Global Geopolitical Power and African Political and Economic Institutions

When Elephants Fight

Inbunden, Engelska, 2015

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Beskrivning

Global Geopolitical Power and African Political and Economic Institutions: When Elephants Fight describes the emergence and nature of the prevailing African political and economic institutions in two periods. In the first, most countries adopted political and economic institutions that funneled significant levels of political and economic power to the political elites, usually through one- or no-party (military) political systems, inward-oriented development policies, and/ or state-led—and often state-owned—industrialization. In the second period, most countries adopted institutions that diluted the overarching political and economic power of ruling elites through the adoption of de jure multiparty electoral systems, more outward-oriented trade policies, and the privatization of many state owned or controlled sectors, though significant political and economic power remains in their hands. The choices made in each period were consistent with prevailing ideas on governance and development, the self-interests of political elites, and the perceived availability of support or autonomy vis-à-vis domestic, regional, and international sources of power at the time. This book illustrates how these two region-wide shifts in prevailing political and economic institutions and practices of Africa can be linked to two prior global geopolitical realignments: the end of WWII with the ensuing American and Soviet led bipolar system, and the end of the Cold War with American primacy. Each period featured changed or newly empowered international and regional leaders with competing national priorities within new intellectual and geopolitical climates, altering the opportunities and constraints for African leaders in instituting or maintaining particular political and economic institutions or practices. The economic and political institutions of Africa that emerged did so as a result of a complex mix of contending domestic, regional, and international forces (material and intellectual)—all which were themselves greatly transformed in the wake of these two global geopolitical realignments.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum:2015-12-30
Mått:159 x 237 x 33 mm
Vikt:730 g
Format:Inbunden
Språk:Engelska
Antal sidor:394
Förlag:Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
ISBN:9780739196441

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John James Quinn is professor of political science at Truman State University.

Recensioner i media

This well-documented, thought-provoking book represents an excellent synthesis of trends in African politics and economics since the era of independence to the present. Quinn links changes in sub-Saharan states to global shifts, notably the post–WW II rush of decolonization and post–Cold War moves toward greater liberalization. The first period ranged from Ghana’s 1957 independence to the post–1965 wave of military coups. During this period, international power shifted from multipolarity, in which France and Great Britain were major players, to US–USSR bipolarity. The second period started around 1989 and continued to about 1996, with American global preeminence, the partial decay of single party–dominant systems, and the facade of competitive elections in Africa. Quinn’s greatest contribution comes through integrating historical events with changed economic theories and centers of power. He demonstrates statistical links between higher levels of civil and political rights and state ownership of non-oil and non-mineral industries. Quinn concludes that since the Cold War, the “outward appearance” of African political and economic institutions shifted somewhat. Reforms were carried out largely to satisfy donors. To institutionalize “real” democratic competition, however, repeated competitive elections with established procedures are essential. Africa’s “new road … seems to be one of emerging capitalism with weakly institutionalized electoral regimes, with usually one dominant political party.” Summing Up: Highly recommended. Graduate students and faculty.

Innehållsförteckning

Chapter 1: Geopolitics, International Relations, and sub-Saharan AfricaChapter 2: The First International Geopolitical Shift: African Decolonization in International and Regional ContextsChapter 3: The Consolidation of Political Power in Africa: The Rise of One- and No-party StatesChapter 4: The Consolidation of Economic Power in Africa: Inward-Oriented Development and Majority State Ownership Chapter 5: The Second Geopolitical Shift: African Political and Economic Reforms in International and Regional ContextsChapter 6: The Partial Decentralization of Political Power in Africa: Limited Multiparty Competition and Rising Civil SocietyChapter 7: The Partial Fragmentation of Economic Power in Africa: The Liberalization of Economic Policies and Partial PrivatizationChapter 8: Prior Majority State Ownership, Geopolitical Shifts, and Later Political Liberalization in Africa: A Statistical Analysis Chapter 9: Conclusions: When Elephants Fight