Populism in Africa

This chapter examines the evolving nature of populism across late-colonial and post-colonial Africa. Using several case studies, it identifies waves of populist mobilization, considers the most important characteristics of populism in each wave and highlights the continuities and changes over time. The first wave occurred during the nationalist campaigns against colonial rule in the 1950s and early 1960s. The second took place in the early decades of independence as opposition parties sought to present the governing elites as having failed to meet popular expectations. The third happened under the one-party state as members of parliament sought to build support bases in a political system that was weighted heavily against such practices. These waves predate the populism of the era of multi-party politics in the early 2000s. The first three waves were mostly about the structure and control of political institutions, while the fourth wave was more about economic inequality.