Does Democratic Developmental State serve as an alternative development strategy in Africa? The cases of Ethiopia and South Africa.
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Date
2019-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The ‘Neoliberalism’ Ideology has failed to bring “development” in the ‘underdeveloped’
world. So it is worth looking for another alternative development strategy so as to extricate
the population of the ‘underdeveloped’ world specially Africa from abject poverty and
backwardness. Many development economists, other scholars and policy makers have been
proposing that ‘Democratic Developmental States (DDS)’ would be the best alternative
development strategy. Countries like Ethiopia and South Africa have emerged as in pursuing
DDS. However, there has been a wide spread skepticism about the compatibility between
‘Democracy’ and ‘Developmental States’ so as DDS could be feasible. This thesis explores
whether DDS can serve as alternative to ‘Neoliberalism’ for Africa’s Development. This
thesis examines and analyses the experiences of Ethiopia and South Africa as a case study
and concludes that the feasibility of DDS has been proven although it has short comings that
needs to be addressed in respect of the realities of the ground.
Key Concepts
Democracy; Liberal democracy; Revolutionary democracy; Participatory democracy;
Development; Developmental State; Democratic Developmental State; Neoliberalism
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Keywords
Democracy; Liberal democracy; Revolutionary democracy; Participatory emocracy; Development; Developmental State; Democratic Developmental State; Neoliberalism