Southampton University

What are the main impediments to democracy in Africa

by

Lucia Schuster

Democracy in Africa has been shaped by the colonial powers that ran Africa until the period of decolonisation that began in the 1960′s. Thereafter Africa has attempted to follow the European model of democratic governance. However, whilst African democracy has shown some improvement, it is still having legitimacy problems and African states are characterised by corruption and autocracy.

This report will highlight the impediments to the furthering of democracy in Africa and what can be done to increase the role of democracy in African States. There will be a focus on the role played by colonialism and the ethnic divides that exist in Africa. We will then examine how corruption and the economic problems of African States are restraining democratic legitimacy and the effect these problems have on human rights. Lastly, we will concentrate on the role that other state and non-state actors have on democracy in Africa.

However, before looking at these aspects of the debate, it is important to understand democracy and its basis. Democracy is not a single approach but rather a commitment to certain institutions such as the rule of law, civil society and political accountability through free and fair elections by an electorate based on universal suffrage. It also includes (to a varying degree) freedom of speech, the development of a civic culture and the acceptance of a social contract.

For democracy to emerge there must first be liberalisation of the state, for example, the release of political prisoners, followed by a transitional period that sets the groundwork for a democratic constitution. Finally, there is a consolidation period that is characterised by regular elections and the development of civic culture and society.

1. Ethnic fragmentation 

At the Berlin Conference, European powers carved up the map of Africa without regard for the integrity of existing cultural groups and state systems. As a consequence, some large ethnic groups were split up, while others with little in common or a history of warfare and enmity, were forced to be part of a single new state. With it, the colonial powers also created a class system based on race, laying a foundation for even more social tensions. These ethnic divisions can be a huge challenge to political stability because the clash of diverse cultural traditions foster political tensions between groups in Africa, threatening the democratic system. Problems created by such fragmented societies may even result in civil wars like in Somalia, creating social and political chaos and making democratic governance impossible. Ethnicity was furthermore the major characteristic by which the various emerging parties could differentiate themselves, after the discrediting of socialism left no chance of ideological contrast. Competitive political parties and open elections mobilised ethnic, religious and racial solidarities intensifying disintegrative pressures on fragile states. Quite often ethnic groups hold power at the expense of other ethnic tribes, neglecting the democratic principle of participation. This has led to dramatic cases of increased ethnic hatred directly linked to multiparty elections. Burundi is a telling example. The country has a history of open ethnic conflict and had been dominated since independence by the Tutsi minority. Multiparty democratic elections inevitably handed power to a Hutu party. Tutsi officers who controlled the army did not accept the defeat. They staged a military coup that led to the massacre of the elected President, many cabinet officers and thousands of civilians, leaving the country on the verge of genocidal conflict. However, in some countries, greater decentralisation or a fairer distribution of power helped in dealing with ethnic rivalries. As a matter of fact, it would be a mistake to conclude that the mere presence of deep ethnic divisions doomed Africa to democratic failure.

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