Authoritarian Africa Repression, Resistance, and the Power of Ideas

For more than seventy years, authoritarian rule was the dominant form of government in sub-Saharan Africa. Three-quarters of African states have experienced some form of one-party or military rule since 1945. Accessible and engaging, Authoritarian Africa: Repression, Resistance, and the Power of Ideas is the first book to examine this subject from a historical perspective. Exploring the history and legacy of authoritarianism in Africa--from the colonial era until the onset of democracy in the early 1990s--it introduces students to the variety of authoritarian regimes that have existed on the continent, including one-party states, military rule, and personal dictatorships.

This unique text also provides essential new insights, revising the traditional "story" of African authoritarianism by drawing on primary source materials (from songs to statistics) to provide a fresh, original perspective. Looking at what sustained authoritarian rule in Africa over more than a century, the authors consider the phenomenon on its own terms--not simply as a way station on the road to democracy--and in the context of the continent's social, political, intellectual, and economic history.

Nic Cheeseman is Professor of Democracy and International Development. Jonathan Fisher is Reader in African Politics. Both are based in the International Development Department at the University of Birmingham.

List of maps, tables, and figures
Acknowledgements
About the Authors
Series Introduction

Introduction: Authoritarian Africa

1. The defeat of democracy: Big man rule, the colonial legacy, and fragile authoritarianism

2. Between tradition and modernity: Identity, ideas, and the building of the authoritarian African state, 1965-1975

3 . It's the economy, stupid! The economic foundations of authoritarian rule, 1975-1985

4. The tail wagging the dog? The international community and African authoritarianism, 1975-2000

5. Authoritarian rule 2.0: Multi-party Africa and the struggle for democracy, 1995-2010

Conclusion. Everyday life, resistance, and the future of African authoritarianism

Key terms and concepts
Index