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Law, Politics and the Quality of Government in Africa

Author

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  • Simplice Asongu

    (Yaoundé/Cameroun)

  • Jacinta C. Nwachukwu

    (Coventry University)

Abstract

This paper examines interconnections between law, politics and the quality of government in Africa. We investigate whether African democracies enjoy relatively better government quality compared to their counterparts with more autocratic inclinations. The empirical evidence is based on Instrumental variable Two-Stage-Least Squares and Fixed Effects with data from 38 African countries for the period 1994-2010. Political regimes of democracy, polity and autocracy are instrumented with income-levels, legal-origins, religious-dominations and press-freedom to account for government quality dynamics, of corruption-control, government-effectiveness, voice and accountability, political-stability, regulation quality and the rule of law. Findings show that democracy has an edge over autocracy while the latter and polity overlap. As a policy implication, democracy once initiated should be accelerated to edge the appeals of authoritarian regimes.

Suggested Citation

  • Simplice Asongu & Jacinta C. Nwachukwu, 2016. "Law, Politics and the Quality of Government in Africa," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 16/019, African Governance and Development Institute..
    • Handle: RePEc:agd:wpaper:16/019
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Asongu, Simplice, 2017. "Does Globalization Promote Good Governance in Africa? An Empirical Study Across 51 countries," MPRA Paper 82629, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. GUISAN, Maria-Carmen & EXPOSITO, Pilar, 2021. "Industry, Education, Development And Quality Of Life In African Countries, 1995-2020," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 21(2), pages 53-76.
    3. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Enhancing Governance for Environmental Sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 19/090, African Governance and Development Institute..
    4. Asongu, Simplice & Nnanna, Joseph, 2020. "Governance and the Capital Flight Trap in Africa," MPRA Paper 103226, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Nchofoung, Tii & Asongu, Simplice & Tchamyou, Vanessa & Edoh, Ofeh, 2021. "Political inclusion and democracy in Africa: some empirical evidence," MPRA Paper 111838, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Simplice A. Asongu & Uchenna R. Efobi & Belmondo V. Tanankem & Evans S. Osabuohien, 2019. "Globalisation and Female Economic Participation in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 19/019, African Governance and Development Institute..
    7. Iheonu, Chimere & Asongu, Simplice & Agbutun, Shedrach & Ifelunini, Innocent, 2021. "Democracy and Terrorism in Africa," MPRA Paper 111758, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Tii N. Nchofoung & Simplice A. Asongu & Vanessa S. Tchamyou & Ofeh M. Edoh, 2022. "Gender political inclusion and democracy in Africa: some empirical evidence," Working Papers of The Association for Promoting Women in Research and Development in Africa (ASPROWORDA). 22/011, The Association for Promoting Women in Research and Development in Africa (ASPROWORDA).
    9. Simplice A. Asongu & Uchenna R. Efobi & Belmondo V. Tanankem, 2017. "On the Relationship between Globalisation and the Economic Participation of Women in Sub-Saharan Africa," Research Africa Network Working Papers 17/001, Research Africa Network (RAN).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Law; Politics; Democracy; Government Policy; Development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K00 - Law and Economics - - General - - - General (including Data Sources and Description)
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State
    • P43 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Finance; Public Finance
    • P50 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - General

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