting on the conservative, free-enterprise, pro-public safety reforms emerging in his home country.

I contacted him about submitting articles to the Mises Institute, and he then interviewed me about my first article for American Thinker, a report which debunked anti-Zionists’ perverse efforts to exploit the USS Liberty.

Then he told me about his latest book, Busting African Delusions: Human Capital, Institutions, and the Path to Progress.

The book starts with a major miss, but hits the target in the end. Matthews starts with genetic factors before exploring broader cultural issues in Africa. Later on, he refutes the feel-good arguments from the Left that blame Africa’s downfall on Western expropriation. Throughout the rest of the book, Matthews offers comprehensive solutions and strategies to turn Africa around.

A robust defense of free market capitalism and rule of law reforms is urgent now more than ever. Despite the long legacy of economic and cultural thriving from economic liberalization and rule of law governance, a new fight is emerging over whether countries should adopt communist or capitalist economic systems. From the rise of libertarian Javier Milei in Argentina to quasi-socialist Keir Starmer in the United Kingdom, and the growing left-wing tilt of South Korea vs. the restoration of economic freedom in Japan, the arguments over liberalism or collectivism have never been more heated.

With the reemerging discussion on the right and wrong of free enterprise and its costs and benefits, scholars and commentators inevitably turn to Africa. The continent is still poor, still struggling with numerous metrics. If you take out the IMF list of countries’ business friendliness, almost every African country is at the bottom. Dictatorship, corruption, and malfeasance are still all too often the norm in several African........

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