African Economies and the Politics of Permanent Crisis, 1979 1999 (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780521803649)

This book explains why African countries have remained mired in a disastrous economic crisis since the late 1970s. It shows that dynamics internal to African state structures largely explain this failure to overcome economic difficulties rather than external pressures on these same structures as is often argued. Far from being prevented from undertaking reforms by societal interest and pressure groups, clientelism within the state elite, ideological factors and low state capacity have resulted in some limited reform, but much prevarication and manipulation of the reform process, by governments that do not really believe that reform will be effective.

Author: Nicolas Van de Walle
ISBN-10: 0521803640
ISBN-13: 9780521803649
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 09/24/2001
Pages: 306
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.14lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.20w x 0.90d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 03/01/2002 pg. 1292