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Africa as a Success Story: Political Organization in Pre-Colonial Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Soeren J. Henn
  • James A. Robinson

Abstract

We provide an overview of the explanations for the relative lack of state formation historically in Africa. In doing so we systematically document for the first time the extent to which Africa was politically decentralized, calculating that in 1880 there were probably 45,000 independent polities which were rarely organized on ethnic lines. At most 2% of these could be classified as states. We advance a new argument for this extreme political decentralization positing that African societies were deliberately organized to stop centralization emerging. In this they were successful. We point out some key aspects of African societies that helped them to manage this equilibrium. We also emphasize how the organization of the economy was subservient to these political goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Soeren J. Henn & James A. Robinson, 2025. "Africa as a Success Story: Political Organization in Pre-Colonial Africa," NBER Working Papers 34546, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34546
    Note: POL
    as

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D7 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making
    • N47 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Africa; Oceania
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa
    • P5 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems

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