Neopatrimonialism in Africa-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Neopatrimonialism in Africa

Published:2023-06-22 Issue:3 Volume:15 Page:316-337
ISSN:0974-4053
Container-title:Africa Review
language:
Short-container-title:Afr. Rev.

Author:

Real P. De Sousa Ricardo¹²³⁴^ORCID,Cuadrado Jara⁵⁴^ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa (UAL) Department of International Relations Portugal Lisbon

2. University of Beira Interior (UBI) Department of Sociology, Faculty of Human and Social Sciences (FCSH) Portugal Covilhã

3. University Institute of Lisboa (CEI-IUL) Centre for International Studies Portugal Lisbon

4. Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa (UAL) OBSERVARE-Observatory of Foreign Relations Portugal Lisbon

5. Universidad de Valladolid Spain Valladolid

Abstract

Abstract Neopatrimonialism is a conceptual framework frequently used to analyse state politics. This paper reviews objectivist and positivist literature to ascertain the relevance of neopatrimonialism in analysing African state politics. It defines neopatrimonialism following the Weberian model, as the coexistence of a legal-rational domination and a patrimonial domination over the state. The paper reviews neopatrimonialism through the evolution of the African state since colonisation. It uses the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) dataset to assess the prevalence of neopatrimonialism across the world and within Africa. It assesses two propositions to conclude that there can be a “developmental neopatrimonialism” if its practices are regulated but that, inversely, “predatory neopatrimonialism” hinders development. Additionally, the detrimental effect of neopatrimonialism on democracy is ambiguous and democratisation can promote or hinder neopatrimonialism. The paper concludes that neopatrimonialism is a useful research concept if it is specific and able to account for the diversity of practices.

Publisher

Brill

Subject

Political Science and International Relations,Development,History

Reference42 articles.

1. Allen, C. 1995. “Understanding African Politics”, Review of African Political Economy, 22 (65): 301–320. https://doi.org/10.1080/03056249508704142

2. Bach, D.C. 2000. “Patrimonialism and neopatrimonialism: Comparative trajectories and readings”, Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, 4 (3): 275–294.

3. Bates, R.H. 1981. Markets and states in tropical Africa: The political basis of agricultural policies. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

4. Beresford, A. 2014. “Editorial: understanding how ‘Africa works’?” Critical African Studies, 6 (1): 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1080/21681392.2014.888879

5. Booth, D. 2012. “Development as a collective action problem: Addressing the real challenges of African governance”, Africa Power and Politics, Policy Brief 09 (October) https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=ed3c9af70fccd63c1321c4a3db8ef971bf554e4b.