Search results

The extent of political corruption within sub-Saharan neopatrimonial states during the late 20th century is investigated. An overview of the causes, techniques, & effects of neopatrimonial corruption is presented. Although African nations have become economically liberalized & democratized, it is contended that incident rates of political corruption have not decreased. Rather, corrupt actions by public officials have actually increased. Moreover, African politics have become more criminalized since the early 1980s. Regional & international reactions to the increase of politically corrupt acts in sub-Saharan African are discussed. It is concluded that struggles against corruption will not succeed in such criminalized political systems; in addition, it is maintained that political corruption constitutes a repudiation of democratic processes. 101 References. J. W. Parker

Reviews Patric Chabal & Jean-Pascal Daloz's Africa Has Taken Off! Disorder as a Political Instrument (1999 [1998]). Chabal & Daloz's book is considered a good synthesis of Africa's politics & recent history, whose main thesis is that Africa's political upheavals & general disorder may actually provide benefits to those involved. Chabal & Daloz focus on the informalization of politics in Africa, the retraditionalization of these politics, & the fruits of economic failure. It is argued, however, that the authors fall into the common traps of referring too much to an extreme view of axiological neutrality & over-relying on determinism. It is concluded that while their writing is clear & interesting, it does not fully succeed in demonstrating the instrumentality of disorder. D. Weibel