Developmental State in Africa

Abstract

As various studies have uncovered, a significant number of states in Africa remain in abject poverty and are underdeveloped, long after the end of colonialism. These degrading economic conditions are further reinforced by authoritarian political cultures, unending instability and civil wars. The few exceptions include Botswana, South Africa and Mauritius. To stimulate national economic and social progress, African countries have experimented with different development models. In this paper, we compare the developmental state experiences of Ethiopia and Mauritius. A qualitative research approach was used, and the study is based entirely on an analysis of secondary data sources. The analysis proceeds by using comparative techniques. The findings of the study reveal that though the employment of the developmental state model resulted in growth in both Ethiopia and Mauritius, the way in which they instituted key policies and institutions of the developmental state has been quite different.