The structural adjustment programme and democratic transition in Africa

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Periodical article

Title:	The structural adjustment programme and democratic transition in Africa
Author:	Adejumobi, Said
Year:	1996
Periodical:	Verfassung und Recht in Übersee
Volume:	29
Issue:	4
Pages:	416-433
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Africa
Subjects:	democracy economic policy
Abstract:	Do structural adjustment programmes (SAP) promote or undermine the process of democratic transition and consolidation in Africa? What is the effect of structural adjustment policy measures such as trade liberalization, the withdrawal of State subsidies on essential services, devaluation, and State divestment from the provision of social security, on political transition projects? Can SAP and the democratic project be pursued concurrently and will this lead to development? These questions are addressed in this paper. It first discusses the basis and character of SAP in Africa. Second, it examines the impact of SAP on democratic transition, both from the theoretical and the empirical perspective. Third, it assesses the prospects for democratic consolidation within the context of SAP in Africa. Ref., sum. (p. 413).