political transformation part 2 ht 2011

8/3/2019 Political Transformation Part 2 Ht 2011

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C O L O N I A L I S M A N D T H E S TAT E

Political Transformation Part II


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Political

TransformationPart II

The lecture

The pre-colonialstate

The colonial stateThe post-colonialstate

State power, state weakness anddemocracy

Political Transformation Part 2 The pre-colonial state The colonial state

The post-colonial state State power, state weakness anddemocracy


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Political


The lecture




Reading: Political Transformation part 1 Allen & Thomas Chapter 17,

Potter et al. Chapter 7 Suggested readings:

Carothers, T. (2002). "The End of theTransition Paradigm." Journal of Democracy 13(1): 5-21.

Bratton, M. a. R. M. (2001). "Support forDemocracy in Africa: Intrinsic orInstrumental?" British Journal of Political Science 31 (3): 447-474.

Greene, K. F. (2008). "Dominant Party

Strategy and Democratization." American Journal of Political Science 52(1): 16-32.


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Reading:

Political Transformation part 2 Allen & Thomas Chapter 12, 21, 23 Potter et al. Chapter 2, Suggested readings:

Herbst, J. (2000). States and Power in

Africa -Comparative Lessons in Authority and Control. Princeton,Princeton University Press.

Thies Cameron, G. (2006). "Public Violence and State Building in Central America." Comparative Political Studies

39(10): 1263-1282.


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Political


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Where there states in Africa

before colonialism?


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Political


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The State Max Weber Territoriality

Monopoly of the means of physical violence Legitimacy

Pluralist traditions Robert Dahl

The state as an arena for competition Marxist traditions

(traditional) The state as tool of the bourgeoisie Post Marxists: Emphasize the interplay between civil society and the state


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Jeffrey Herbst, States and Power

in Africa Territory: Territory vs. roads How do we define territory?

Monopoly on violence: Questionable How would we defineit?

Legitimacy Internal

External


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The Pre-Colonial State

Problems with weilding power because of:Geography Under-population Abundance of resources

Control in a spiberweb structure ratherthan territory

Impossibility of taxation:

Lack of control

No clear demarcated territory Free movement


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Examples

Great Zimbabwe (1100 to 1450 AD)Buganda (14th century -)Swahili (1000 colonialism)


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Pre-colonial rule in other parts of

the world: Asia: Much more defined territories, moresimilar to Europe

Central Asia an exception

Latin America: More similar to Africa than Asia Andes and Mesoamerica


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Europe: War as a means of gaining control Taxation because of wars Lack of resources and land Over populated

Africa Few wars No Taxation (or very limited) Plenty of Resources Under populated


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PoliticalTransformationPart II

The lecture




The colonial state

Experiences many of the sameproblems as former rulers Weilding power Defining territory Extracting resources/taxes

European presence Northern Nigeria 1906 - Ratio: 1 Britishcivil officer to 40 000 Africans

1939 Congo 1 Belgian to 4000 Africans Difference between settler colonies andadministrative colonies.


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The lecture




Strategies for control

Consolidating or creating ethnicidentities Traditional or customary authority Creating conflict/scramble forresources between different groups

Creating systems for rule by local elites


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Ethnic identities as a means of control

KenyaBefore colonialism:Ethnic identities not clearly defined,although there are language groupsetc.

Colonialism:Formalisation of tribal structures identification with tribe neccesary foridentity cards, formalised labour etc.

The Mau Mau Rebellion


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The lecture




Strategies for control

Consolidating or creating ethnicidentities Traditional or customary authority Creating conflict/scramble forresources between different groups

Creating systems for rule by local elites Control of the international arena

Trade Foreign policy Affected resources and distribution


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The lecture




Strategies for control II

Bureaucratic elitism andauthoritarianism Large scale organisations Incentives for colonial civil servants No participation by population

Force Congo (King Leopolds Ghost) The Mau-Mau Indian Police Technological Advantages


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The lecture




Strategies for control III Statism As theory of the state

Complete or partial control of theeconomy

Example: Congo and Rubber

Ideology and Religion The importance of Christianisty The Civilising mission Paternalism


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Levels of Control


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The lecture




Legacies of Colonialism Ethnic dimension and ethnicconflict

Kenya Rwanda

Statism State control of economy Patron-Clientalism(neopatrimonialsim)

Privatisation/Elites


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The lecture




Legacies of Colonialism II Low levels of control Territory

Taxes Political goods

International Trade & Politics Prices Power on the international arena


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The lecture




Strong and Weak states? (Herbst) Political Goods

Monopoly on violence Currency Taxation Legal system Civil service and public sector Institutions

These were not well developed inpre-colonial, colonial, or post-colonial states

Resources Geography etc.


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Strong, weak or failed? Strong states The West and a few

Weak states Kyrgyzstan Many African states

Failed Somalia


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What does this mean fordemocracy?

Persistence of neopatrimonialism Ethnic politics What does it mean to rule whennot in control?


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The lecture




Thank you!

political transformation part 2 ht 2011

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