8 - An Empirical Profile of Weak States in Sub-Saharan Africa
Corresponding Author(s) : Yoku Shaw-Taylor
Africa Development,
Vol. 28 No. 3-4 (2003): Africa Development
Abstract
In this paper, we present an empirical construct to describe attributes of weak states in sub-Saharan Africa using the Minorities at Risk Database. Weak states are defined as having a prevalence of structural inequality, the components of which are economic differentiation, cultural (or social) inequality and political inequality. We used this construct to predict intercommunal conflict in two peri ods: between 1940 and 1989, and since 1990. Analysis showed that the struc tural inequality construct is reliable and that the likelihood of intercommunal conflict between 1940 and 1989 was associated with cultural differentials. Results also suggest that structural inequality, by itself, does not directly lead to intercommunal conflict. We argue that the addition of a variable that captures prevalence of small arms or light weapons will improve the predictive power of the model. Frequency distributions of the construct revealed that there is a high incidence of intercommunal conflict in the region and that three countries in particular were 'best performers'.
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- Ayoob, M., 1995, The Third Wor/d Security Predicament: State Making. Regional Conjlict and the International System, Boulder, Colorado, Lynne Rienner. Babu, A.M. 1996. 'The New World Disorder - Which Way Africa?', in Pan
- Africanism: Politics, Economy and Social Change in the Twenty-jirst Cen tury, edited by Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, New York, New York University Press.
- Boutwell, J. and Klare, M., 2000, 'Waging A New Kind of War: A Scourge of Small Arms', Scientific American June.
- Chabal P. and Daloz, Jean-Pascal, 2001, Africa Works: Disorder as Political In strument, International Africa lnstitute, James Currey & Indiana University Press.
- Chazan, N., Lewis, P., Mortimer, R.A., Rothchild, D., Stedman, S.J., 1999, Poli tics and Socie(v in Contemporary Africa, 3rd ed., Boulder, Colorado, Lynne Rienner.
- Cohen R. and Deng, F., 1998, 'Exodus within Borders: The Uprooted Who Never Left Home', Foreign Affairs, July/August.
- Coquery-Vidrovitch, C., 1993, 'Economie Changes in Africain the World Con text', in General Histo,y of Africa: Africa Since 1935, Mazrui, Ali A., ed.,UNESCO, Califomia, Heinemann.
- Dia, M., 1996, Africa s Management in the 1990s and Beyond: Reconciling Indigenous and Transplanted Institutions, Washington, World Bank.
- Ekeh, P., 1998, 'Colonialism and the Two Publics in Africa: A Theoretical State ment', in Lewis, Peter ed., Afi-ica: Dilemmas of Development and Change, Boulder, Colorado, West View Press.
- Elaigwu, J. 1., and Mazrui, Ali A., 1993, 'Nation-building and Changing Political Structures', in General History of Africa: Africa Since 1935, edited by Ali A. Mazrui, UNESCO, Califomia, Heinemann.
- Englcbert, P., 1997, 'The Contcmporary African State: Neither African nor State',Third World Quarter/y, Vol. 18, No 4, pp 767-775.
- Gamba, Y. 1998. 'Small Anns Foster Social Turmoil: Illegal trafficking Disrupts African Communities, Spreads Crime', New York, United Nations.
- Hurst, C. E. 1992. Social Inequality: Forms. Causes and Consequences, Boston, Allyn and Bacon.
- Kipre, P., 1993, 'Industrial Dcvelopment and Urban Growth 1935-80', in Gen eral History o/Aji-ica: Afi-ica Since 1935, edited by Ali A. Mazrui, UNESCO, Califomia, Heinemann.
- Ki-Zerbo, J., Mazrui, Ali A., Wondji, C., and Boahen, A.A., 1993, 'Nation-building and Changing Political Values', in General Histo,:v o.fAfi-ica: Afi-ica Since/935, editcd by Ali A. Mazrui, UNESCO, California, Heinemann.
- Lumpc, L., 2000, Rw111ing Guns: The Gloha/ Black Market in Sma/1 Arms, New York. Zed Books.
- Human Development Report 2000, United Nations Development ProgrammNew York, Oxford University Press.
- Migdal, J.S., 1988, Strong Societies and Weak States, Princeton, Princeton Uni versity Press.
- Minorities at Risk Dataset Users Manual, 2002, University of Maryland Center for International Development and Conflict Management, College Park.
- Nkrumah, K., 1965, Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage qf /mperialism, London, Panaf Books.
- Nkrumah, K., 1973, The Struggle Continues, London, PanafBooks.
- Owusu, M., 1993, 'Agriculture and Rural Development Since 1935', in General History of Africa: Afl"ica Since 1935, edited by Ali A. Mazrui, UNESCO, California, Heinemann.
- Small Arms Survey 2001: Profiling the problem, Graduate Institute of Interna tional Studies, Geneva.
- Tilly, C., 1985, 'War Making and State Making as Organized Crime', in Peter Evans, Dietrich Rueschemeyer & Theda Skocpol eds., Bringing the State Back ln, United Kingdom, Cambridge University Press.
- Young, C., 1994, 'Evolving Modes ofConsciousness and Ideology: Nationalism and Ethnicity', in Political Development and the New Realism in Sub-saharan Africa. Apter D. and C. G. Rosberg eds., Charlottesville, University of Vir ginia Press.
- United Nations, l997, 'Report of the Panel of Government Experts on Small Arms', United Nations, New York.Wood, B. and J. Peleman, 1999, The Arms Fixers: Controlling the Brokers and Shipping Agents, Oslo, PRIO.
References
Ayoob, M., 1995, The Third Wor/d Security Predicament: State Making. Regional Conjlict and the International System, Boulder, Colorado, Lynne Rienner. Babu, A.M. 1996. 'The New World Disorder - Which Way Africa?', in Pan
Africanism: Politics, Economy and Social Change in the Twenty-jirst Cen tury, edited by Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, New York, New York University Press.
Boutwell, J. and Klare, M., 2000, 'Waging A New Kind of War: A Scourge of Small Arms', Scientific American June.
Chabal P. and Daloz, Jean-Pascal, 2001, Africa Works: Disorder as Political In strument, International Africa lnstitute, James Currey & Indiana University Press.
Chazan, N., Lewis, P., Mortimer, R.A., Rothchild, D., Stedman, S.J., 1999, Poli tics and Socie(v in Contemporary Africa, 3rd ed., Boulder, Colorado, Lynne Rienner.
Cohen R. and Deng, F., 1998, 'Exodus within Borders: The Uprooted Who Never Left Home', Foreign Affairs, July/August.
Coquery-Vidrovitch, C., 1993, 'Economie Changes in Africain the World Con text', in General Histo,y of Africa: Africa Since 1935, Mazrui, Ali A., ed.,UNESCO, Califomia, Heinemann.
Dia, M., 1996, Africa s Management in the 1990s and Beyond: Reconciling Indigenous and Transplanted Institutions, Washington, World Bank.
Ekeh, P., 1998, 'Colonialism and the Two Publics in Africa: A Theoretical State ment', in Lewis, Peter ed., Afi-ica: Dilemmas of Development and Change, Boulder, Colorado, West View Press.
Elaigwu, J. 1., and Mazrui, Ali A., 1993, 'Nation-building and Changing Political Structures', in General History of Africa: Africa Since 1935, edited by Ali A. Mazrui, UNESCO, Califomia, Heinemann.
Englcbert, P., 1997, 'The Contcmporary African State: Neither African nor State',Third World Quarter/y, Vol. 18, No 4, pp 767-775.
Gamba, Y. 1998. 'Small Anns Foster Social Turmoil: Illegal trafficking Disrupts African Communities, Spreads Crime', New York, United Nations.
Hurst, C. E. 1992. Social Inequality: Forms. Causes and Consequences, Boston, Allyn and Bacon.
Kipre, P., 1993, 'Industrial Dcvelopment and Urban Growth 1935-80', in Gen eral History o/Aji-ica: Afi-ica Since 1935, edited by Ali A. Mazrui, UNESCO, Califomia, Heinemann.
Ki-Zerbo, J., Mazrui, Ali A., Wondji, C., and Boahen, A.A., 1993, 'Nation-building and Changing Political Values', in General Histo,:v o.fAfi-ica: Afi-ica Since/935, editcd by Ali A. Mazrui, UNESCO, California, Heinemann.
Lumpc, L., 2000, Rw111ing Guns: The Gloha/ Black Market in Sma/1 Arms, New York. Zed Books.
Human Development Report 2000, United Nations Development ProgrammNew York, Oxford University Press.
Migdal, J.S., 1988, Strong Societies and Weak States, Princeton, Princeton Uni versity Press.
Minorities at Risk Dataset Users Manual, 2002, University of Maryland Center for International Development and Conflict Management, College Park.
Nkrumah, K., 1965, Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage qf /mperialism, London, Panaf Books.
Nkrumah, K., 1973, The Struggle Continues, London, PanafBooks.
Owusu, M., 1993, 'Agriculture and Rural Development Since 1935', in General History of Africa: Afl"ica Since 1935, edited by Ali A. Mazrui, UNESCO, California, Heinemann.
Small Arms Survey 2001: Profiling the problem, Graduate Institute of Interna tional Studies, Geneva.
Tilly, C., 1985, 'War Making and State Making as Organized Crime', in Peter Evans, Dietrich Rueschemeyer & Theda Skocpol eds., Bringing the State Back ln, United Kingdom, Cambridge University Press.
Young, C., 1994, 'Evolving Modes ofConsciousness and Ideology: Nationalism and Ethnicity', in Political Development and the New Realism in Sub-saharan Africa. Apter D. and C. G. Rosberg eds., Charlottesville, University of Vir ginia Press.
United Nations, l997, 'Report of the Panel of Government Experts on Small Arms', United Nations, New York.Wood, B. and J. Peleman, 1999, The Arms Fixers: Controlling the Brokers and Shipping Agents, Oslo, PRIO.