Author : Obioma M. Iheduru
Publisher : Praeger
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 192 pages
Book Rating : 4.F/5 ( download)
Book Synopsis The Politics of Economic Restructuring and Democracy in Africa by : Obioma M. Iheduru
Download or read book The Politics of Economic Restructuring and Democracy in Africa written by Obioma M. Iheduru and published by Praeger. This book was released on 1999-06-30 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a bold attempt to develop an innovative theory of political change arising from dual economic and political transformations, Iheduru maintains that economic structural adjustment policies have unintended political consequences, leading to democratic liberalization in post-colonial African states. Using classical, dependency, and neoliberal approaches as a backdrop, he demonstrates that structural adjustment policies shaped by conditionality measures foster the operation of free-enterprise market forces. As a social consequence of the reform effort, winners and losers organize to protect their interests, first in the economy and later in the political arena. Thus the structural reorientation of African economies leads not only to the ascendancy of the market and economic growth but also to the political opening of the African state, thereby facilitating the participation of excluded groups. In conclusion, Iheduru predicts that structural adjustment is the best policy alternative for initiating and sustaining meaningful economic changes in Africa. Moreover, he claims, it may be a deciding factor in the possible democratizing of the African continent, which would provide an auspicious atmosphere for a properly functioning market economy.
