Government and politics in Africa.

This book is a concise and stimulating study of the politics and government of
tropical Africa.

It first outlines the trends in African politics since independence and critically examines the two main schools of thought-the modernization school and the underdevelopment school-which have emerged in the study of Third World politics. It points out that neither school is a closed system and each has been subject to considerable revision.

Thereafter, the book adopts a thematic approach. Using examples and case studies drawn from different parts of Africa, it investigates both theoretically and in considerable empirical detail such central themes as colonialism and thecolonial legacy; nationalism and the transfer of power; state and society:political parties and interest groups; administration and the military: revolution and revolutionary regimes: regional groupings and the Organisation of AfricanUnity. In analysing these themes, the book acknowledges that the socio economic basis of the African state is an important determinant of political. behaviour but maintains that it is not the only variable and that account must be taken of cultural factors.

The book concludes with a review of the internal and external constraints on African development and argues that while underdevelopment theorists are right to stress the importance of external dependency, internal constraints are usually paramount.