From Debt to Democratization, 1980-2000 HI177 | A History of Africa since 1800 Term 2 | Week 10 | Dr Sacha Hepburn

Outline of Lecture Economic Decline and Growing Debts Debt and Structural Adjustment The End of the Cold War Struggles for Democracy Pro-democracy movements and civil society Democratization Zambia and Kenya Conclusions

Economic Decline Economic legacies of colonial rule: dependence on one or two exports for income and foreign exchange 1960s: global prices of key commodities falls 1970s: oil shocks lead to global spike in oil prices, increased import costs and declining export revenues Economic mismanagement by African governments African socialism: failures of nationalisation and villagization State control leads to inefficiency and corruption Capitalism regimes also suffer, distorted economies due to favouring supporters Early 1980s: many African countries getting poorer year on year

Debt & Structural Adjustment Late 1970s-80s: Many African states turn to International Monetary Fund & World Bank Costs of debt servicing increases - $449 million in 1970 to $7.4 billion in 1984 Conditionality: states must implement reforms determined by IMF and WB Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPS): reduced gov spending, privatisation, removal of subsidies and tariffs The consequences of structural adjustment? Cartoon undated

The End of the Cold War End of the Cold War meant a reduction in international support for African dictatorships (East & West) Overthrow of authoritarian governments in Europe inspired and reinvigorated African pro-democracy movements Western governments began to push human rights and democracy promotion as key policy concerns Fall of Berlin Wall, 1989

Struggles for Democracy Long history of pro-democracy movements Since independence, journalists, religious leaders and trade unionists tried to prevent government abuses of power Resistance even under military rule 1970s: opposition broadened and deepened – impact of economic decline and government intransigence Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) supporters in Zambia, undated

Struggles for Democracy 1980s: generational shift as young people became politicised - no link to liberation movements, experiences of unemployment and repression Civil society grows - moves from criticising individual policies to foundations of authoritarianism Some governments pursue reform in face of opposition, others pursue repression Domestic and intl pressure builds – reform of some sort inevitable? Pro-democracy march, Nigeria, undated

Democratization Democratization involves transition to multipartyism, reconstitution of a new political order, consolidating democratic gains Zambia 1970s: Collapse of economy 1980s: Growth of broad pro-democracy/anti-UNIP movement 1991: President Kaunda chose reform, peaceful multiparty elections Kenya Stability of KANU one-party state declined over time 1988 onward: opposition grew despite state repression President Moi tried to hold onto power but domestic and intl (US) pressure intensified Elections held in 1992 and won by KANU

Conclusions Democratization of late 1980s to 1990s resulted from combination of: Economic decline from the 1970s and growing debts Impacts of the end of the Cold War Work of local pro-democracy movements and civil society Democratisation is far from complete: Depth of democracy is shallow in many places Military interventions in politics continue Widespread ethnic voting and rise of exclusionary, often violent identity politics Many opposition movements continue to face violence and repression