Essay Example on African Political Economy

Scholars continue to research the facets of democracy in several regions across the globe. The findings indicate a degeneration in the quality of democracy in most nations, a phenomenon referred to as authoritarian backsliding or totalitarianism. Scholars assert that the deterioration in the quality of democracy has ensued in countries that were far from the epitome category of liberal democracy (Afoaku, 2005). Studies highlight that these activities happen in hybrid systems, where restricted freedoms and the prescribed processes of modest elections involve linking it with establishments or manners that generate an unfair playing ground that intensely disadvantages the opposition. Contemporary studies have dedicated much of the effort in the types of nondemocratic governments, assessing the unstable policy frameworks and institutional establishments, and the conduct of various stakeholders in these governments.

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Most people would want to discover what drives these regimes to create an environment of vulnerability to democratization. Scholars suggest that flawed elections in some hybrid governments have provided a stable balance and enabled liberalization; elective competition has resulted in a decline in democratic quality in most nations over time (Dresden & Howard, 2016). Incumbents have enhanced their dominance in the political arena and oppressed the opposition, media freedoms, and political process. The purpose of this paper, therefore, involves an examination of the African political economy. Besides, the paper assesses the popular demand for multiparty democracy in a significant number of African countries that have met with obstacles due to "authoritarian backlash." It also provides a detailed discussion of the meaning of "authoritarian backlash", and reasons for the failure of democratization in Africa in the post-Cold War era.

Meaning of "Authoritarian Backlash"

"Authoritarian backlash" refers to a decline in the competitiveness of the standard playing ground due to enhanced focus on supremacy in the hands of the incumbent executive, compared to other players. Research has mainly focused on the diversity in the degree of repression across governments. Little emphasis on the difference in the degree of competition over time within countries makes the analysis incomplete. Most studies put weight on aspects of liberalization and the development of hybrid regimes. Authoritarian backlash or backsliding, therefore, involves the entire reactionary practice (Dresden & Howard, 2016). Hybrid regimes always occur due to government decisions by incumbents facing challenges, in which the incumbent's devices means to concentrate their power and safeguard their governments.

Authoritarian backsliding encompasses the growth of formal or informal authority, such as increasing the term limits of the incumbent, allowing discretion over varied fields of the national budget, and increasing confines on established institutions or stakeholders having the ability to defy the administration (Afoaku, 2005). Besides, it involves suppression of the opposition parties, repression of media freedom, or meddling in the affairs of civil society groups. Furthermore, backsliding results in more rigging of the already unfair elections, the democratic space becomes more biased, violations of civilian autonomy become severer, and all the restraints that existed to monitor and regulate the administration become less operational. Experts suggest that authoritarian backlash signifies an evolution in a nation's typical political influence or the official establishments controlling admittance to, and the utilization of, power (Dresden & Howard, 2016). The execution of violence and coercion depends on each hybrid regime.

Most incumbents participate in amplified media coercion and political manipulation in the period leading up to an election. Backlash involves the entire political process such as the political playing arena, the underlying political structure, and government actions that influence the outcome of an election. The electoral procedures and practices are essential in determining how incumbents concentrate power. However, such methods may exist as derivatives of other aspects, for example, when a regime neutralizes civil society, then the ability to protest challenging rigged elections dramatically reduces (Afoaku, 2005). Besides, regimes can amass control over state media channels and possible sources of campaign finances without the knowledge of citizens, to evade direct manipulation of the outcomes of the electoral process.

Popular Demand for Multiparty Democracy in Africa

The demand for competitive, multiparty democracy in Africa began during the 1990s and received support within the continent and across the globe. Most Africans currently enjoy the right to vote and unprecedented individual and political freedoms (Dresden & Howard, 2016). However, challenges still exist concerning accountable governance, fair and free elections, and equal representation in the executive. Africans much support electoral politics, particularly direct means of electing leaders. However, they especially complain that elections have not adequately fortified political accountability. Civilians do not feel that they have control over the leaders they elected. Such feelings and reactions to the product of the electoral process have begun to revolutionize Africans from being "subjects" of past authoritarian regimes into active "voters" under the current political privileges.

Scholars suggest that African citizens lack a full grasp of their political rights to demand accountability from the elected leaders regularly (Dresden & Howard, 2016). Authoritarian systems receive criticisms and challenges from individuals and democratic movements seeking more democratic forms of governance. Africans across the continent persistently petition their leaders to adhere to widespread demands for political pluralism to replace one-party systems. Besides, most people and entities continue to advocate for open and democratic governance, informed by popular participation, competitive electoral process, and free flow of information. The dwindling economic opulence has engendered the populace to criticize their governments. Most Africans demand the delivery of election promises of economic growth and prosperity and structural amendment policies funded by international organizations (Dresden & Howard, 2016).

Benefits of African Democracies to the US and the Global Community

External aid donors and creditors insist on good governance, which has offered an occasion for African democrats to advocate for transparency and accountability in their countries. World democrats also continue to put pressure on governments by promoting and protecting individual human rights through protests and lawsuits. Previously, Western countries recognized authoritarian regimes in Africa; however, they currently prefer democratic countries that respect human rights (Bogaards & Elischer (Eds.), 2016).

The benefits of African democracies to the US and the global community involve the promotion of liberty, the prevention of famines, and fostering of economic growth. Besides, democratic nations improve global security and provide economic opportunities to the worldwide community. Furthermore, challenges posed by immigrants reduce as more countries embrace democracy due to enhanced governance, stability, and financial enhancement. Enhanced trade can only take place profitably between stable, democratic, uncorrupt, and democratic nations.

Reasons for the Failure of Democratization in Africa in the Post-Cold War Era.

Most incumbent presidents in Africa refuse to relinquish power after being defeated in general elections. The contested elections, which the oppositions always claim are rigged and flawed, always result in bloodshed. Long dynastic regimes, such as in Gabon, Togo, Senegal, Cameroon, Egypt, and Libya, have also aided in the failure of democracy in Africa (Bogaards & Elischer (Eds.), 2016). The action of the UN in Namibia and Mozambique elections immediately after the Cold War build an impression that liberal democracy contained the future prosperity of the continent. The ineffective nature of international observers in the electoral process across the continent has also hindered honest, free, and fair elections that the competing parties can honor.

Conclusion

After the Cold War, multiparty elections became a common phenomenon across the globe. However, people realized that elections do not automatically result in fully democratic governments. Hybrid regimes that encompassed both democratic and autocratic aspects emerged on the African continent. Most incumbents in African countries devise dubious means of winning elections. The electoral conditions only favor the ruling party and not the opposition. Scholars argue that in a competitive authoritarian regime, the incumbent violates at least one of the aspects of democratic administrations. External and internal pressures can enhance the democratic space of a nation and help in developing their economies.

References

Afoaku, O. G. (2005). Explaining the failure of democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Autocracy and dissent in an ambivalent world (Vol. 76). Edwin Mellen Press. https://mellenpress.com/contact-editors/

Bogaards, M., & Elischer, S. (Eds.). (2016). Democratization and Competitive Authoritarianism in Africa. Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-658-09216-0.pdf

Dresden, J. R., & Howard, M. M. (2016). Authoritarian backsliding and the concentration of political power. Democratization, 23(7), 1122-1143. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13510347.2015.1045884