Democracy Works: Rewiring Politics to Africa's Advantage

by Greg Mills, Jeffrey Herbst, Olusegun Obasanjo

Democracy Works explores how we can learn to nurture and deepen democracy in Africa to ensure economic growth and political stability. It identifies a ‘democratic playbook’ to meet the threats to free and fair elections. But substantive democracy demands more than simply regular polls. Democracy is fundamentally about the inner working of institutions, the rule of law, separation of powers, checks and balances, and leadership in government and civil society, as much as it is about values and the welfare and well-being of its citizens. It also demands that local leadership has a plan for the country beyond simply winning the popular vote.Democracy Works is directed toward leaders and citizens who want to address the extreme demographic and other challenges that Africa faces.

291 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Elan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly easy read, packed with stories about governments min African countries. At times depressing, and others uplifting it showcases the possibilities in Africa for democratic shifts that benefit the people the government provides for.

Perhaps more could be written about the psychologies of the leaders, the desire to doing to power unchecked - but maybe that is why democracy exists in the first place.

[Ann Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes a compelling case that we can be democratic and create suitable economic conditions for the alleviation of poverty. It takes on the false argument that we need to forgo democracy to create economic well-being in developing countries in Africa. It uses many examples in its analyses. This is a valuable resource for students of international development.