This paper presents a brief overview of experiences of multipartyism and constitutional democracy in Africa. It also examines how multipartyism and constitutional rule has failed to address the post-independence governance crisis in Africa. The main position advanced by this paper is that, while constitutional governance and multipartyism have been widely but reluctantly accepted by many African leaders, they have failed to build and allow democratic institutions to work in Africa.
Since independence, African countries have been confronted with myriads of costly political, economic and security crises, with many deleterious effects on the region’s progress. At independence, most if not all African leaders committed themselves to the path of democracy and good governance but would soon shy away from it. The constitutions of most of the emerging states were therefore, sooner than later, subjected to numerous amendments carried out in a manner that undermined the essence of constitutional rule and principles of multiparty democratic governance. What would follow is emergence of both civilian and military authoritarian regimes and concomitant governance, development and human rights crises (Ibid).
However, demise of the Cold War and concomitant collapse of the Communist Block in 1989 would return the euphoria for democracy and departure from authoritarianism (both military and civilian) by many African countries. The early 1990s saw an adoption or a return of multiparty democracy in several African countries and promulgation of new constitutions to help consolidate the new systems of government. The so-called third wave of democratization brought to bear, great pressure on African authoritarian leaders (mostly military regimes) to adopt freer multiparty democratic political systems - an era Lucian Pye (1990), referred to as “the global crisis of authoritarianism”. The continent witnessed, more than ever, agitation for comprehensive constitutional reforms and good governance during this era.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. MEANING OF DEMOCRACY
3. MEANING OF CONSTITUTION AND CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
4. EXPERIENCES OF MULTIPARTY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: AN OVERVIEW
5. CONCLUSION
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper examines the history and current state of multiparty democracy and constitutionalism in Africa, focusing on why these systems have struggled to effectively address post-independence governance crises despite being widely adopted.
- The evolution of democratic governance and constitutionalism in post-independence Africa.
- Theoretical definitions of democracy and constitutional government within the African context.
- The impact of Cold War dynamics and authoritarian regimes on political development.
- Analysis of institutional weaknesses, neo-patrimonialism, and clientelism in contemporary African states.
Excerpt from the Book
4. EXPERIENCES OF MULTIPARTY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: AN OVERVIEW
At independence, majority of African countries were ostensibly committed to liberal democracy, with regimes coming to power by means of competitive multiparty elections. In countries such as Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania, nationalist movements institutionalised themselves into political parties, and assumed commanding positions in their respective national politics following departure of the colonial regime. However, these multiparty democratic experiences in post-independent Africa was short-lived. Within few years of independence, the trend would shift in favour of authoritarianism, with elimination of political competition and creation of one-party states either by constitutional fiat or military takeover. Mostly, elected governments were responsible for eliminating democracy through what Larry Diamond (1988) calls executive coups (Diamond, 2008).
For example, in Ghana, a highly centralised presidential system was legitimised by a national referendum in 1960, which endorsed the repressive one-party state headed by Kwame Nkrumah. Again, Milton Obote of Uganda succeeded in transitioning to authoritarian rule by changing the constitution and crushing the political opposition through the use of force. The literature shows that, three main mechanisms were used to disarm the opposition in order to secure co-operation from ethnic and regional interest groups: co-optation and consultation; patronage by exchanging state resources for political support; and agreement to perform or desist from performing particular activities such as organising public rallies against the regime. Autocratic rulers tended to resort to coercive methods to enforce compliance, while in the more open oligarchies, a combination of these measures was employed (Healey & Robinson, 1994; Diamond, 2008 Fombad, 2011).
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Provides an overview of Africa's political trajectory since independence, highlighting the transition from early democratic commitments to authoritarianism and the later resurgence of multiparty democracy in the 1990s.
2. MEANING OF DEMOCRACY: Explores theoretical frameworks of democracy, emphasizing accountability, citizenry participation, and the institutional conditions required for democratic stability.
3. MEANING OF CONSTITUTION AND CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT: Defines constitutionalism and the core features of a constitution, while noting the discrepancy between having a formal constitution and actually practicing constitutional government.
4. EXPERIENCES OF MULTIPARTY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: AN OVERVIEW: Discusses the historical failure of democratic experiments in Africa, detailing how authoritarianism and patronage networks undermined institutional integrity.
5. CONCLUSION: Argues that genuine good governance in Africa requires comprehensive constitutional reform that limits executive power and fosters true separation of powers.
Keywords
Africa, Democracy, Multipartyism, Constitutionalism, Governance, Authoritarianism, Human Rights, Rule of Law, Neo-patrimonialism, Clientelism, Political Stability, Accountability, Institutional Weakness, Civil Society, Public Policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper provides an overview of the experiences with multiparty democracy and constitutionalism in Africa since independence, specifically analyzing why these systems have often failed to produce the expected democratic stability.
What are the central themes discussed in the text?
Key themes include the impact of authoritarian rule, the role of post-1990 constitutional reforms, the prevalence of clientelism, and the challenges of establishing functional democratic institutions.
What is the central research question?
The work investigates why, despite the widespread acceptance of multipartyism and constitutional governance, African nations have largely failed to build effective democratic institutions and overcome governance crises.
Which scientific methods or approaches are used?
The author uses a literature-based analytical approach, synthesizing political science theories and comparative analysis of governance indicators to assess the democratic performance of African states.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers definitions of democratic and constitutional norms, historical shifts toward authoritarianism in the 1960s, the role of Cold War politics, and the persistent institutional failures in the 21st century.
Which keywords best describe this research?
The work is characterized by terms such as multiparty democracy, constitutionalism, African governance, political clientelism, and democratic consolidation.
How does the author define the "neo-patrimonial" nature of African states?
The author describes these states as combining the formal structures of a modern bureaucracy with the informal reality of personalized, unaccountable power where patron-client ties take precedence over the rule of law.
What role does the OAU play in the author's argument regarding historical governance?
The author argues that the OAU was primarily a tool for regime protection, as its principles of non-interference and sovereign equality made it difficult to intervene against human rights abuses or autocratic consolidation.
Why does the author suggest that constitutional reforms have often been ineffective?
The author suggests that while many post-1990 reforms expanded political space, they failed to address deep-seated institutional weaknesses, often resulting in constitutions that still grant excessive power to the executive branch.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Gilbert Aidoo Arhinful (Autor:in), 2018, Multipartyism and constitutional governance in Africa. How they have failed to address the post-independence governance crisis, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/957093
