Rita Kiki Edozie

New Trends in Democracy and Development: Democratic Capitalism in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya

Abstract This article examines the complex relationship between capitalism and democracy in contemporary democratic regimes in Africa from the perspective of current trends in economic globalisation. It does so by underscoring the complexity of the prospects for democracy as is illustrated by some controversial trends in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. These trends include the ‘fractured’ executives, as well as the dominant incumbent parties the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria, and the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) in Kenya, that have all been embroiled in scandals recently. Using political economy theoretical themes and frameworks to illustrate the contentious effects that global regimes of capital are having on contemporary national democratic politics, the article shows how a democratic crisis in each country is associated with an economic crisis. It presents South Africas French Connection Scandal, Nigerias Globacom Affair, and Kenyas Anglo-Leasing Finance Scandal as iconic archetypes illustrating the thorny relationship between development and democracy in contemporary Africa.Abstract This article examines the complex relationship between capitalism and democracy in contemporary democratic regimes in Africa from the perspective of current trends in economic globalisation. It does so by underscoring the complexity of the prospects for democracy as is illustrated by some controversial trends in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. These trends include the ‘fractured’ executives, as well as the dominant incumbent parties the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria, and the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) in Kenya, that have all been embroiled in scandals recently. Using political economy theoretical themes and frameworks to illustrate the contentious effects that global regimes of capital are having on contemporary national democratic politics, the article shows how a democratic crisis in each country is associated with an economic crisis. It presents South Africas French Connection Scandal, Nigerias Globacom Affair, and Ke...

Pan-Africanism is Africa’s Third Way: The Cultural Relevance of African Political Economy

Third Way politics has often been associated with British politics of the early second millennium whereby British politician Tony Blair articulated a “Third Way” through “New Labour.” Ecuador and Bolivia’s millennium development models have also been touted as “Third Ways” for undercutting neoliberalism for Latin America’s “Left Turn.” And for Asia, China unapologetically, albeit paradoxically, promotes a “Third Way” characterization of its development politics—“Market Socialism.” Yet for narratives that attempt to explain African international political economy, mainstream discourses maintain old paradigmatic dualisms, “anti-globalization” versus “Emerging Africa or Africa Rising” both of which represent opposite sides of the neoliberal agenda on the continent. The chapter provides a route to a Third Way for Africa. To this end, arguing in support of the relevance of pan-Africanism as it is reenvisioned by national-level business sectors in Nigeria and South Africa and their economic philosophies—Africapitalism and Ubuntu business—the chapter explores these new manifestations of pan-Africanism and evaluates their value to Africa’s contemporary engagement with the international political economy.

Socially Constructing Democracy and Peace: Nigeria's National Dialogue on the Niger Delta Conflict

When he was Vice-President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan pledged that his democratic regime would bring an end to conflict in the embattled Niger Delta region. This article examines the processes by which Jonathans pledge is being realised. Using Amartya Sens constructivist democracy theoretical framework, the article looks at the way that Nigerias decade-old democracy is fostering peace and development in the Niger Delta through dialogue. It assesses the relationship between diverse regime actors – such as Jonathan and the former president, the late Umaru YarAdua, and their constituents, who are politically organised into a myriad of civil society groups and community activists – contending that their engagement is a foundation for deepening Nigerias democracy. It argues that this process – albeit prone to constant fissures and tensions – is facilitating a resolution to the countrys most challenging conflict since the civil war, one that will support sustained peace and development.

New Encounters in U.S.-Africa Democracy Relations: Less of the Same?

Rita Abrahamsen and Paul Williams have argued that contemporary democracy promotion emerges as a product of a hard-won Cold War struggle fought in the name of democracy and freedom. These values, they say, reemerged in the post-Cold War era at a time of capitalism’s historic triumph over communism. As a result, the promotion of democracy became an intrinsic part of Western-led globalization in the millennium and the focus of a new liberal development ideology.1