African Economic Development and Colonial Legacies

Austin, Gareth

doi:10.4000/poldev.78

Cited by 60 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…The comparative legacy of different colonial regimes is controversial. In the case of Africa, many scholars underrate differences between colonizers, either because they emphasize pre-colonial to post-colonial continuities (Herbst, 2000), or because they rightly see more similarities than differences within colonial rule (Austin, 2010). The difference in educational performance between former British and former French colonies is often noticed.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Mobility in Five African Countries

Bossuroy¹,

Cogneau

2013

Review of Income and Wealth

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This paper conceptualizes intergenerational occupational mobility between the farm and non-farm sectors in five African countries, measures it using nationally representative household survey data, and analyzes its determinants through a comparative method based on pooled logit regressions. We first analyze intergenerational gross mobility. Until the end of the 1980s, intergenerational flows toward the non-farm sector are high in Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea, flows toward the farm sector are more often observed in Ghana and Uganda, and Madagascar displays less mobility in either direction. The pace of change in occupational structures and the magnitude of labor income dualism between the farm and non-farm sectors appear to explain those differences. We then net out structural change across generations and establish the first measurement of intergenerational net mobility in those five African countries. Ghana and Uganda stand out as relatively more fluid societies. Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea come next while Madagascar shows a particularly high reproduction of occupations. Educational mobility accounts for the Madagascar exception to a large extent, but not for the differences between the other countries. Spatial dualism of employment, i.e. the geographic segregation of farm and non-farm jobs, accounts for most of those remaining differences. We argue that the main determinants of intergenerational mobility, namely income and employment dualisms, likely reflect a historical legacy of different colonial administrations

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Mobility in Five African Countries

Bossuroy¹,

Cogneau

2013

Review of Income and Wealth

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“…During the colonial era, this land was in turn placed at the disposal of European investors for settlement or plantation development purposes. Conversely, Africans were coaxed or compelled to sell their labor to European farmers, planters or mine-owners (Austin, 2010).…”

Section: Similaritiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Amin, 1976;Austin, 2010;Chazan, Motimer, Ravenhill, & Rotchild, 1992;Ihonvbere, 1994;Mamdani, 1996;Rodney, 1982). The question that remains to be adequately addressed has to do with the specific ways in which the colonial politico-administrative models have affected policy making in different domains.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Colonial legacies, land policies and the millennium development goals: Lessons from Cameroon and Sierra Leone

Njoh

Akiwumi

2012

Habitat International

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“…From a global perspective, the authors argue that there is a perception that Africa is a sick continent, characterized by conflict, violence, and corruption, thus such issues warrant foreign intervention to help the continent solve its own issues. Austin () also alludes that undoubtedly, the colonial legacy significantly ensured the exploitation of Africa economically and politically and when colonialism finally ended, what Africans had hoped would be an era of a free and independent Africa, has in turn, turned into a squabble for power and control and the struggle for resources; all these factors eventually contributing to the slow disintegration of Africa and it values. The Organization of African Unity failed to project Africa in the international system; furthermore, it failed to champion Africa's political discourse and internal power squabbles and fight for control within the organization contributed to its failure, and eventually, this gave birth to the AU.…”

Section: Literature Understandingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ndlovu‐Gatsheni () argues that Africa's problems are neither originated nor sustained by African sources; hence, solutions to Africa's problems would require the decommissioning of colonial structures and legacies that to a great extent still underpin Africa's problems; therefore, solving Africa's problems requires an African‐centered approach, which needs to be led by African states themselves. Austin () also argues that the colonial legacy has made it difficult for African states to break free from this entanglement, and to some extent, this has contributed to the issues that Africa is confronted with today; furthermore, Idike and Agu () comment that when the AU was born, Africa's conflict patterns had already started to see a shift from interstate to intrastate conflicts. This was fueled by the emergence of new factors fueling conflicts in Africa, such as religion, power struggle, the fight to control Africa's resources, and the proliferation of small arms.…”

Section: Politics Sercuity and The African Unionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conflict and violence in Africa in the 21st century: Where is the African Union? A case of Libya, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Central African Republic

Mlambo

Dlamini

2019

Journal of Public Affairs

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The inability of the African Union (AU) to deal with increasing outbreaks of violence and conflict has cast a lot of doubt regarding the organization's ability to lead Africa in a 21st century characterized by massive geopolitical dynamics. To answer the critical question of whether the AU is still relevant today, the study employed a strict textual analysis of the relevant literature on the role of the AU in conflict prevention, eradication, and by extension its contribution towards peacebuilding. The study found that the AU has failed to eradicate conflicts in Africa single‐handedly; rather, the UN and together with foreign states have intervened to help quell the violence in Libya, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic and beyond. The failure of the AU has increased global and continental perceptions that the AU is useless and cannot solve Africa's problems today. Therefore, this gives or permits an increase to foreign intervention in the internal affairs of African states. The study concluded that reforms and reaffirming commitment from member states are important elements needed to ensure that the AU can become effective and contribute effectively towards solving Africa's complex problems in a somewhat complex and unpredictable international system.

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African Economic Development and Colonial Legacies

Cited by 60 publications

References 60 publications

Social Mobility in Five African Countries

Social Mobility in Five African Countries

Colonial legacies, land policies and the millennium development goals: Lessons from Cameroon and Sierra Leone

Conflict and violence in Africa in the 21st century: Where is the African Union? A case of Libya, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Central African Republic

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