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Understanding the Political Motivations That Shape Rwanda's Emergent Developmental State

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  • Laura Mann
  • Marie Berry

Abstract

Twenty years after its horrific genocide, Rwanda has become a model for economic development. At the same time, its government has been criticised for authoritarian tactics and the use of violence. Missing from the often polarised debate are the connections between these two perspectives. Synthesising existing literature on Rwanda in light of a combined year of fieldwork, we argue that the Government of Rwanda is using the developmental infrastructure to deepen state power and expand political control. We first identify the historical pressures that have motivated the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) to reimagine the political landscape. Sectarian unrest, political rivalry, wider regional insecurity and aid withdrawal have all pressured the RPF to identify growth as strategic. However, the political transformation extends beyond a prioritisation of growth and encompasses the articulation of ideologies and new mindsets, the provision of social services and infrastructure and the reordering of the social and physical layout of the territory. Growth and social control go hand in hand. As such, this paper's main contribution is to bring together the two sides of the Rwandan debate and place the country in a broader sociological literature about the parallel development of capitalist relations and transformations in state power.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Mann & Marie Berry, 2016. "Understanding the Political Motivations That Shape Rwanda's Emergent Developmental State," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(1), pages 119-144, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:cnpexx:v:21:y:2016:i:1:p:119-144
    DOI: 10.1080/13563467.2015.1041484
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    Cited by:

    1. Sebastian Heinen, 2022. "Rwanda’s Agricultural Transformation Revisited: Stagnating Food Production, Systematic Overestimation, and a Flawed Performance Contract System," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(10), pages 2044-2064, October.
    2. Tom Lavers, 2016. "Understanding elite commitment to social protection: Rwanda.s Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme," Working Paper Series UNU-WIDER Working Paper w, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. John M. Luiz & Brian Ganson & Achim Wennmann, 2019. "Business environment reforms in fragile and conflict-affected states: From a transactions towards a systems approach," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 2(3), pages 217-236, September.
    4. Malin Hasselskog, 2018. "Rwandan “home grown initiatives†: Illustrating inherent contradictions of the democratic developmental state," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(3), pages 309-328, May.
    5. Tom Lavers, 2016. "Understanding elite commitment to social protection: Rwanda's Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme," WIDER Working Paper Series 093, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    6. Tom Lavers, 2016. "Understanding elite commitment to social protection: Rwanda's Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2016-93, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Raphael, Dennis & Komakech, Morris, 2020. "Conceptualizing and researching health equity in Africa through a political economy of health lens – Rwanda in perspective," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 19(C).
    8. Hellen Mukiri‐Smith & Laura Mann & Shamel Azmeh, 2022. "A DC State of Mind? A Review of the World Development Report 2021: Data for Better Lives," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 53(6), pages 1421-1439, November.
    9. Laura Mann, 2018. "Left to Other Peoples’ Devices? A Political Economy Perspective on the Big Data Revolution in Development," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 49(1), pages 3-36, January.
    10. Talea Bernatzki & Matthias Busse & Ruth Hoekstra, 2022. "Promoting Rwanda’s business environment: Impact of reforms and drivers of change," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 40(2), March.

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