Coups, Rivals, and the Modern State

"Over the past three decades, sub-Saharan Africa has undergone promising changes. Most countries have instituted regular multiparty elections. Military rule has been on a steady decline. With this increased stability, Africa has seen unparalleled economic growth. So much so that sub-Saharan growth rates exceeded those of the world economy for the first two decades of the new millennium. Yet, there are troubling trends as well. The vast majority of low-income countries are found south of the Sahara. African states grapple with food insecurity, high unemployment, poverty, poor infrastructure, environmental degradation, and low integration in the global economy. Nor has political liberalization been wholly progressive. One-third of the states identified as 'not free' in 2017 by Freedom House were in sub-Saharan Africa. In many instances, African presidents have been able to work around multi-party elections and remain in power for two, three, in some cases even four decades. Countries like Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia, and the Central African Republic have continued to be on the precipice of civil conflict. And although there are fewer coups, since 2000 fourteen presidents have been successfully overthrown."--Publisher's summary.