Download or read book Democracy in Africa written by Nic Cheeseman and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2015-05-12 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides the first comprehensive overview of the history of democracy in Africa and explains why the continent's democratic experiments have so often failed, as well as how they could succeed. Nic Cheeseman grapples with some of the most important questions facing Africa and democracy today, including whether international actors should try and promote democracy abroad, how to design political systems that manage ethnic diversity, and why democratic governments often make bad policy decisions. Beginning in the colonial period with the introduction of multi-party elections and ending in 2013 with the collapse of democracy in Mali and South Sudan, the book describes the rise of authoritarian states in the 1970s; the attempts of trade unions and some religious groups to check the abuse of power in the 1980s; the remarkable return of multiparty politics in the 1990s; and finally, the tragic tendency for elections to exacerbate corruption and violence.
Download or read book Democracy Good Governance and Development in Africa written by Mawere, Munyaradzi and published by Langaa RPCIG. This book was released on 2015-10-24 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Questions surrounding democracy, governance, and development especially in the view of Africa have provoked acrimonious debates in the past few years. It remains a perennial question why some decades after political independence in Africa the continent continues experiencing bad governance, lagging behind socioeconomically, and its democracy questionable. We admit that a plethora of theories and reasons, including iniquitous and malicious ones, have been conjured in an attempt to explain and answer the questions as to why Africa seems to be lagging behind other continents in issues pertaining to good governance, democracy and socio-economic development. Yet, none of the theories and reasons proffered so far seems to have provided enduring solutions to Africa’s diverse complex problems and predicaments. This book dissects and critically examines the matrix of Africa’s multifaceted problems on governance, democracy and development in an attempt to proffer enduring solutions to the continent’s long-standing political and socio-economic dilemmas and setbacks.
Download or read book Traditional Leadership and Democratisation in Southern Africa written by Sandra Düsing and published by LIT Verlag Münster. This book was released on 2002 with total page 412 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What are the impacts of ethnically based, traditional political institutions on democratic state and nation building in Southern Africa and how do heterogeneous sources of legitimacy affect the prospects of long-term democratic regime consolidation? What are the impacts of "traditionalism" employed for purposes of party-political mobilization? An indicator for the political influence of traditional leadership in Southern Africa is the fact that a considerable number of democratically elected politicians in high office originate from aristocratic families, representing hereditary traditional leadership structures for centuries. This is evident for the charismatic founding president of the new South Africa; Nelson Mandela, as well as for his adversary, the prime minister-in-office, Mangosuthu Buthelezi. The careful reconsideration of this "state behind the state" has been identified as crucial, in this study, to make any realistic assessments of the prospects for sustainable democratization in Southern African countries in the near future.
Download or read book Political Leadership in Africa written by Giovanni Carbone and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-03-19 with total page 393 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An innovative analysis of political leadership in Africa between 1960 and 2018, drawing on an entirely new dataset.
Download or read book Democracy Works written by Greg Mills and published by Hurst & Company. This book was released on 2019 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Democracy Works asks how we can learn to nurture, deepen and consolidate democracy in Africa. By analysing transitions within and beyond the continent, the authors identify a 'democratic playbook' robust enough to withstand threats to free and fair elections. However, substantive democracy demands more than just regular polls. It is fundamentally about the inner workings of institutions, the rule of law, separation of powers, checks and balances, and leadership in government and civil society. It is also about values and the welfare and well-being of its citizens, and demands local leadership with a plan for the country beyond simply winning the popular vote. This volume addresses the political, economic and extreme demographic challenges that African countries face. It is intended as a resource for members of civil society and as a guide for all who seek to enjoy the political and development benefits of democracy in the world's poorest continent. Finally, it is for donors and external actors who have to face critical decision - especially after ill-fated electoral interventions such as Kenya 2017 - about the future of observer missions and aid promoting democracy and good governance"--Inside front flap.
Download or read book Leaders for a New Africa written by Giovanni Carbone and published by Ledizioni. This book was released on 2019-10-01 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Political leadership can be a crucial ingredient for the development of sub-Saharan Africa. The region has been going through important transformations, with both political landscapes and economic trajectories becoming increasingly diverse. The changes underway include the role of leadership and its broader impact. This volume argues that, on the whole, African leaders and the way they reach power generally do contribute to shaping their countries’ progresses and achievements. It also zooms in on some influential African leaders who recently emerged in key states across the continent, illustrating and explaining the individual paths that brought them to power while reflecting on the prospects for their governments’ actions. Far from the simplistic stereotypes of immovable, ineffective and greedy rulers, the resulting picture reveals dynamic and rapidly evolving political scenarios with key implications for development in the region.
Download or read book The Paradox of Traditional Chiefs in Democratic Africa written by Kate Baldwin and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2016 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book shows that powerful hereditary chiefs do not undermine democracy in Africa but, on some level, facilitate it.
Download or read book Traditional Leaders in a Democracy written by Skosana, Dineo and published by The Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA). This book was released on 2019-03-31 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Post-1994, South Africa's traditional leaders have fought for recognition, and positioned themselves as major players in the South African political landscape. Yet their role in a democracy is contested, with leaders often accused of abusing power, disregarding human rights, expropriating resources and promoting tribalism. Some argue that democracy and traditional leadership are irredeemably opposed and cannot co-exist. Meanwhile, shifts in the political economy of the former bantustans − the introduction of platinum mining in particular − have attracted new interests and conflicts to these areas, with chiefs often designated as custodians of community interests. This edited volume explores how chieftancy is practised, experienced and contested in contemporary South Africa. It includes case studies of how those living under the authority of chiefs, in a modern democracy, negotiate or resist this authority in their respective areas. Chapters in this book are organised around three major sites of contest: leadership, land and law.
Download or read book Transitions and Consolidation of Democracy in Africa written by Samuel Ebow Quainoo and published by Global Academic Publishing. This book was released on 2008 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What conditions motivate a transition to democracy? Can the dynamics of a transition influence its outcome? Under what circumstances has democracy been consolidated in Africa? This trilogy of questions has become necessary in light of the current democratic wave engulfing Africa and the rest of the world. In examining the conditions that initiate democratic transitions, this book investigates the circumstances under which democracy movements have operated between 1980 and 1990. It concludes that, contrary to dominant democratic theory, the transitions to democracy in Africa have occurred under declining levels of development. With regard to transitions, the book recognizes that they have their own dynamics. Two main types of transitions are discerned: top-down and bottom-up. The book argues that in spite of the restrictive nature of top-down transitions, they offer a better opportunity for democratic consolidation because of the consensus between elites of the pro-democracy regime and their counterparts in the authoritarian regime, a condition that is normally absent under bottom-up transitions. Finally, relying on the cases of consolidated democracies, the book derives an African democracy model. The model delineates five main conditions that facilitate democratic consolidation, including good leadership, relevant political institutions, external support, civic space, and a reasonable level of development. It cautions, however, that these are not sufficient conditions, nor are all of them necessary. Since countries have unique historical circumstances, specific countries will have to combine conditions in the model that are relevant to that society to consolidate its democracy. The right combination will depend on the specific needs of the individual country.
Download or read book Lessons from Political Leadership in Africa written by Chris Jones and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2022-02-17 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The central message of this book is that leadership serves as a blueprint to transform Africa into a global powerhouse. There is an urgent need to refocus our efforts on the African Continent and her people, while at the same time forging ahead with democratic, accountable, people-centred, ethical and transparent governance and leadership. Corruption has undoubtedly become a hostile enemy in robbing the poor, violating the trust of the people and eroding the moral fibre of society. Abuse of power, position or office compounded by greed, self-enrichment and acts of dishonesty has dire consequences for mankind, and, as such, each contribution in this book promotes Africa’s vision to sustain humanity and its people, away from social ills such as extreme poverty, distinct inequalities and large-scale unemployment. What is needed is a new generation of bold, passionate, confident, inspiring leaders to make a difference and leave an edible mark in the global arena. This is the fundamental spirit of leadership for the Africa that this book wants and wishes to nurture. We cannot go back and change the past, but we can learn lessons, both good and bad, and change the future towards a bigger, better, and brighter tomorrow!
Download or read book Leadership and the Problem of Electoral Democracy in Africa written by E. Ike Udogu and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2016-12-14 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume explores the notion that African leaders are fundamentally responsible for electoral malfeasance throughout the continent. The quagmire of fixing elections in order to stay in power ad-infinitum has frequently led – and will continue to lead – to political violence, civil wars, internal displacement of citizens, international refugee crises, and economic malaise with its attendant crisis of underdevelopment. This book provides five case studies selected from Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone Africa that illustrate some variations and similarities in the dilemma of electoral democracy in this epoch of Africa’s democratic experiment. It suggests, among other factors, Colin Powell’s and Abraham Lincoln’s theoretical templates as pointers for African political chiefs in their struggle for democratic consolidation – a successful move that could advance national legitimacy and political stability critical for impressive development in this millennium.
Download or read book Democratization in Africa written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1992-02-01 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The global movement toward democracy, spurred in part by the ending of the cold war, has created opportunities for democratization not only in Europe and the former Soviet Union, but also in Africa. This book is based on workshops held in Benin, Ethiopia, and Namibia to better understand the dynamics of contemporary democratic movements in Africa. Key issues in the democratization process range from its institutional and political requirements to specific problems such as ethnic conflict, corruption, and role of donors in promoting democracy. By focusing on the opinion and views of African intellectuals, academics, writers, and political activists and observers, the book provides a unique perspective regarding the dynamics and problems of democratization in Africa.
Download or read book Democracy and Development in Africa written by Claude Ake and published by Brookings Institution Press. This book was released on 2001-09-19 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despite three decades of preoccupation with development in Africa, the economies of most African nations are still stagnating or regressing. For most Africans, incomes are lower than they were two decades ago, health prospects are poorer, malnourishment is widespread, and infrastructures and social institutions are breaking down. An array of factors have been offered to explain the apparent failure of development in Africa, including the colonial legacy, social pluralism, corruption, poor planning and incompetent management, limited in-flow of foreign capital, and low levels of saving and investment. Alone or in combination, these factors are serious impediments to development, but Claude Ake contends that the problem is not that development has failed, but that it was never really on the agenda. He maintains that political conditions in Africa are the greatest impediment to development. In this book, Ake traces the evolution and failure of development policies, including the IMF stabilization programs that have dominated international efforts. He identifies the root causes of the problem in the authoritarian political structure of the African states derived from the previous colonial entities. Ake sketches the alternatives that are struggling to emerge from calamitous failure--economic development based on traditional agriculture, political development based on the decentralization of power, and reliance on indigenous communities that have been providing some measure of refuge from the coercive power of the central state. Ake's argument may become a new paradigm for development in Africa.
Download or read book Leaders for a New Africa written by Giovanni Carbone and published by Ispi Publications. This book was released on 2019 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Political leadership can be a crucial ingredient for the development of sub-Saharan Africa. The region has been going through important transformations, with both political landscapes and economic trajectories becoming increasingly diverse. The changes underway include the role of leadership and its broader impact. This volume argues that, on the whole, African leaders and the way they reach power generally do contribute to shaping their countries' progresses and achievements. It also zooms in on some influential African leaders who recently emerged in key states across the continent, illustrating and explaining the individual paths that brought them to power while reflecting on the prospects for their governments' actions. Far from the simplistic stereotypes of immovable, ineffective and greedy rulers, the resulting picture reveals dynamic and rapidly evolving political scenarios with key implications for development in the region.
Download or read book Traditional Institutions and Public Administration in Democratic Africa written by Kwame Badu Antwi-Boasiako; Okyere B and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2009-04-14 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Traditional Institutions and Public Administration in Democratic Africa tackles the most pressing contemporary administrative issues of Africa. The first chapter opens with a thorough discussion on neo-colonialism in Africa. It questions the authenticity of African democracy as it points out the presence of groups and individuals who exploit African resources to their advantage. The chains of colonialism have perpetually defeated democracy in Africa and the former oppressors continue to financially and politically control their former colonies. The authors probe into the traditional institutions as well as the functions of the government to explain the political status quo of Africa. It emphasizes the negative impact of adhering to democratic structures that impair the positive practices and values of the traditional African administrative culture. An eye-opener, Traditional Institutions and Public Administration in Democratic Africa boldly exposes revolutionary views that challenge and defy democracy in Africa
Download or read book The State and Democracy in Africa written by African Association of Political Science and published by Africa World Press. This book was released on 1998 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a study of the issues of democracy and democratization in Africa, with emphasis on the roles of civil society and the state in the democratic transition. After clarifying the meaning of democracy as a universal principle of governance and the applicability of the concept to Africa, the book examines the major problems facing the democratic transition on the continent as a whole.
Download or read book Africa s Principles of Leadership Democracy and Good Governance written by Jesse Bahati Bundala Mashimi and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
