1 - Epic Battles in Radical Development Theory, Field Research and Praxis: A Celebration of Björn Beckman (1938–2019)
Africa Development,
Vol. 45 No. 1 (2020): Africa Development
Abstract
This article reviews the contribution of Björn Beckman, the Swedish political economist, in the study of development. It addresses three issues. The first is his engagement in theoretical debates on the political economy of development. These focus on the nature of the African state, capitalist development in poor countries, whether the military can act as a revolutionary vanguard in spearheading democratic and progressive social change, neoliberal theory of macro-economic adjustment, and the dynamics of state-civil society relations in advancing development and democracy. The second is his field research work in Ghana and Nigeria. This examines the role of organised farmers and the state in the production and marketing of cocoa in Ghana in the 1960s; the entrenchment of wheat import dependence and the failed project of wheat import-substitution in Nigeria; and the construction of a union-based labour regime in Nigeria’s textile industry that enhanced the bargaining power of unions even as a worsening macro-economic environment and industrial restructuring impacted adversely on employment and wages. The third deals with his collaborative work on a variety of organised interest groups, including labour movements, scholar activists, the Nigerian student movement, and organised informal sector groups. The last part of the article discusses the costs of Björn’s combative style of scholarship.
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- Björn Beckman’s Cited Works Books Beckman, B. 1976, Organising the Farmers: Cocoa Politics and National Development in Ghana, Uppsala: Scandinavian Institute for African Studies.
- Beckman, B. ed., 2005, Great Nigerian Students: Movement Politics and Radical Nationalism, Kano: Centre for Research and Documentation.
- Beckman, B. and G. Adeoti eds., 2009, Intellectuals and African Development: Pretentions and Resistance in African Politics, London: Zed Books.
- Andrae, G. and Beckman, B. and Andrae, G., 1985a, The Wheat Trap: Bread and Underdevelopment in Nigeria, London: Zed Books.
- Andrae, G. and B. Beckman, 1998, Union Power in the Nigerian Textile Industry: Labour Regime and Adjustment, Uppsala: Nordic Africa Institute.
- Beckman, B., S. Buhlungu, and L. Sachikonye, eds., 2010, Trade Unions and Party Politics: Labour Movements in Africa, South Africa: HRSC Press.
- Beckman, B., E. Hansson, and L. Roman, eds., 1997, Vietnam: Reform and Transformation, Stockholm: Center for Pacific Asia Studies, Stockholm University.
- Beckman, B., E: Hansson, and A. Sjörden, eds., 2001, Civil Society and Authoritarianism in the Third World, Stockholm: Politics of Development Studies Unit (PODSU), Stockholm University.
- Beckman, B., L. Lindström, and M, Wärn, eds, 2007, Globalization, Imperialism, and Resistance, Stockholm: Politics of Development Studies Unit (PODSU), Stockholm University.
- Beckman, B. and L. Sachikonye, eds., 1999, Labour Regimes and Liberalization: The Restructuring of State-Society Relations in Africa, Harare: University of Zimbabwe Publications.
- Beckman, B. and Y.Z. Yau,eds, 2012, Organising for Democracy: Nigerian and Comparative Experiences, Stockholm: Politics of Development Studies Unit (PODSU), Stockholm University.
- Articles, Book Chapters and Monographs Beckman, B., 1980, ‘Imperialism and capitalist transformation: critique of a Kenyan debate’ Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 7, No. 19, pp. 48–62.
- Beckman, B. 1981, ‘Imperialism and the national bourgeoisie’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 8, No. 22, pp. 5–19.
- Beckman, B., 1982, ‘Whose state? State and capitalist development in Nigeria’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 9, No. 23, pp. 37–51.
- Beckman, B., 1983, ‘Marxism and underdevelopment: a critique of Claude Ake’, Paper presented at Marx and Africa: One Hundred Years After. Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. 14–18 March.
- Beckman, B., 1983, ‘Political Science and Political Economy’, in Y. Barongo (ed.), Political Science in Africa: a critical review. London, Zed Books.
- Beckman, B., 1985b, ‘Bakolori: peasant versus state and capital’, Nigerian Journal of Political Science 4:76-104.
- Beckman, B., 1986, ‘The military as revolutionary vanguard: a critique’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 13, No. 37, pp. 50–62.
- Beckman, B., 1987, ‘Neo-colonialism, capitalism and the state in Nigeria’, in H. Bernstein and B. Campbell, eds., Contradictions of Accumulation in Africa, Beverley Hills: Sage.
- Beckman, B., 1988a, ‘The post-colonial state, crisis and reconstruction’, IDS Bulletin, Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 26–34.
- Beckman, B., 1988b, ‘Peasants and Democratic Struggles in Nigeria’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 15, 1988, Issue 41.
- Beckman, B., 1988c, ‘Comments on Göran Hydén’s state and nation under stress,’ in Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Recovery in Africa: A Challenge for Development Cooperation in the 90s, Stockholm: Foreign Ministry, pp. 159–64.
- Beckman, B., 1989, ‘Whose democracy? Popular versus bourgeois democracy’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 16, No. 45/46, pp. 84–97.
- Bangura, Y. and B. Beckman, B. 1991, ‘African workers and structural adjustment: with a Nigerian case study’, in D. Ghai, ed., The IMF and the South: the Social Impact of Crisis and Adjustment, London: Zed Books, pp. 139–65.
- Beckman, B., 1992, ‘The World Bank and structural adjustment: empowerment or repression’, in P. Gibbon, Y. Bangura and A. Ofstad, eds, Authoritarianism, Democracy and Adjustment, Uppsala: Nordic Africa Institute, pp. 83–105.
- Beckman, B., 1993, ‘The liberation of civil society: neo-liberal ideology and political theory’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 20, No. 58, pp. 20–33.
- Beckman, B., 2001, ‘Civil society and alliance politics’, in B. Beckman, E. Hansson and A. Sjögren, eds, Civil Society and Authoritarianism in the Third World, Stockholm: Politics of Development Studies Unit (PODSU), Stockholm University, pp. 49–68.
- G. Andrae and B. Beckman 1996, ‘Bargaining for survival: unionised textile workers in the Nigerian textile industry’, UNRISD Discussion Paper, No. 78, pp. 1–29.
- G. Andrae and B. Beckman 2011, ‘Trade unions, tailors, and civil society’, Labour, Capital and Society, Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 18–42.
- G. Andrae and B. Beckman 2013, ‘Engaging with African informal economies: Lagos traders, trade unions, and organizations in the informal economy’, African Studies Review, ASR Forum, Vol. 56, No. 3, pp. 191–208.
- Beckman, B. and A. Jega 1995, ‘Scholars and democratic politics in Nigeria’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 22, No. 64, pp. 167–81.
- Other cited works Ake, C., 1978, Revolutionary Pressures in Africa, London: Zed Books.
- Ake, C., 1982, Social Science as Imperialism, Ibadan: Ibadan University Press. Ake, C., 1985, Political Economy of Africa, Ibadan and London: Longman.
- Amin, S., 1974, Accumulation on a World Scale: A Critique of the Theory of Underdevelopment, 2 Volumes, New York: Monthly Review Press.
References
Björn Beckman’s Cited Works Books Beckman, B. 1976, Organising the Farmers: Cocoa Politics and National Development in Ghana, Uppsala: Scandinavian Institute for African Studies.
Beckman, B. ed., 2005, Great Nigerian Students: Movement Politics and Radical Nationalism, Kano: Centre for Research and Documentation.
Beckman, B. and G. Adeoti eds., 2009, Intellectuals and African Development: Pretentions and Resistance in African Politics, London: Zed Books.
Andrae, G. and Beckman, B. and Andrae, G., 1985a, The Wheat Trap: Bread and Underdevelopment in Nigeria, London: Zed Books.
Andrae, G. and B. Beckman, 1998, Union Power in the Nigerian Textile Industry: Labour Regime and Adjustment, Uppsala: Nordic Africa Institute.
Beckman, B., S. Buhlungu, and L. Sachikonye, eds., 2010, Trade Unions and Party Politics: Labour Movements in Africa, South Africa: HRSC Press.
Beckman, B., E. Hansson, and L. Roman, eds., 1997, Vietnam: Reform and Transformation, Stockholm: Center for Pacific Asia Studies, Stockholm University.
Beckman, B., E: Hansson, and A. Sjörden, eds., 2001, Civil Society and Authoritarianism in the Third World, Stockholm: Politics of Development Studies Unit (PODSU), Stockholm University.
Beckman, B., L. Lindström, and M, Wärn, eds, 2007, Globalization, Imperialism, and Resistance, Stockholm: Politics of Development Studies Unit (PODSU), Stockholm University.
Beckman, B. and L. Sachikonye, eds., 1999, Labour Regimes and Liberalization: The Restructuring of State-Society Relations in Africa, Harare: University of Zimbabwe Publications.
Beckman, B. and Y.Z. Yau,eds, 2012, Organising for Democracy: Nigerian and Comparative Experiences, Stockholm: Politics of Development Studies Unit (PODSU), Stockholm University.
Articles, Book Chapters and Monographs Beckman, B., 1980, ‘Imperialism and capitalist transformation: critique of a Kenyan debate’ Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 7, No. 19, pp. 48–62.
Beckman, B. 1981, ‘Imperialism and the national bourgeoisie’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 8, No. 22, pp. 5–19.
Beckman, B., 1982, ‘Whose state? State and capitalist development in Nigeria’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 9, No. 23, pp. 37–51.
Beckman, B., 1983, ‘Marxism and underdevelopment: a critique of Claude Ake’, Paper presented at Marx and Africa: One Hundred Years After. Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. 14–18 March.
Beckman, B., 1983, ‘Political Science and Political Economy’, in Y. Barongo (ed.), Political Science in Africa: a critical review. London, Zed Books.
Beckman, B., 1985b, ‘Bakolori: peasant versus state and capital’, Nigerian Journal of Political Science 4:76-104.
Beckman, B., 1986, ‘The military as revolutionary vanguard: a critique’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 13, No. 37, pp. 50–62.
Beckman, B., 1987, ‘Neo-colonialism, capitalism and the state in Nigeria’, in H. Bernstein and B. Campbell, eds., Contradictions of Accumulation in Africa, Beverley Hills: Sage.
Beckman, B., 1988a, ‘The post-colonial state, crisis and reconstruction’, IDS Bulletin, Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 26–34.
Beckman, B., 1988b, ‘Peasants and Democratic Struggles in Nigeria’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 15, 1988, Issue 41.
Beckman, B., 1988c, ‘Comments on Göran Hydén’s state and nation under stress,’ in Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Recovery in Africa: A Challenge for Development Cooperation in the 90s, Stockholm: Foreign Ministry, pp. 159–64.
Beckman, B., 1989, ‘Whose democracy? Popular versus bourgeois democracy’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 16, No. 45/46, pp. 84–97.
Bangura, Y. and B. Beckman, B. 1991, ‘African workers and structural adjustment: with a Nigerian case study’, in D. Ghai, ed., The IMF and the South: the Social Impact of Crisis and Adjustment, London: Zed Books, pp. 139–65.
Beckman, B., 1992, ‘The World Bank and structural adjustment: empowerment or repression’, in P. Gibbon, Y. Bangura and A. Ofstad, eds, Authoritarianism, Democracy and Adjustment, Uppsala: Nordic Africa Institute, pp. 83–105.
Beckman, B., 1993, ‘The liberation of civil society: neo-liberal ideology and political theory’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 20, No. 58, pp. 20–33.
Beckman, B., 2001, ‘Civil society and alliance politics’, in B. Beckman, E. Hansson and A. Sjögren, eds, Civil Society and Authoritarianism in the Third World, Stockholm: Politics of Development Studies Unit (PODSU), Stockholm University, pp. 49–68.
G. Andrae and B. Beckman 1996, ‘Bargaining for survival: unionised textile workers in the Nigerian textile industry’, UNRISD Discussion Paper, No. 78, pp. 1–29.
G. Andrae and B. Beckman 2011, ‘Trade unions, tailors, and civil society’, Labour, Capital and Society, Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 18–42.
G. Andrae and B. Beckman 2013, ‘Engaging with African informal economies: Lagos traders, trade unions, and organizations in the informal economy’, African Studies Review, ASR Forum, Vol. 56, No. 3, pp. 191–208.
Beckman, B. and A. Jega 1995, ‘Scholars and democratic politics in Nigeria’, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 22, No. 64, pp. 167–81.
Other cited works Ake, C., 1978, Revolutionary Pressures in Africa, London: Zed Books.
Ake, C., 1982, Social Science as Imperialism, Ibadan: Ibadan University Press. Ake, C., 1985, Political Economy of Africa, Ibadan and London: Longman.
Amin, S., 1974, Accumulation on a World Scale: A Critique of the Theory of Underdevelopment, 2 Volumes, New York: Monthly Review Press.