Why Does Democracy Have to Do with It? van de Walle on Democracy and Economic Growth in Africa

Abstract

This article reviews Nicholas van de Walle's discussion of the relationship between democracy and economic development in Africa. It puts forward three main arguments. First, it discusses how the relationship between democracy and economic development is affected by patrimonialism. Against van de Walle, Eriksen argues that patrimonialism is a system fundamentally based on redistribution, and that there is no prima facie reason to assume that the introduction of democracy will change the amount of distributional pressures. Second, it discusses the role of foreign donors. Eriksen accepts van de Walle's point that donors have not directed more aid to democracies than to non-democracies, but argues that while this is true, it is less significant for democracy than donors' concern with structural adjustment programmes. Finally, some key features of ‘the developmental state’, or the kind of state required to promote economic development, are identified.