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Democratization via Elections in an African "Narco-state"? The Case of Guinea-Bissau

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  • Kohnert, Dirk

Abstract

Recent development cooperation with Guinea-Bissau, focusing on good governance, statebuilding and conflict prevention, did not contribute to democratization nor to the stabilization of volatile political, military and economic structures. The portrayal of Guinea-Bissau as a failed 'narco-state', as well as Western aid meant to stabilize this state, are both based on dubious concepts. Certainly, the impact of drug trafficking could endanger democratization and state-building if continued unchecked. However, the most pressing need is not state-building facilitated by external aid that is poorly rooted in the social and political fabric of the country. Rather, it is grassroots nation-building that is a pre-condition for the creation of viable state institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Kohnert, Dirk, 2010. "Democratization via Elections in an African "Narco-state"? The Case of Guinea-Bissau," GIGA Working Papers 123, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:gigawp:123
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    8. Kohnert, Dirk, 1988. "Socialism without liberation: Land Reclamation Projects in Guinea-Bissau," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 28(2/3), pages 161-175.
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    10. Barry, Boubacar-Sid & Gacitua-Mario, Estanislao & Wodon, Quentin, 2007. "Conflict, Livelihoods, and Poverty in Guinea-Bissau: An Overview," MPRA Paper 11115, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Kohnert, Dirk, 2008. "Entfremdung und Ausgrenzung: Afrikas neuer Nationalismus in Zeiten der Globalisierung," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 58(2), pages 197-222.
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    Cited by:

    1. Shabafrouz, Miriam, 2010. "Fuel for Conflict or Balm for Peace? Assessing the Effects of Hydrocarbons on Peace Efforts in Algeria," GIGA Working Papers 132, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    2. Kohnert, Dirk, 2023. "Le Brésil, soutient-il le développement en Afrique de l'Ouest ? L'exemple du Nigeria, du Ghana et du Sénégal [Does Brazil support development in West Africa? The example of Nigeria, Ghana, and Sene," MPRA Paper 117407, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Meissner, Hannes, 2010. "The Resource Curse and Rentier States in the Caspian Region: A Need for Context Analysis," GIGA Working Papers 133, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    4. Kohnert, Dirk, 2022. "Outside sources of terrorist threats in West Africa," MPRA Paper 115338, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Hwang, Karl, 2010. "Measuring Geopolitical Power in India: A Review of the National Security Index (NSI)," GIGA Working Papers 136, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    6. Kohnert, Dirk, 2022. "Sources extérieures des menaces terroristes en Afrique de l'Ouest [Outside sources of terrorist threats in West Africa]," MPRA Paper 115339, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Armando Barrientos & Daniel Neff, 2011. "Attitudes to Chronic Poverty in the ‘Global Village’," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 100(1), pages 101-114, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Guinea-Bissau; elections; democratization; informal institutions; aid; nationbuilding; institution building; drug trafficking;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • E26 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Informal Economy; Underground Economy
    • N47 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Africa; Oceania
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics

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