The Role of Political Behavior and Socio-Economic Development in the Transition and Consolidation of Liberal Democracy in Sub Saharan Africa

The study utilizes the multivariate regression techniques to investigate the role of political behavior; power structure (at the micro level) and socio economic development (macro level) in the transition and consolidation of democracy in Sub Saharan Africa. In the analysis, political behavior, defined as the acceptance of political elites to accommodate divergent views, is the most significant predictor of democracy in the region. Socio economic development is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the consolidation of democracy in the region. In conclusion, I argue that Sub Saharan African nations must pursue both political and economic liberalization which entails the creation of a business elite that is separate from the political elites in order to consolidate the democratic gains achieved in the past decade.

Name thesis:degree_name

MA

Level thesis:degree_level

Immediate Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Graduate Center for Social and Public Policy

Year dc:date.available

2004

Author dc:creator

• Wachira, Godfrey

Contributors dc:contributor

• Joseph D. Yenerall
• Clifford Bob
• Richard A. Colignon

• democracy
• sub-Saharan Africa

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/1319

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dsc.duq.edu:etd-2335