Suchergebnisse

Colonized in the late 15th century, São Tomé and Príncipe were ruled by Portugal for 500 years, one of the longest periods of European domination in colonial history. In fact, during this period the Portuguese colonized the islands twice. Both colonizations were driven by the production of tropical cash crops; however, they occurred under rather different circumstances. Its long history as a plantation colony has made this African archipelago in many aspects more akin to the small Caribbean states. Since its decolonization in 1975 the small and impoverished country has experienced two fundamental changes to its political and economic system in a short period of 15 years. After embracing socialism and a centralized economy at independence, in 1990 the country introduced liberal democracy and a free-market economy. This case study analyses the course of political and economic changes in postcolonial São Tomé and Príncipe. The central issue of the book is to which extent institutional changes based on external models altered local patterns of political culture and of doing politics. In addition, it examines the outcome of the consecutive economic policies and development approaches patterned on theses models. This second edition has been completely revised and updated for the period of 1998-2005, including the recent developments in the country's emerging oil sector

Colonized in the late 15th century, São Tomé and Príncipe were ruled by Portugal for 500 years, one of the longest periods of European domination in colonial history. In fact, during this period the Portuguese colonized the islands twice. Both colonizations were driven by the production of tropical cash crops; however, they occurred under rather different circumstances. Its long history as a plantation colony has made this African archipelago in many aspects more akin to the small Caribbean states. Since its decolonization in 1975 the small and impoverished country has experienced two fundamental changes to its political and economic system in a short period of 15 years. After embracing socialism and a centralized economy at independence, in 1990 the country introduced liberal democracy and a free-market economy. This case study analyses the course of political and economic changes in postcolonial São Tomé and Príncipe. The central issue of the book is to which extent institutional changes based on external models altered local patterns of political culture and of doing politics. In addition, it examines the outcome of the consecutive economic policies and development approaches patterned on theses models. This second edition has been completely revised and updated for the period of 1998-2005, including the recent developments in the country's emerging oil sector.

After independence in 1975 São Tomé and Príncipe became a socialist oneparty state. The regime nationalized the cocoa plantations and the entire economy. As the country lacked adequately trained people, within a few years the local economy was run down. Due to economic failure, in 1990 the regime introduced multiparty democracy and a free-market economy. Despite political instability provoked by consecutive changes of government, democracy has done relatively well. However, the economy has been ailing, since consecutive governments failed to recover the cocoa sector and diversify the economy. Prospects of becoming an oil producer that emerged in the 1990s have not materialized either, since commercially viable oil has not been discovered. Consequently, for many years the small country has become completely dependent on international aid. The article analyses the archipelago´s policies and economy over the past forty years. ; Después de la independencia en 1975, Santo Tomé y Príncipe se convirtió en un Estado de partido único socialista. El régimen nacionalizó las plantaciones de cacao y de toda la economía. A medida que el país carecía de las personas con formación adecuada, dentro de algunos años la economía local se derrumbó. Debido al fracaso económico, en 1990 el régimen introdujo la democracia multipartidista y una economía de libre mercado. A pesar de la inestabilidad política provocada por los cambios consecutivos de gobierno, la democracia funcionó relativamente bien. Sin embargo, la economía continuó precaria, ya que los gobiernos consecutivos no lograron recuperar el sector del cacao y diversificar la economía. Las perspectivas de convertirse en un productor de petróleo que surgió en la década de 1990 también no se han materializado ya que el petróleo comercialmente viable no ha sido descubierto. En consecuencia, desde hace muchos años el pequeño país se ha vuelto totalmente dependientes de la ayuda internacional. El artículo analiza la política y la economía del archipiélago en los últimos cuarenta ...