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Dependency redux: why Africa is not rising

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  • Ian Taylor

Abstract

Whilst numerous accounts claim that the continent is on the rise, driven by high growth rates and supposed better governance and economic policies, Africa's dependent position in the global economy is being reified. This article seeks to analyse the dynamics which are accompanying a notional ‘rise’ of Africa but which are actually contributing to the continent being pushed further and further into underdevelopment and dependency. It calls into question the superficial accounts of a continent on the move or that declare that the continent has somehow turned a definitive page in its history. A ‘rise’ based on an intensification of resource extraction whilst dependency deepens, inequality increases and de-industrialisation continues apace, cannot be taken seriously. A model based on growth-for-growth's sake has replaced development and the agenda of industrialisation and moving Africa up the global production chain has been discarded. Instead, Africa's current ‘comparative advantage’ as a primary commodity exporter is celebrated and reinforced. History repeats itself.

Suggested Citation

  • Ian Taylor, 2016. "Dependency redux: why Africa is not rising," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(147), pages 8-25, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:revape:v:43:y:2016:i:147:p:8-25
    DOI: 10.1080/03056244.2015.1084911
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    1. List, Friedrich, 1885. "The National System of Political Economy," History of Economic Thought Books, McMaster University Archive for the History of Economic Thought, number list1885.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Seth Schindler & J Miguel Kanai & Javier Diaz Bay, 2023. "Deindustrialisation and the politics of subordinate degrowth: The case of Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(7), pages 1212-1230, May.
    3. Naudé, Wim, 2017. "Entrepreneurship, Education and the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Africa," IZA Discussion Papers 10855, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Clever Madimutsa & Royd Malisase & Evans Daka & Moses Chewe, 2021. "Public Sector Reform and the Introduction of Neoliberal Capitalism in African Socialist States: The Case of Zambia," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 53(3), pages 462-477, September.
    5. Winnie Rugutt & Maria Nzomo & Pontian Godfrey Okoth, 2023. "Industrialization in Africa and the Role of Foreign Aid: Lessons from Kenya and Mauritius," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(9), pages 930-944, September.
    6. Bob O. Manteaw, 2020. "Sanitation Dilemmas and Africa’s Urban Futures: Foregrounding Environmental Public Health in Contemporary Urban Planning," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 9, September.
    7. Naudé, Wim, 2019. "Three Varieties of Africa’s Industrial Future," IZA Discussion Papers 12678, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Gil-Alana, Luis A. & Mudida, Robert & Zerbo, Eleazar, 2021. "GDP per capita IN SUB-SAHARAN Africa: A time series approach using long memory," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 175-190.
    9. Fernando Lopez-Castellano & Roser Manzanera-Ruiz & Carmen Lizárraga, 2019. "Deinstitutionalization of the State and Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Contribution to the Critique of the Neoinstitutionalist Analysis of Development," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 51(3), pages 418-437, September.
    10. Naudé, Wim & Tregenna, Fiona, 2023. "Africa's Industrialization Prospects: A Fresh Look," IZA Discussion Papers 16043, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Zhang, YunQian, 2022. "Influence of stock market factors on the natural resources dependence for environmental change: Evidence from China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
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    13. Bayliss, Kate & Pollen, Gabriel, 2021. "The power paradigm in practice: A critical review of developments in the Zambian electricity sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    14. Ricardo Reboredo, 2021. "Disaggregating Development: A Critical Analysis of Sino-African Megaprojects," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 21(1), pages 86-104, April.
    15. Stephanie Arnold, 2022. "Drivers and Barriers of Digital Market Integration in East Africa: A Case Study of Rwanda and Tanzania," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(2), pages 106-115.
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    17. Arvanitis, Yannis & Weigert, Maxime, 2017. "Turning resource curse into development dividends in Guinea-Bissau," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 226-237.

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