Between governance &amp; under‐development: accumulation &amp; Africa&apos;s ‘catastrophic corruption’

Szeftel, Morris

doi:10.1080/03056240008704460

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Review of African Political Economy

Volume 27, Issue 84

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Between governance & under‐development: accumulation & Africa's ‘catastrophic corruption’

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Author(s): Morris Szeftel ^a

Publication date (Print): June 2000

Journal: Review of African Political Economy

Publisher: Review of African Political Economy

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Abstract

Capital eschews no profit, or very small profit, just as nature was formerly said to abhor a vacuum.With adequate profit, capital is very bold. A certain 10 per cent will ensure its employment anywhere; 20 per cent will produce eagerness; 50 per cent positive audacity; 100 per cent will make it ready to trample on all human laws; 300 per cent and there is not acrime at which it will scruple, nor a risk it will not run, even to the chance of its owner being hanged. If turbulence and strife will bring a profit, it will freely encourage both. Smuggling and the slave trade have amply proved all that is here stated.

T J Dunning, quoted in Karl Marx, Capital I (1976:926, fn.).

This paper explores aspects of the tension between, on the one hand, international efforts by multilateral and bilateral creditors and aid donors to reduce corruption in developing countries and, on the other, the role played by political corruption in promoting local accumulation of wealth, property and capital in Africa. The process of globalisation includes a concerted effort to reduce the costs and increase the predictability of international business activities. The effort has been particularly directed at countries undergoing economic restructuring and democratic change. The weak bargaining position of African states, where debt and underdevelopment make dependence on international creditors and aid donors especially acute, has led to a variety of direct, unsubtle pressures to force these states to undertake ‘governance’ reforms. While many of these measures address important problems undermining African development, they also misunderstand the nature of corruption as an African problem in two important ways.

First, they seek to impose rules and norms of proper public behaviour, developed for and within liberal democracies, in environments where liberal democracy is not established. And, second, they threaten the dependence of the African petty bourgeoisie on access to the state and its resources. In the context of underdevelopment, local accumulation rests heavily on political power and the ability it provides to appropriate public resources. Corruption provides a means of transferring public resources to the new middle class and bourgeois strata which emerged in the post‐colonial order. And underdevelopment ensures that dependence on political power for accumulation is continuous. Africa's development crisis has intensified dependence on the political domain even more and increased conflict as claimants fight over a diminishing pool of resources. Far from arresting the upward spiral of corruption, liberalisation and governance measures imposed by the donors have encouraged the development of new forms of corruption.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): crea20

Journal ID (archive): CREA

Title: Review of African Political Economy

Publisher: Review of African Political Economy

ISSN (Print): 0305-6244

ISSN (Electronic): 1740-1720

Publication date (Print): June 2000

Volume: 27

Issue: 84

Pages: 287-306

Affiliations

^a Institute for Politics and International Studies at the University of Leeds , England

Article

Publisher ID: 8704460 Coden ID: Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 27, No. 84, June 2000, pp. 287-306

DOI: 10.1080/03056240008704460

SO-VID: 1c158e83-16a8-415d-83e2-16761908bcb9

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All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

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Figures: 0, Tables: 0, References: 40, Pages: 20

Bibliography

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1994. . Summary Report of a Seminar Organised by Africa Leadership Forum and sponsored by the European Commission in Entebbe; . December 12–14– 1994 ; , Republic of Uganda . . pp.p. 167
Agbese P O. . 1998. . “(Foreward: Africa and the Dilemmas of Corruption). ”. In Corruption and the Crisis of Institutional Reforms in Africa . , Edited by: Mbaku John Mukum. . Lewiston , NY : : Edwin Mellor Press. .
Allen Chris. . 1995. . ‘Understanding African Politics’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 22((65)): 301––320. .
Bayart J‐F. . 1993. . The State in Africa: The Politics of the Belly . , p. 370 London : : Longman. .
Bayley D H. . 1966. . “‘The effects of corruption in a developing nation’. ”. In Political Corruption: A Handbook . , Edited by: Heidenheimer A J. . p. 935––952. . New Brunswick , NJ : : Transaction Publishers. .
Western Political Quarterly . , Vol. 19.4:719––32. .
Baylies C and Szeftel M. . 1984. . “‘The rise to political prominence of the Zambian business class’. ”. In The Dynamics of the One‐Party State in Zambia . , Edited by: Gertzel C. . p. 58––78. . Manchester : : University Press. .
Charlick R B. . 1993. . ‘Corruption in political transition: a governance perspective’. . Corruption and Reform . , Vol. 73:: 177––187. .
Daniel J, Southall R and Szeftel M. . 1999. . Voting for Democracy: Watershed Elections in Contemporary Anglophone Africa . , Aldershot : : Ashgate. .
Delia Porta Donatella and Vannucci Alberto. . 1999. . Corrupt Exchanges: Actors, Resources and Mechanisms of Political Corruption . , p. 314 New York : : Aldine De Gruyter. .
Delia Porta Donatella. . 1997. . “‘The vicious circles of corruption in Italy’. ”. In Democracy and Corruption in Europe . , Edited by: Donatella Delia Porta and Meny Yves. . p. 35––49. . London : : Pinter. .
Glaser Daryl. . 1997. . ‘South Africa and the limits of civil society’. . Journal of Southern African Studies . , Vol. 23.1:: 5––25. .
Heidenheimer A J. , eds. 1993. . Political Corruption: A Handbook . , p. 1017 New Brunswick , NJ : : Transaction Publishers. .
Heywood Paul. . 1997. . “‘Political corruption: problems and perspectives’. ”. In Political Corruption . , Edited by: Heywood P. . p. 1––19. . Oxford : : Blackwell / The Political Studies Association. .
Huntington S P. . 1968. . “‘Modernization and corruption’. ”. In Political Corruption: A Handbook . , Edited by: Heidenheimer A J. . p. 935––952. . New Brunswick , NJ : : Transaction Publishers. .
Political Order in Changing Societies . , p. 59––71. . New Haven , Conn. : : Yale University Press. .
Hutchcroft P D. . 1997. . “‘The politics of privilege: assessing the impacts of rent, corruption, and clientelism on Third World development’. ”. In Political Corruption . , Edited by: Heywood P. . p. 223––242. . Oxford : : Blackwell & The Political Studies Association. .
Iyayi F. . 1986. . ’The primitive accumulation of capital in a neo‐colony: the Nigerian case’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 35:: 27––39. .
Khan Mushtaq. . 1998. . ‘Patron‐client networks and the economic effects of corruption in Asia’. . The European Journal of Development Research . , Vol. 10((1)): 15––39. .
Leff N H. . 1964. . “‘Economic development through bureaucratic corruption’. ”. In Political Corruption: A Handbook . , Edited by: Heidenheimer A J. . p. 389––403. . New Brunswick , NJ : : Transaction Publishers. .
LeVine V T. . 1993. . ’ Administrative corruption and democratization in Africa: aspects of the theoretic agenda’. . Corruption and Reform . , Vol. 7.3:: 271––278. .
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NID (Namibia Institute for Democracy). . 1997. . Accountability and Corruption in Namibia: Challenges for 1997 . , p. 42 Windhoek : : Namibia Institute for Democracy / Konrad‐Adenauer‐Stiftung. .
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Reno William. . 1995. . Corruption and State Politics in Sierra Leone . , p. 229Cambridge University Press. .
Riley Stephen P. . 1993. . ‘Post‐independence anti‐corruption strategies and the contemporary effects of democratization’. . Corruption and Reform . , Vol. 7.3:: 249––261. .
1998. . The political economy of anti‐corruption strategies in Africa’. . The European Journal of Development Research . , Vol. 10.1:: 129––59. .
Hope K R and Chikulo B C. , eds. 2000. . “‘Western policies and African realities: the new anti‐corruption agenda’. ”. In Corruption and Development in Africa: Lessons from Country Case‐Studies . , p. 316 Basingstoke : : Mac‐millan. .
Szeftel M. . 1982. . ‘Political graft and the spoils system in Zambia’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 24:: 4––21. .
Bush R. , eds. 1987. . “‘The crisis in the third world’. ”. In The World Order: Socialist Perspectives . , p. 87––140. . Oxford : : Polity. .
1998. . ‘Misunderstanding African politics: corruption and the governance agenda’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 25((76)): 221––40. .
Theobald Robin. . 1990. . Corruption, Development and Underdevelopment . , p. 191 London : : Macmillan. .
Transparency International. . 1997. . ’National Integrity Systems: The TI Source Book . , Berlin : : Transparency International or website. .
Warioba James. . 1997. . ‘Corruption and the State ‐ The Warioba Report’. . Soundings . , Vol. 7:: 198––208. .
The World Bank. . 1997. . World Development Report 1997: The State in a Changing World . , p. 265 New York : : Oxford University Press. .
1998. . “’Helping countries combat corruption: the role of the World Bank’. ”.
( 1999 ), ‘Anti‐corruption initiatives in Sub‐Saharan Africa’ , Findings Infobriefs, Africa Region , 38, March 1999, 2

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Aderinwale Ayodele. , ed. 1994. . Corruption, Democracy and Human Rights in East and Central Africa . , Entebbe : : Africa Leadership Forum(with Transparency International). .

[2] 1994. . Summary Report of a Seminar Organised by Africa Leadership Forum and sponsored by the European Commission in Entebbe; . December 12–14– 1994 ; , Republic of Uganda . . pp.p. 167

[3] Agbese P O. . 1998. . “(Foreward: Africa and the Dilemmas of Corruption). ”. In Corruption and the Crisis of Institutional Reforms in Africa . , Edited by: Mbaku John Mukum. . Lewiston , NY : : Edwin Mellor Press. .

[4] Allen Chris. . 1995. . ‘Understanding African Politics’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 22((65)): 301––320. .

[5] Bayart J‐F. . 1993. . The State in Africa: The Politics of the Belly . , p. 370 London : : Longman. .

[6] Bayley D H. . 1966. . “‘The effects of corruption in a developing nation’. ”. In Political Corruption: A Handbook . , Edited by: Heidenheimer A J. . p. 935––952. . New Brunswick , NJ : : Transaction Publishers. .

[7] Western Political Quarterly . , Vol. 19.4:719––32. .

[8] Baylies C and Szeftel M. . 1984. . “‘The rise to political prominence of the Zambian business class’. ”. In The Dynamics of the One‐Party State in Zambia . , Edited by: Gertzel C. . p. 58––78. . Manchester : : University Press. .

[9] Charlick R B. . 1993. . ‘Corruption in political transition: a governance perspective’. . Corruption and Reform . , Vol. 73:: 177––187. .

[10] Daniel J, Southall R and Szeftel M. . 1999. . Voting for Democracy: Watershed Elections in Contemporary Anglophone Africa . , Aldershot : : Ashgate. .

[11] Delia Porta Donatella and Vannucci Alberto. . 1999. . Corrupt Exchanges: Actors, Resources and Mechanisms of Political Corruption . , p. 314 New York : : Aldine De Gruyter. .

[12] Delia Porta Donatella. . 1997. . “‘The vicious circles of corruption in Italy’. ”. In Democracy and Corruption in Europe . , Edited by: Donatella Delia Porta and Meny Yves. . p. 35––49. . London : : Pinter. .

[13] Glaser Daryl. . 1997. . ‘South Africa and the limits of civil society’. . Journal of Southern African Studies . , Vol. 23.1:: 5––25. .

[14] Heidenheimer A J. , eds. 1993. . Political Corruption: A Handbook . , p. 1017 New Brunswick , NJ : : Transaction Publishers. .

[15] Heywood Paul. . 1997. . “‘Political corruption: problems and perspectives’. ”. In Political Corruption . , Edited by: Heywood P. . p. 1––19. . Oxford : : Blackwell / The Political Studies Association. .

[16] Huntington S P. . 1968. . “‘Modernization and corruption’. ”. In Political Corruption: A Handbook . , Edited by: Heidenheimer A J. . p. 935––952. . New Brunswick , NJ : : Transaction Publishers. .

[17] Political Order in Changing Societies . , p. 59––71. . New Haven , Conn. : : Yale University Press. .

[18] Hutchcroft P D. . 1997. . “‘The politics of privilege: assessing the impacts of rent, corruption, and clientelism on Third World development’. ”. In Political Corruption . , Edited by: Heywood P. . p. 223––242. . Oxford : : Blackwell & The Political Studies Association. .

[19] Iyayi F. . 1986. . ’The primitive accumulation of capital in a neo‐colony: the Nigerian case’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 35:: 27––39. .

[20] Khan Mushtaq. . 1998. . ‘Patron‐client networks and the economic effects of corruption in Asia’. . The European Journal of Development Research . , Vol. 10((1)): 15––39. .

[21] Leff N H. . 1964. . “‘Economic development through bureaucratic corruption’. ”. In Political Corruption: A Handbook . , Edited by: Heidenheimer A J. . p. 389––403. . New Brunswick , NJ : : Transaction Publishers. .

[22] LeVine V T. . 1993. . ’ Administrative corruption and democratization in Africa: aspects of the theoretic agenda’. . Corruption and Reform . , Vol. 7.3:: 271––278. .

[23] Marx K. . 1976. . Capital:ACritique of Political Economy . , Vol. Volume I. , p. 1141 Harmondsworth : : Penguin. .

[24] Moody‐Stuart George. . 1997. . Grand Corruption: How Business Bribes Damage Developing Countries . , p. 116 Oxford : : World View Publishing. .

[25] NID (Namibia Institute for Democracy). . 1997. . Accountability and Corruption in Namibia: Challenges for 1997 . , p. 42 Windhoek : : Namibia Institute for Democracy / Konrad‐Adenauer‐Stiftung. .

[26] Nye J S. . 1967. . “’Corruption and political development: a cost‐benefit analysis’. ”. In Political Corruption: A Handbook . , Edited by: Heidenheimer A J. . p. 963––983. . New Brunswick , NJ : : Transaction Publishers. .

[27] 1967. . American Political Science Review . , Vol. LXI((2))

[28] Reno William. . 1995. . Corruption and State Politics in Sierra Leone . , p. 229Cambridge University Press. .

[29] Riley Stephen P. . 1993. . ‘Post‐independence anti‐corruption strategies and the contemporary effects of democratization’. . Corruption and Reform . , Vol. 7.3:: 249––261. .

[30] 1998. . The political economy of anti‐corruption strategies in Africa’. . The European Journal of Development Research . , Vol. 10.1:: 129––59. .

[31] Hope K R and Chikulo B C. , eds. 2000. . “‘Western policies and African realities: the new anti‐corruption agenda’. ”. In Corruption and Development in Africa: Lessons from Country Case‐Studies . , p. 316 Basingstoke : : Mac‐millan. .

[32] Szeftel M. . 1982. . ‘Political graft and the spoils system in Zambia’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 24:: 4––21. .

[33] Bush R. , eds. 1987. . “‘The crisis in the third world’. ”. In The World Order: Socialist Perspectives . , p. 87––140. . Oxford : : Polity. .

[34] 1998. . ‘Misunderstanding African politics: corruption and the governance agenda’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 25((76)): 221––40. .

[35] Theobald Robin. . 1990. . Corruption, Development and Underdevelopment . , p. 191 London : : Macmillan. .

[36] Transparency International. . 1997. . ’National Integrity Systems: The TI Source Book . , Berlin : : Transparency International or website. .

[37] Warioba James. . 1997. . ‘Corruption and the State ‐ The Warioba Report’. . Soundings . , Vol. 7:: 198––208. .

[38] The World Bank. . 1997. . World Development Report 1997: The State in a Changing World . , p. 265 New York : : Oxford University Press. .

[39] 1998. . “’Helping countries combat corruption: the role of the World Bank’. ”.

[40] ( 1999 ), ‘Anti‐corruption initiatives in Sub‐Saharan Africa’ , Findings Infobriefs, Africa Region , 38, March 1999, 2