IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bjc/journl/v11y2024i4p824-834.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Democracy and Inclusive Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Desiree Sama-Lang

    (Pan-African University of Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences – Yaoundé, Cameroon.)

Abstract

This research explores the link between democracy and inclusive growth in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A fixed-effects model is used to analyse how the Freedom in the World Index (FIW) score, along with other economic, institutional, and demographic factors, affects a composite index of inclusive growth. The findings challenge the simplistic notion that democratic improvements directly lead to more inclusive growth. Overall, the FIW score exhibits a negative association with inclusive growth across SSA. However, further analysis reveals a potential threshold effect. For countries with highly developed democratic institutions (high FIW score), the FIW score is not statistically significant. Conversely, for countries with less developed democracies (low FIW score), the FIW score has a negative and significant coefficient. This latter finding might be due to reverse causality, where economic decline prompts calls for democratic reforms. For future research, it may be necessary to look deeper into the threshold effect and explore alternative measures of democracy relevant to the SSA context. Additionally, analysing the influence of specific democratic features on various dimensions of inclusive growth (economic, social, and sustainability) could be fruitful. Finally, policymakers should consider the specific level of democratic development in each SSA country when formulating policies aimed at fostering inclusive growth. This study contributes to a nuanced understanding of how democratic institutions can be leveraged to achieve equitable and sustainable development in SSA.

Suggested Citation

  • Desiree Sama-Lang, 2024. "Democracy and Inclusive Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 11(4), pages 824-834, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bjc:journl:v:11:y:2024:i:4:p:824-834
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijrsi/digital-library/volume-11-issue-4/824-834.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijrsi/articles/democracy-and-inclusive-growth-in-sub-saharan-africa/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tavares, Jose & Wacziarg, Romain, 2001. "How democracy affects growth," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 45(8), pages 1341-1378, August.
    2. Suttie, D. & Benfica, R., 2016. "IFAD RESEARCH SERIES 3 - Fostering inclusive outcomes in sub-Saharan African agriculture: improving agricultural productivity and expanding agribusiness opportunities," IFAD Research Series 280040, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
    3. Rowley, Charles K., 2000. "Political culture and economic performance in sub-Saharan Africa," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 133-158, March.
    4. World Bank, 2020. "Global Economic Prospects, January 2020," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 33044, April.
    5. Feng, Yi, 1997. "Democracy, Political Stability and Economic Growth," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 27(3), pages 391-418, July.
    6. Colagrossi, Marco & Rossignoli, Domenico & Maggioni, Mario A., 2020. "Does democracy cause growth? A meta-analysis (of 2000 regressions)," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    7. João Tovar Jalles & Luiz de Mello, 2019. "Cross‐country evidence on the determinants of inclusive growth episodes," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(4), pages 1818-1839, November.
    8. Tay-Cheng Ma & Lishu Ouyang, 2016. "Democracy And Growth: A Perspective From Democratic Experience," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 54(4), pages 1790-1804, October.
    9. Hristos Doucouliagos & Mehmet Ali Ulubaşoğlu, 2008. "Democracy and Economic Growth: A Meta‐Analysis," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 52(1), pages 61-83, January.
    10. Opeoluwa Adeniyi Adeosun & Philip Akani Olomola & Mosab I. Tabash & Suhaib Anagreh, 2022. "Investment and inclusive growth in sub-Saharan Africa," African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 13(4), pages 525-550, August.
    11. Barro, Robert J, 1996. "Democracy and Growth," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 1-27, March.
    12. World Bank, 2020. "Global Economic Prospects, June 2020," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 33748, April.
    13. Ludovic Comeau, 2003. "Democracy and Growth: A Relationship Revisited," Eastern Economic Journal, Eastern Economic Association, vol. 29(1), pages 1-21, Winter.
    14. Aijaz Ali & Farhad Analoui, 2023. "Decentralisation by military regimes and challenges to citizen participation: an empirical reflection from Pakistan," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sima, Di & Huang, Fali, 2023. "Is democracy good for growth? — Development at political transition time matters," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    2. Brieger Stefan & Markwardt Gunther, 2020. "The Democracy–Economy-Nexus," Review of Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 71(2), pages 135-167, August.
    3. Pakhnin, M. & Shapovalov, R., 2023. "Democratic capital and economic growth in the countries of the third wave of democratization," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, vol. 58(1), pages 12-31.
    4. Asiye Tutuncu & Yasar Bayraktar, 2024. "The effect of democracy and corruption paradox on economic growth: MINT countries," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1-25, August.
    5. Muhammad Zakaria & Bashir Ahmed Fida, 2009. "Democratic Institutions and Variability of Economic Growth in Pakistan: Some Evidence from the Time-series Analysis," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 48(3), pages 269-289.
    6. Andrei S. Akhremenko & Alexander Petrov, 2014. "Efficiency, Policy Selection, And Growth In Democracy And Autocracy: A Formal Dynamical Model," HSE Working papers WP BRP 16/PS/2014, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    7. Bougharriou, Nouha & Benayed, Walid & Gabsi, Foued Badr, 2019. "The democracy and economic growth nexus: Do FDI and government spending matter? Evidence from the Arab world," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 13, pages 1-29.
    8. Gründler, Klaus & Krieger, Tommy, 2022. "Should we care (more) about data aggregation?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    9. repec:pra:mprapa:99376 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Paul Pelzl & Steven Poelhekke, 2023. "Democratization, leader education and growth: firm-level evidence from Indonesia," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 571-600, December.
    11. Dörffel, Christoph & Freytag, Andreas, 2023. "The poverty effect of democratization," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    12. Kaya MUHAMMED VEYSEL & Yılmaz SUAT SERHAT, 2019. "Does Economic Growth Need Democracy? An Application on Islamic Countries with System-GMM Approach," Economics and Applied Informatics, "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, issue 1, pages 156-161.
    13. Xiaowei Zang, 2010. "Why Are the Elite in China Motivated to Promote Growth?," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2010-084, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    14. Sugata Ghosh & Andros Gregoriou & Anirban Mitra, 2013. "On the Role of Democracy in the Ethnicity-Growth Relationship: Theory and Evidence," CEDI Discussion Paper Series 13-02, Centre for Economic Development and Institutions(CEDI), Brunel University.
    15. Méon, Pierre-Guillaume & Sekkat, Khalid, 2022. "A time to throw stones, a time to reap: how long does it take for democratic transitions to improve institutional outcomes?," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(3), pages 429-443, June.
    16. Daron Acemoglu & Suresh Naidu & Pascual Restrepo & James A. Robinson, 2019. "Democracy Does Cause Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 127(1), pages 47-100.
    17. Jeffry A. Jacob & Thomas Osang, 2018. "Democracy And Growth: A Dynamic Panel Data Study," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 65(01), pages 41-80, August.
    18. Tang, Sam Hak Kan & Yung, Linda Chor Wing, 2008. "Does rapid economic growth enhance democratization? Time-series evidence from high performing Asian economies," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 244-253, June.
    19. Gründler, Klaus & Krieger, Tommy, 2016. "Democracy and growth: Evidence from a machine learning indicator," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 45(S), pages 85-107.
    20. Nasreddine Kaidi & Sami Mensi, 2020. "Financial Development, Income Inequality, and Poverty Reduction: Democratic Versus Autocratic Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 11(4), pages 1358-1381, December.
    21. Askarov, Zohid & Doucouliagos, Hristos, 2015. "Aid and institutions in transition economies," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 55-70.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bjc:journl:v:11:y:2024:i:4:p:824-834. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dr. Renu Malsaria (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijrsi/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.