Why Liberation Movements Fail
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Bringing together leading scholars, policymakers and political insiders, Why Liberation Movements Fail explores this enduring paradox across the continent. From South Africa, Mozambique and Angola to Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda and South Sudan, the contributors reveal how the very qualities that secured victory in struggle – discipline, unity and moral authority – often become obstacles to democratic governance, economic transformation and accountability.
Through a rich set of case studies, the book shows how liberation movements have frequently reproduced extractive political economies, entrenched elite power, and relied on patronage, coercion and control to maintain authority. At the time of publication, two of the authors were in prison on trumped-up treason charges, demonstrating how liberation movements have abandoned their democratic ideals in pursuit of power.
As a new generation across Africa challenges entrenched elites and demands performance over history, the ‘liberation dividend’ is rapidly fading. This timely volume asks a critical question: Can political systems rooted in struggle reinvent themselves for an era defined by accountability, inclusion and development?
This is essential reading for scholars, policymakers and anyone seeking to understand the past, present and future of African governance.
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Greg Mills is a custodian of the Platform for African Democrats and runs Greg Mills & Associates, which advises African leaders on governance and economic growth. Before that, he was director of the Brenthurst Foundation, where he directed numerous reform projects with African heads of government. He also sat on the Danish Africa Commission and on the African Development Bank’s high-level panel on fragile states and served four deployments to Afghanistan with the British Army as the advisor to the commander. Mills is the author of numerous books – his latest include The Art of War and Peace; Expensive Poverty: Why Aid Fails and How It Can Work; The Ledger: Accounting for Failure in Afghanistan; and Rich State, Poor State: Why Some Countries Succeed and Others Fail.
Ray Hartley is a custodian of the Platform for African Democrats and a director of Greg Mills & Associates. He formerly served as research director of the Brenthurst Foundation and as editor of several South African newspapers and online publications, including the <i>Sunday Times, The Times, Rand Daily Mail and BusinessLIVE. He was an anti-apartheid activist in the United Democratic Front while serving on the executive of the National Union of South African Students. He is the author of several books, including Ragged Glory: The Rainbow Nation in Black and White and Ramaphosa: The Man Who Would Be King.
