Coups, Rivals, and the Modern State: Why Rural Coalitions Matter in Sub-Saharan Africa - Hardcover

Beth S. Rabinowitz

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 110842046X ISBN 13: 9781108420464

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2018

Synopsis

State development in Africa is risky, even life-threatening. Heads of state must weigh the advantage of promoting political and economic development against the risk of fortifying dangerous political rivals. This book takes a novel approach to the study of neopatrimonial rule by placing security concerns at the center of state-building. Using quantitative evidence from 44 African countries and in-depth case studies of Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, Rabinowitz demonstrates that the insecurities of the African state make strategically aligning with rural leaders critical to political success. Leaders who cultivate the goodwill of the countryside are better able to endure sporadic urban unrest, subdue political challengers, minimize ethnic and regional discord, and prevent a military uprising. Such regimes are more likely to build infrastructure needed for economic and political development. In so doing, Rabinowitz upends the long-held assumption that African leaders must cater to urban constituents to secure their rule.

About this title

About the Author

Beth S. Rabinowitz is Assistant Professor at Rutgers State University of New Jersey. Her research focuses on regime strategies and political stability in sub-Saharan Africa.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 110842046X
• ISBN 13: 9781108420464
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 320