Wantchekon, Leonard and García-Ponce, Omar (2013) Critical junctures : independence movements and democracy in Africa. Working Paper. Coventry, UK: Department of Economics, University of Warwick. CAGE Online Working Paper Series, Volume 2013 (Number 173).

Preview

Text (Working paper) WRAP_173-2013_wantchekon.pdf - Published Version Download (1119Kb) | Preview

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

We show that current levels of democracy in Africa are linked to the nature of its independence
movements. Using different measures of political regimes and historical data
on anti-colonial movements, we find that countries that experienced rural insurgencies
tend to have autocratic regimes, while those that faced urban protests tend to have more
democratic institutions. We provide evidence for causality in this relationship by using
rough terrain as an instrument for rural insurgency, and by performing a sensitivity analysis.
Finally, the evidence suggests that the adoption of rural insurgency perpetuated the
use of violence as a form of conflict resolution.

Item Type:	Working or Discussion Paper (Working Paper)
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > DT Africa J Political Science > JA Political science (General) J Political Science > JQ Political institutions (Asia, Africa, Australia, Pacific Area, etc.)
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Democracy -- Africa, Anti-imperialist movements -- Africa, Democratization -- Africa
Series Name:	CAGE Online Working Paper Series
Publisher:	Department of Economics, University of Warwick
Place of Publication:	Coventry, UK
Official Date:	October 2013
Volume:	Volume 2013
Number:	Number 173
Number of Pages:	54
Status:	Not Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads