plan
“Explain how – in a case of your choosing – development outcomes have been shaped by politics”
3,000 words
Botswana: Why politics created better development outcomes than many African states
intro - 150 words
key argument: Many significant decisions in Botswana are controlled by the elite, and so whilst there has been undeniable growth in Botswana, this has not necessarily translated into equal development, particularly for everyone but the elite
outline pathway
1. institutions (political system, bureaucracy, rule of law)
2. informal politics (corruption,
3. analysis of the outcomes & evaluation
reaffirm key argument
1. political institutions
“institutions are the humanly devised constraints that structure political, economic and social interaction. They consist of both informal constraints (sanctions, taboos, customs, traditions, and codes of conduct), and formal rules (constitutions, laws, property rights)” (North, 1991, p. 97) (Institutions on JSTOR)
democracy - 300 words
“to develop the conditions required for responsible government in 1965, it was necessary to have at least one political party, with nation wide support, which put national patriotism before sectional loyalties, and it was the Democratic Party’s emergence, as such a party, in 1962 and 1963 which made possible a smooth and speedy transition to self government in 1965” (Fawcus, 1987, p.158) (Botswana Revisited on JSTOR)
“Democracy at the centre today, therefore, seems well established and far stronger than in 1966, with the result that the Batswana enjoy political freedom almost unknown elsewhere in Africa” (Fawcus, 1987, p. 158) (Botswana Revisited on JSTOR)
“…Africa is strewn with examples of violent change. Since 1957 there have been more than 150 heads of state in black Africa and only six have relinquished power voluntarily!” (Fawcus, 1987, p.158) (Botswana Revisited on JSTOR)
“Multi-party democracy contributes not only to freedom…it also provides important conditions for political stability” (Fawcus, 1987, p. 158) (Botswana Revisited on JSTOR)
“It was recognised that these [traditional] institutions remained of great importance to many people and that harmonious relationships between the Chiefs and Central Government would be crucial to the success of the constitution. After much anxious thought, the matter was finally settled with the creation of the House of Chiefs…” (Fawcus, 1987, p.160) (Botswana Revisited on JSTOR)
“Along with this reasonable level of stable democracy has come a low level of corruption” (Sebudubudu, 2003, p. 125)
“more importantly, the government has, through various agricultural development policies and programmes such as the Tribal Grazing Land Policy (TGLP), assisted this class to privatise grazing land and/or buy existing privately-owned ranches in Gantsi, Lobatse and the Tuli Block” (Tsie, 1996, p. 611) » explain The Political Context of Botswana's Development Performance on JSTOR
“the Beef Protocol between the Botswana Government and the European Union…has also played an important role in the development of Botswana’s cattle accumulators into a national cattle-based bourgeoisie” (Tsie, 1996, p. 611) The Political Context of Botswana's Development Performance on JSTOR
“since 1975 it has provided a lucrative market in which Botswana beef is bought at 30 per cent of more above world market prices” (Tsie, 1996, p. 611) The Political Context of Botswana's Development Performance on JSTOR » explain
“the cattle sector…provides an element of security against risk for this class in its attempt to transform its economic power from a quasi-capitalist rural base to a more urban-dependent fully capitalist environment” (Tsie, 1996, p. 611) The Political Context of Botswana's Development Performance on JSTOR
Comparison to South Africa: “Therefore separate territories, with their own political institutions, have to be developed so that these minorities can live out their separate and conflicting political aspirations. Only in this way will interracial and interethnic political conflict be avoided and stability ensured” (Fawcus, 1987, p.159) (Botswana Revisited on JSTOR)
Bureaucracy - 300 words
Crit: “these bodies [Land Boards], which have one of the most important and politically sensitive functions, are not, therefore, very democratic and their composition is determined largely by the Minister” (Fawcus, 1987, p. 161) (Botswana Revisited on JSTOR)
“Efforts are now being made, however, to increase the power of the Customary Courts and the Chiefs, who are not political, over the handling of land disputes” (Fawcus, 1987, p. 162) (Botswana Revisited on JSTOR)
“the bureaucratic elite in Botswana is powerful and generally effective in formulation and executing development policy” (Tsie, 1996, p. 601)
“the political and bureaucratic elite in Botswana have pursued realistic policies, including monetary and fiscal policy, which are attractive to private foreign investment and conducive to economic development” (Osei-Hwedie, Bertha Z., 2000, p. 77) (SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF BOTSWANA AND MAURITIUS on JSTOR)
“the bureaucratic and political elite have established a partnership which has facilitated development because politicians seek and accept economic advice from technocrats, especially in relation to national development plans and budgets” (Osei-Hwedie, Bertha Z., 2000, p. 78) (SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF BOTSWANA AND MAURITIUS on JSTOR)
“an efficient bureaucracy has meant efficient utilisation and allocation of resources by avoiding over expenditure, unmanageable foreign debt, and rampant inflation, while maintaining high stable growth rates” (Osei-Hwedie, Bertha Z., 2000, p. 78) (SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF BOTSWANA AND MAURITIUS on JSTOR)
“absence of strong lobbying by civil society gives the bureaucracy some leeway for rational decision making and implementation” (Osei-Hwedie, Bertha Z., 2000, p. 79) (SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF BOTSWANA AND MAURITIUS on JSTOR)
Rule of Law
“the BDP government has generally observed the rule of law and maintained a relatively clean record in so far as violations of human rights are concerned. The record of stability is the central element in the political context of Botswana’s development performance” (Tsie, 1996, p. 601) (The Political Context of Botswana's Development Performance on JSTOR)
2. informal politics
corruption - 300 words
“Botswana has not experienced the same widespread corruption which affects most parts of Africa” (Sebudubudu, 2003, p. 125) (Corruption and its control in Botswana on JSTOR)
“Scandals of corruption in and around the cattle industry are no surprise in light of the role the industry has been playing in economic development especially in the early years of independence” (Sebudubudu, 2003, p. 126) (Corruption and its control in Botswana on JSTOR)
“the creation of the DCEC supposedly demonstrates that the government is keen to reduce corruption because it was a danger to social, political and economic development” (Sebudubudu, 2003, p. 129)
“As we have seen, Botswana’s development performance in relation to other developing countries has been outstanding. Part of the explanation of this outstanding performance is Botswana’s relatively better record of good governance. Generally, corruption, authoritarian rule, patronage and mismanagement have not been part and parcel of the political landscape in Botswana as has been the case for example in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Zaire and Zambia” (Tsie, 1996, p. 610) (The Political Context of Botswana's Development Performance on JSTOR)
“…the efficiency of the bureaucracy can also be attributed to relatively low levels of corruption among senior bureaucratic elite, a disease which is blamed for economic inefficiency and dismal economic performance in the majority of African countries” (Osei-Hwedie, Bertha Z., 2000, p. 78) (SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF BOTSWANA AND MAURITIUS on JSTOR)
elites - 300 words
“the bureaucratic elite in Botswana is powerful and generally effective in formulating and executing development policy” (Tsie, 1996, p. 601) (The Political Context of Botswana's Development Performance on JSTOR)
“it is the efficient management of diamond revenues by the political and bureaucratic elite which has facilitated economic progress” (Osei-Hwedie, Bertha Z., 2000, p. 82) (SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF BOTSWANA AND MAURITIUS on JSTOR)
“the political and bureaucratic elites prudent utilisation of the revenue earned from the sugar exports for diversification into manufacturing, especially the EPZ, also boosted the growth of the manufacturing industry” (Osei-Hwedie, Bertha Z., 2000, p. 80) (SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF BOTSWANA AND MAURITIUS on JSTOR)
“the existence of developmental elite has been crucial” (Osei-Hwedie, Bertha Z., 2000, p. 85) (SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF BOTSWANA AND MAURITIUS on JSTOR)
“Even as an election approaches, party elites do not perceive a need to explore public opinion” (Holm & Molutsi, 1990, p. 333) Developing Democracy When Civil Society Is Weak: The Case of Botswana on JSTOR
3. impact on development outcome - 400 words
“the Botswana state is one of the few African states which has the characteristics of a developmental state” (Tsie, 1996, p. 601) (The Political Context of Botswana's Development Performance on JSTOR)
“After a decade of economic decline, corruption, mismanagement and escalating poverty, the importance of good governance in contemporary African societies cannot be over-emphasised” (Tsie, 1996, p. 610) (The Political Context of Botswana's Development Performance on JSTOR)“the average citizen of Botswana benefitted from this phenomenal economic growth through the provision of social services by the state in the form of health facilities, schools, clean pipe-borne water and other welfare services” (Tsie, 1996, p. 600) (The Political Context of Botswana's Development Performance on JSTOR)
elites owed much credit for the diligence in furthering development of Botswana
“revenues from diamond exports have paved the way for diversification into manufacturing and tourism, and the general growth of the economy” (Osei-Hwedie, Bertha Z., 2000, p. 75) (SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF BOTSWANA AND MAURITIUS on JSTOR)
“guided by liberal norms and pragmatism, the Botswana government avoided nationalisation of the diamond industry…a move which made the industry attractive and guaranteed growth” (Osei-Hwedie, Bertha Z., 2000, p. 82) (SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF BOTSWANA AND MAURITIUS on JSTOR)
“…economic growth…has been accompanied by gross inequalities in property ownership, poverty, and increase in unemployment due to the capital-intensive nature of economic enterprises” (Osei-Hwedie, Bertha Z., 2000, p. 88) (SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF BOTSWANA AND MAURITIUS on JSTOR)
“poverty has declined considerably. The percentage of the national population who are poor and very poor declined from 59 to 47 percent between 1985/86 and 1993/4, and the numbers of poor and very poor households declined from 49 to 38 percent during the same period” (Osei-Hwedie, Bertha Z., 2000, p. 86) (SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF BOTSWANA AND MAURITIUS on JSTOR)“provision of water, education and health services has helped improve the living standards of people, especially the mass of the rural population, and assisted indirectly in addressing the goal of poverty alleviation” (Osei-Hwedie, Bertha Z., 2000, p. 87) (SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF BOTSWANA AND MAURITIUS on JSTOR)“the diamond-led economic growth record of Botswana is truly impressive, and the country is presently classified as an upper-middle-income country with an estimated GNI per capita of US$5,900 in 2006” (Hillbom, 2008, p. 192) Diamonds or Development? A Structural Assessment of Botswana's Forty Years of Success on JSTOR
“despite substantial growth, 47% of the population lives below the national poverty line, and there are reports of prevailing and even increasing rural poverty….this reflects an institutional inequality where government policies tend to favour elites in various ways, while denying the majority of the population equal opportunities” (Hillbom, 2008, p. 206) Diamonds or Development? A Structural Assessment of Botswana's Forty Years of Success on JSTOR
“there has been a trickle down from the wealthier segments of society….As a result, poverty in terms of income levels has improved from 59% of individuals being poor in 1985 to 47% in 2005” (Hillbom, 2008, p. 206) Diamonds or Development? A Structural Assessment of Botswana's Forty Years of Success on JSTOR
4. critical evaluation - 400 words
how positive?
how equal?
sustainable/temporary?
who benefitted?
“…while commendable advances have been achieved during the last four decades, these need to be complemented with technological innovations, significant productivity increase, change in economic and political structures, a significant rise in living standards for the poor, and a more equal distribution of resources, incomes and opportunities, for there to be long-run sustainable opulence with substance” (Hillbom, 2008, p. 192) Diamonds or Development? A Structural Assessment of Botswana's Forty Years of Success on JSTOR
“despite impressive growth, political stability, improved infrastructure…Botswana is at present also experiencing a decline in population, there is no significant increase in productivity, little economic, social or ideological transformation, and only sporadic introduction of high levels of modern technology” (Hillbom, 2008, p. 210)Diamonds or Development? A Structural Assessment of Botswana's Forty Years of Success on JSTOR“In the midst of this peaceful growth miracle, there thus exist serious deficiencies, Apart from a degree of elite capture, these include concerns over high and unchanging inequalities, poor and neglected rural areas, high unemployment rates, failure in limiting the AIDS epidemic…” (Hillbom, 2008, p. 193) Diamonds or Development? A Structural Assessment of Botswana's Forty Years of Success on JSTOR
“By international standards, income divides are high in Botswana” (Hillbom, 2008, p. 206) Diamonds or Development? A Structural Assessment of Botswana's Forty Years of Success on JSTOR
5. conclusion - 150 words
reiterate key argument and how what ive discussed backs this