The relationship between political and economic reform in Africa

More than thirty African countries are now attempting simultaneously to liberalize their political systems and implement economic stabilization and structural adjustment programs. The question of the ability of democracy to sustain economic reform has thus taken on new urgency in sub-Saharan Africa. However, analyses of the relationship of regime type to economic management have not been very illuminating. In this paper, we identify the features of African political systems and economies that are relevant in understanding the relationship between political and economic reform and conclude that the simultaneous pursuit of both will be even more difficult in Africa than in other regions of the world.