IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/afrdev/v32y2020i3p419-431.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

La diffusion des TIC ameliore‐t‐elle qualitativement les institutions politiques en Afrique?

Author

Listed:
  • Désiré Avom
  • Louis de Berquin Eyike Mbongo

Abstract

This paper empirically analyses the impact of the diffusion of information and communication technology (ICT) on the quality of institutions simultaneously captured by democracy and corruption in a few African countries. To do so, we specify a panel Tobit model in which democracy is measured by the Institutional Quality Index proposed by the ICRG, while corruption is approximated by the Corruption Control Index. Our model is estimated on a sample of 40 African countries over the period 1995–2018. Overall, the main results show that ICT diffusion significantly improves the quality of democracy and reduces the propensity to corruption in the sample countries. We suggest strengthening the rule of law to increase the quality of democracy, a source of positive externalities on corruption. Ce papier analyse empiriquement l'impact de la diffusion des TIC (Technologie de l'Information et de la Communication), sur la qualité des institutions captées simultanément par la démocratie et la corruption dans quelques pays africains. Pour y parvenir, nous spécifions un modèle Tobit en panel dans lequel la démocratie est mesurée par l'indice de qualité institutionnelle proposée par l'ICRG, alors que la corruption est approximée par celui du contrôle de la corruption. Notre modèle est estimé sur un échantillon de 40 pays africains sur la période 1995–2018. Les principaux résultats montrent globalement que la diffusion des TIC améliore significativement la qualité de la démocratie, et réduit la propension à la corruption dans les pays de l’échantillon. Nous suggérons le renforcement de l’état de droit pour accroitre la qualité de la démocratie, source d'externalités positives sur la corruption.

Suggested Citation

  • Désiré Avom & Louis de Berquin Eyike Mbongo, 2020. "La diffusion des TIC ameliore‐t‐elle qualitativement les institutions politiques en Afrique?," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 32(3), pages 419-431, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:afrdev:v:32:y:2020:i:3:p:419-431
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-8268.12449
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8268.12449
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/1467-8268.12449?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Vanessa S. Tchamyou & Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "The Role of ICT in Modulating the Effect of Education and Lifelong Learning on Income Inequality and Economic Growth in Africa," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 31(3), pages 261-274, September.
    2. Lucas, Robert E, Jr, 1990. "Why Doesn't Capital Flow from Rich to Poor Countries?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 80(2), pages 92-96, May.
    3. Léonce Ndikumana, 2016. "Causes and Effects of Capital Flight from Africa: Lessons from Case Studies," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 28(S1), pages 2-7, April.
    4. Clague, Christopher & Keefer, Philip & Knack, Stephen & Olson, Mancur, 1996. "Property and Contract Rights in Autocracies and Democracies," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 243-276, June.
    5. Henri Atangana Ondoa, 2013. "Gouvernance et croissance économique en Afrique," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 25(2), pages 130-147, June.
    6. North, Douglass C, 1994. "Economic Performance through Time," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(3), pages 359-368, June.
    7. Pierskalla, Jan H. & Hollenbach, Florian M., 2013. "Technology and Collective Action: The Effect of Cell Phone Coverage on Political Violence in Africa," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 107(2), pages 207-224, May.
    8. Henri Ondoa, 2013. "Gouvernance et croissance économique en Afrique," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 25(2), pages 130-147.
    9. Bruszt, László & Vedres, Balázs & Stark, David, 2005. "Shaping the Web of Civic Participation: Civil Society Websites in Eastern Europe," Journal of Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 25(1), pages 149-163, May.
    10. Omgba, Luc Désiré, 2015. "Why Do Some Oil-Producing Countries Succeed in Democracy While Others Fail?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 180-189.
    11. Johan Fourie, 2019. "Who Writes African Economic History?," Economic History of Developing Regions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(2), pages 111-131, May.
    12. Acemoglu, Daron & Robinson, James A., 2006. "Economic Backwardness in Political Perspective," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 100(1), pages 115-131, February.
    13. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson, 2001. "The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1369-1401, December.
    14. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James Robinson, 2005. "The Rise of Europe: Atlantic Trade, Institutional Change, and Economic Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(3), pages 546-579, June.
    15. J. K. Boyce & L. Ndikumana, 2001. "Is Africa a Net Creditor? New Estimates of Capital Flight from Severely Indebted Sub-Saharan African Countries, 1970-96," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(2), pages 27-56.
    16. Samson Edo & Henry Okodua & John Odebiyi, 2019. "Internet Adoption and Financial Development in Sub‐Saharan Africa: Evidence from Nigeria and Kenya," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 31(1), pages 144-160, March.
    17. Robert J. Barro, 1999. "Determinants of Democracy," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 107(S6), pages 158-183, December.
    18. Bardhan, Pranab, 1989. "The new institutional economics and development theory: A brief critical assessment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 17(9), pages 1389-1395, September.
    19. Amah Kalu Ogbonnaya & Okezie Stella Ogechuckwu, 2017. "Impact of Illicit Financial Flow on Economic Growth and Development: Evidence from Nigeria," International Journal of Innovation and Economic Development, Inovatus Services Ltd., vol. 3(4), pages 19-33, October.
    20. Anke Hoeffler & Sylvia Bishop, 2014. "Free and Fair Elections - A New Database," Economics Series Working Papers WPS/2014-14, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    21. Omgba, Luc Désiré, 2014. "Institutional foundations of export diversification patterns in oil-producing countries," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(4), pages 1052-1064.
    22. Sang H. Lee & John Levendis & Luis Gutierrez, 2012. "Telecommunications and economic growth: an empirical analysis of sub-Saharan Africa," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(4), pages 461-469, February.
    23. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    24. Bruno Emmanuel Ongo Nkoa & Jacques Simon Song, 2017. "Analyse des effets de la qualité des institutions sur la volatilité des Investissements Directs Etrangers en Afrique," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 29(4), pages 674-688, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Tii N. Nchofoung & Simplice A. Asongu & Arsène A. Njamen Kengdo & Elvis D. Achuo, 2022. "Linear and non‐linear effects of infrastructures on inclusive human development in Africa," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 34(1), pages 81-96, March.
    2. Yselle F. Malah Kuete & Simplice A. Asongu, 2023. "Infrastructure Development as a Prerequisite for Structural Change in Africa," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 14(2), pages 1386-1412, June.

    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. Madsen, Jakob B. & Raschky, Paul A. & Skali, Ahmed, 2015. "Does democracy drive income in the world, 1500–2000?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 175-195.
    2. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson & Pierre Yared, 2008. "Income and Democracy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(3), pages 808-842, June.
    3. Graziella Bertocchi, 2006. "Growth, history and institutions," Chapters, in: Neri Salvadori (ed.), Economic Growth and Distribution, chapter 14, pages 331-349, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Matallah, Siham, 2020. "Economic diversification in MENA oil exporters: Understanding the role of governance," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    5. Nadezhda V. Baryshnikova & Ngoc T.A. Pham & Maria M. Wihardja, 2016. "Does Political and Economic Inequality Affect Institutional Quality?," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 92(297), pages 190-208, June.
    6. Chowdhury, Shyamal K., 2004. "The effect of democracy and press freedom on corruption: an empirical test," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 85(1), pages 93-101, October.
    7. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Governance, capital flight and industrialisation in Africa," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 8(1), pages 1-22, December.
    8. Rok Spruk & Mitja Kovac, 2018. "Inefficient Growth," Review of Economics and Institutions, Università di Perugia, vol. 9(2).
    9. Simplice Asongu & Joseph Amankwah-Amoah, 2016. "Military expenditure, terrorism and capital flight: Insights from Africa," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 16/018, African Governance and Development Institute..
    10. Pranab Bardhan, 2005. "Institutions matter, but which ones?," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 13(3), pages 499-532, July.
    11. Elvis Dze Achuo & Tii N. Nchofoung & Simplice A. Asongu & Gildas Dohba Dinga, 2021. "Unravelling the Mysteries of Underdevelopment in Africa," Research Africa Network Working Papers 21/073, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    12. Simplice A. Asongu & Joseph Nnanna, 2020. "Governance and the Capital Flight Trap in Africa," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 20/024, African Governance and Development Institute..
    13. Freund, Caroline & Jaud, Melise, 2013. "Regime Change, Democracy and Growth," CEPR Discussion Papers 9282, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    14. Harms, Philipp & an de Meulen, Philipp, 2013. "Demographic structure and the security of property rights: The role of development and democracy," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 73-89.
    15. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James Robinson, 2005. "The Rise of Europe: Atlantic Trade, Institutional Change, and Economic Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(3), pages 546-579, June.
    16. Hao Wang & Yuemei Ji & Qi Luo, 2020. "The Employment Effect of Inward FDI in China: What Do We Learn from the History?," CESifo Working Paper Series 8392, CESifo.
    17. Acemoglu, Daron & Johnson, Simon & Robinson, James A., 2005. "Institutions as a Fundamental Cause of Long-Run Growth," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 6, pages 385-472, Elsevier.
    18. Idrissa Yaya Diandy & Alioune Badara Seck, 2021. "Infrastructures physiques et croissance économique en Afrique de l'Ouest: Le rôle des institutions," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 33(1), pages 154-165, March.
    19. Asongu, Simplice A. & Amankwah-Amoah, Joseph, 2018. "Mitigating capital flight through military expenditure: Insight from 37 African countries," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 38-53.
    20. Besley, Timothy & Kudamatsu, Masayuki, 2007. "Making autocracy work," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 3764, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

    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:bla:afrdev:v:32:y:2020:i:3:p:419-431. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/afdbgci.html .

    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.