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Did Africa’s First Choices Matter? Growth Legacies of Leaders at Independence

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  • Christina Mangaard Jørgensen
  • Christian Bjørnskov

Abstract

We explore the potential effects of the first leaders of Sub-Saharan Africa. We first outline a set of theoretical reasons for why leaders may matter particularly at the critical juncture of African independence and why this influence may be persistent. In an unbalanced panel from 40 African countries observed since independence, we find evidence of strongly persistent effects of the education of African leaders. Only military coups seem able to break the persistent negative influence of this characteristic.

Suggested Citation

  • Christina Mangaard Jørgensen & Christian Bjørnskov, 2016. "Did Africa’s First Choices Matter? Growth Legacies of Leaders at Independence," Working Papers CEB 16-049, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    • Handle: RePEc:sol:wpaper:2013/240598
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    Blog mentions

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    1. "Achieving" independence or "falling into" independence
      by Francesc Trillas in Real Progress on 2015-12-03 14:08:00

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Africa; leaders; institutions; development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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