The Politics of Neoliberal Democracy in Africa: State and Civil Society in Nigeria (International Library of African Studies)

Since the late 1980s, the changing dynamic of global development has driven the tide of democratic expansion in the developing world. In Africa, western donors have sought to impose "neo-liberal" visions of socio-economic and political institution-building, spreading political reforms and economic liberalization with far-reaching consequences. Associated with external interventions, but also sometimes conflicting with them, are internal protests against authoritarianism, which have problematically reinforced and/or undermined the donor agenda for democratic reform.Here Usman Tar questions the assumption that Africa was lacking the essential components for a spontaneous transition to democracy. He explores the dynamic, but contradictory, links between external and internal dimensions of neo-liberal democratic expansion in Africa, focusing on Nigeria. Tar dissects the struggles for democracy, and for democratic policy and practice in a country with rich economic potential, but a troubled political dispensation. "Since the late 1980s the changing dynamic of global development has driven the tide of democratic expansion in the developing world. In Africa, western donors have sought to impose 'neo-liberal' visions of socio-economic and political institution-building, spreading political reforms and economic liberalisation with far-reaching consequences. Associated with external interventions, but also sometimes conflicting with them, are internal protests against authoritarianism, which have problematically reinforced and/or undermined the donor agenda for democratic reform.Here, Usman Tar questions the assumption that Africa was lacking the essential components for a spontaneous transition to democracy. He explores the dynamic, but contradictory, links between external and internal dimensions of neo-liberal democratic expansion in Africa, focusing on Nigeria. Tar dissects the struggles for democracy, and for democratic policy and practice in a country with rich economic potential but a troubled political dispensation."--Bloomsbury Publishing. Contents......Page 8 List of Tables and Figures......Page 9 Abbreviations......Page 10 Acknowledgements......Page 13 Preface......Page 15 Introduction......Page 20 Global and Local Discourses: Civil Society and the Achievements of Democracy......Page 36 External and Internal Dimensions of Democratic Expansion: Towards a Synergy......Page 73 The Evolution of Civil Society: Contemporary Character and Democratic Potentials......Page 108 Confrontations with the State: Labour Movements and Civic Associations......Page 146 Civil Society and Electoral Process: From Illusion to Reality......Page 190 Conclusion: A Critique of Neoliberal Democracy, the State and Civil Society......Page 229 Appendix: Methodology......Page 244 Notes and References......Page 251 Bibliography......Page 264 Index......Page 284 I. B. Tauris Contents 8 List of Tables and Figures 9 Abbreviations 10 Acknowledgements 13 Preface 15 Introduction 20 Global and Local Discourses: Civil Society and the Achievements of Democracy 36 External and Internal Dimensions of Democratic Expansion: Towards a Synergy 73 The Evolution of Civil Society: Contemporary Character and Democratic Potentials 108 Confrontations with the State: Labour Movements and Civic Associations 146 Civil Society and Electoral Process: From Illusion to Reality 190 Conclusion: A Critique of Neoliberal Democracy, the State and Civil Society 229 Appendix: Methodology 244 Notes and References 251 Bibliography 264 Index 284 9781845116569 "Usman Tar explores the dynamic, but contradictory, links between external and internal dimensions of neo-liberal democratic expansion in Africa, focusing on Nigeria. He examines the realpolitik of changes in the global balance of power and its impact on domestic structural and socioeconomic changes, with far reaching implications for state-society relations and linkages of the state, civil society, governance, democracy and citizenship. In doing so he dissects the struggles for democracy and for democratic policy and practice in a country with rich economic potentials but a troubled political dispensation."--Jacket In Africa, western donors have sought to impose 'neo-liberal' visions of socio-economic and political institution-building, spreading political reforms and economic liberalisation with far-reaching consequences. This title questions the assumption that Africa was lacking the useful components for a spontaneous transition to democracy.