African political elites : the search for democracy and good governance / edited by Francis Nwonwu and Dirk Kotze.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Kotze, Dirk.

Nwonwu, F. O. C.

Africa Institute of South Africa.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Elite (Social sciences)--Africa.

Elite (Social sciences).

Power (Social sciences)--Africa.

Power (Social sciences).

Statesmen--Africa.

Statesmen.

Africa--Politics and government.

Africa.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (282 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Pretoria, South Africa : Africa Institute of South Africa, 2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

African Political Elites looks at the five African countries that acted as the vanguards in creating the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) initiative: Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Egypt and Algeria. The leadership structures, trends in political democratisation, and prospects of continued democratic stability are examined from the perspectives of the five countries. The implications of the new political dispensation for Africa in the context of the African Union (AU), and African development through NEPAD, make up the central theme of the book. The fact that the selected countries have emerged from diverse eras of political misrule including long periods of military dictatorship, apartheid hegemony, and civilian autocracy is of significance in the new political order. The book documents the views of a wide range of stakeholders including politicians, academics, business leaders and the media on the ethos of African political elites and the future of NEPAD as Africa's flagship in development. The authors have divergent opinions about Africa's political achievements; but the optimists submit that the breaking away from the undemocratic and dictatorial past must be seen as denoting some measure of success. Others consider African political elites and NEPAD as too reticent and lacking the political will and drive to liberate Africa from the current political quagmire. Serving and aspiring political elites in Africa should see themselves through the mirror of this book and apply their minds to the constructive views expressed herein. This book is recommended as essential reading for students and academics interested in African democratic evolution and the role of elites as architects of Africa's political and democratic trajectory.

Contents:

""Front Cover""; ""Title Page""; ""Copyright Page""; ""Table of Contents""; ""About the Editors""; ""Notes on Contributors""; ""List of Tables""; ""Introduction""; ""Chapter One""; ""Chapter Two""; ""Chapter Three""; ""Chapter Four""; ""Chapter Five""; ""Chapter Six""; ""Chapter Seven""; ""Conclusion""; ""Back Cover""

Notes:

"Westminister Foundation for Democracy (WFD)".

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

0-7983-0232-1

OCLC:

647885829