The Politics of Africa's Economic Recovery (African Society Today)

The waning of the Cold War means that major political powers no longer feel compelled to support African authoritarianism. Revised official consensus holds that, in Africa as elsewhere, political reform must accompany economic adjustment. According to this view, African recovery requires a reduction in the size and economic role of monopolistic and inefficient states, and their transformation into accountable liberal democracies. Is this a desirable and practicable political programme? Certainly, all over Africa the number of liberal democracies is growing. But can they survive and are they compatible with renewed economic growth? Richard Sandbrook answers these questions, and assesses the feasibility of the new political programme in reinforcing Africa's economic recovery. He argues that the programme has merit in the short term, but, in the longer term, a more self-reliant, state-directed approach should be adopted to ensure prosperity and durable democracy in the region. According to the official development ideology of the 1990s, political reform must accompany economic liberalisation. Investors, lenders, and aid donors have become disillusioned with autocrats who are unable to foster private investment and economic recovery. Reinforcing the reformist trend are the demise of the Cold War and widespread popular protests against authoritarian regimes in the non-Western world. A revised official consensus has thus emerged: African recovery requires not only a reduction in the size and economic role of monopolistic and inefficient states, but also their transformation into capable and accountable liberal democracies. Is this a desirable and practicable political programme? Certainly democratic experiments have begun all over Africa. The number of liberal democracies is growing, and many multiparty elections are promised for the future. But can they survive and are they compatible with renewed economic growth? Richard Sandbrook answers these questions, and assesses the feasibility of the new political programme in reinforcing Africa's economic recovery. He argues that the programme has merit as a short-term, emergency strategy but, in the longer term, a more self-reliant, state-directed approach should be adopted to ensure prosperity and durable democracy in the region. With the waning of the Cold War, the major political powers are no longer constrained to support African authoritarianism. All over Africa democratic experiments have sprung up. But can they survive, and are they compatible with renewed economic growth? Richard Sandbrook answers these questions and assesses the feasibility of the new political program in reinforcing Africa's economic recovery. He argues that the program has merit in the short term, but in the longer term, a more self-reliant, state-directed approach should be adopted to ensure prosperity and durable democracy.--Publisher description