The African Basis of Democracy and Politics for the Common Good A Critique of the Neopatrimonial Perspective

David Nyaluke

《Taiwan Journal of Democracy》 10卷2期 (2014/12) Pp. 141-164

並列摘要

Since its rise to a prominent position as a key approach to understanding and explaining African politics, governance, and political economy, a number of critiques have been published on neopatrimonialism and its perspective on African politics. This essay contributes to the emerging criticism of the neopatrimonial approach by addressing one of the key arguments of the theory concerning the intrinsic nature of African politics, its cultural underpinnings, and the ideas which form the basis of democracy and politics for the common good in Africa. Although the underpinnings and ideational basis exist and are central to the dynamics of African politics, the neopatrimonial approach has treated them as nonexistent. In its discussion, this essay also describes the sources and vital influence of African ideas on democracy and the common good in African states.

並列關鍵字

Neopatrimonialism ； critique of neopatrimonialism ； African democracy ； African common good ； African dominant parties ； struggle for democracy ； accountable leadership

參考文獻

Thandika Mkandawire, “Neo-Patrimonialism and the Political Economy of Economic Performance in Africa: Critical Reflections” (Working Paper, no. 1, Institute of Futures Studies, 2013), 45-46

Gero Erdmann and Ulf Engel, “Neo-patrimonialism Reconsidered: Critical Review and Elaboration of an Elusive Concept,” (Working Paper, no. 16, GIGA Institute 2006), 5-38

Edmund Aston, “Democracy and Indirect Rule,” Journal of the International African Institute 17, no. 4 (1947): 235-251

Achebe, Chinua(1958).Things Fall Apart.London:Heinemann.

Ake, Claude(2000).The Feasibility of Democracy in Africa.Wiltshire, UK:Antony Rowe.