Structural Adjustment, Democratization and Rising Ethnic Tensions in Africa

Abstract

Structural adjustment, democratization and rising ethnic tensions characterize the current situation in much of Africa today. This article examines how these tendencies interact causally. It begins by describing Africa's growing debt (combined with defence) burden, the nature of the structural adjustment programme (SAP), particularly its pressures and contradictions, and the increasingly authoritarian responses generated by these. After illustrating the linkage between SAP and rising ethnic tensions, it is suggested that the issue of the distribution of power, wealth and ethnicity, especially under conditions of increasing scarcity, needs to be reconsidered. There are a number of reasons why ethnic and regional tensions are exacerbated by debts, economic crisis and adjustment in Africa; a core argument of this article is that the current ethnic tensions, like the ongoing democratic struggles, are arising as part of the general resistance against both SAP, because of its pauperizing impact, and against the state, which is seen as increasingly coercive and as negligent of its basic welfare responsibilities towards its citizens. The article ends by considering the implications of the coincidence of these two foci of resistance not only for the democratization project, but also for the survival of the state in Africa.

Civil Society Efficacy, Citizenship and Empowerment in Africa

“…Ethnic and other division in society deepened leading to the outbreaks of intergroup violence and civil wars in some states and pressures for political liberalisation and democratisation in others. Civil society organisations proliferated and many dictators were forced to conduct multiparty elections (Osaghae 2007;Carmody 1998;Adekanye 1995;Gibbon et al 1992). Some successfully retained power as elected civilian heads of state while others were removed from office through the ballot box.…”

1 - Oil and Security in Nigeria: The Niger Delta Crisis

“…It has been shown (Soremekun and Obi 1993;Adekanye 1995;Saro-Wiwa 1995;Obi 1997Obi , 1999b) that the wholesale implementation by the government of the IMF-imposed Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) was partly to blame for the exponential increase in those conflicts. As part of the conditionalities presented to the government by the IMF, the deregulation of the oil industry meant a withdrawal of state participation in the industry in favour of increased oil company participation.…”

Edição Completa

“…Accordingly, Africa's conflicts are now increasingly referred to as "resource conflicts." Other observers attribute the causes to political and governancerelated factors such as neopatrimonialism, corruption, poor leadership, disrespect for human rights and democracy (Guest 2004), while others trace the causes to economic adversities and poverty (Adekanye 1995;Brown 1995). Other analysts, too, link it to the partisan posture of the state and its tendency to marginalise certain communities, which leads to irredentism and secessionist sentiments (Adam 1995;Adejumobi 2001;Akokpari 2008) while yet others view African conflicts as reflecting contestation over farming and grazing lands and other diminishing environmental resources.…”