State Formation in Tropical Africa

Bibliographic Data

ID6297780
AuthorsPhilip Mawhood (University of Birmingham, corresponding author)
Year1989
Volume10
Issue3
Pages239-250
Publication date1989-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Political Science Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0192-5121 • E-ISSN: 1460-373X
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/019251218901000306
OpenAlexW2057670787
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited7

African states are characterized by their recent date of creation, and nation-building has lagged behind state formation. Ethnic and regional loyalties continue to be important and used, both by government and opposition forces. A convincing parallel can be drawn with the history of European states, and Spain is taken as an example. On the dimension of centralization and regional decentralization, the analysis of Africa has to focus on sub-national government at the local level rather than on regionalism. Larger regional units are too threatening to the survival of state or regime for them to be permitted. However, at the local level, there is a continent-wide swing first towards, then away from centralization, reflecting efforts to create relative efficiency and popular consent. In practice, little difference results from the various shades of ideology

Clientelism · Decentralization · Democracy · Development economics · Economic system · Economics · Ethnic group · Geography · Ideology · Local government · Opposition (politics · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Regionalism (politics · State (computer science · African history and culture analysis · African Studies and Geopolitics · Hispanic-African Historical Relations · Law · Public Administration

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