A Democratic Developmental State in Africa?

Research Report 105
May 2005

CENTRE FOR POLICY STUDIES

Committed to independent policy research

A Democratic Developmental State in Africa?
A concept paper
By

Omano Edigheji

Research report

A Democratic Developmental State in Africa?
A concept paper

Omano Edigheji

Centre for Policy Studies
Johannesburg
May 2005

This paper forms part of the CPS ‘State Series’

The Centre for Policy Studies is an independent research institution, incorporated as an association not for gain under Section 21 of the

Companies Act.

The Ford Foundation generously provided the funding for this research work. However, the views expressed in this report are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Ford
Foundation.

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This Concept Paper forms part of a larger project on ‘The role of the State in Africa’. This project is funded by the Ford Foundation, Johannesburg, South Africa, whose generous support and foresight we gratefully acknowledge.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.

INTRODUCTION

1

2.

THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: TOWARDS THE DEMOCRATIC

2

DEVELOPMENTAL STATE IN AFRICA
3.

THE POLITICAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES OF AFRICA SINCE 1960

13

4.

CONCLUSION

18

1.

INTRODUCTION

The history of the post-independent African state is that of monumental democratic and developmental failures. The few exceptions to this have been Botswana and Mauritius, and to a degree, democratic South Africa. After almost four and a half decades of independence, most countries on the continent are characterised by underdevelopment. The evidence for this state of underdevelopment can be found in any social and economic