doesn't matter, overall once colonialism is overthrown it will be the end of african inferiority. Turning into a cold war battlegroundwould be good for africa, as it would encourage stability and growth on both sides.
Sadly, that sounds rather idealistic. I think being a cold war battleground would actually be bad in some ways, as it would encourage instability - we and the Soviets will both fight via proxies, supporting civil wars in various countries between communist and capitalist forces (or perhaps even fascist ones, supported by one side or the other as 'our bastard'). Will development be helped? Perhaps. But I don't think its a good thing long-term. I see Africa looking a lot like South America or parts of Asia do now - some prosperity, but also coups, civil wars, factional struggles, dictators and corruption. Better than now? Perhaps yes. Especially in mismanaged colonies like the Congo or the Spanish and Portugese ones where the colonialists were/are pretty nasty.
I do think hunger may become a thing of the past though, through an agrarian revolution. I've heard of a guy named Borlog or something (Borlaug?) who's been developing new strains of wheat down in Mexico; apparently wheat production is through the roof. This could be capitalism's secret weapon against the communists (or the communists may use something similar in opposition) - even more than civil wars, agricultural technology may be an important factor in the fight for the poorer, newer nations in Africa, Latin America, and South Asia.
Seeing what 1968 will look like seems like a better bet than 2008... my 10-year predictions:
- both the US and the Soviet Union will have a presence in space.
- Televisions will be in the vast majority of households in the US and Britain; most new television sales will be color televisions.
- There will be at least 25,000 computers in the United States alone, used by government agencies, universities, and medium-to-large businesses. Some smaller businesses may rent time on big business or university computers to do complex mathematical calculations (whether its taxes or engineering calculations), bringing their punched cards to the computer rooms.
- The world population will have increased nearly a third (to about 3.8 billion) due to reduced infant mortality rates, less starvation, more development in poorer nations, and advancing medical technology.
- The US interstate highway system will be much more extensive than it is now. However, traffic will be even worse than it is now, because millions more cars and trucks are on the road.
- Major passenger railroad companies will be going bankrupt or diversifying (the government would be foolish to step in, putting billions to help a dying industry. Maybe they'll help cargo rail, it'll still be important).
- Decolonialization will have begun in earnest. Some colonial powers will try to smooth the path (I think the British will at least try), others will either drop unready colonies or hang on for too long.
-There will be at least 1 automobile for every 3 Americans (or nearly 2 cars per family), and 1 for every 6 or 7 western Europeans (about 1 car per family); perhaps 1 for every 10-15 eastern Europeans (some families have a car). I see gas turbine engines being common.
- Long-range aviation will be jet-powered. Supersonic will be on the horizon, but not in service *yet*. You'll still see DC-3s and such doing short-haul flights, although I expect a lot of these to be done by turboprop aircraft or helicopters.