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Crusader Complex: Good Governance and Political Settlements in Africa and Beyond

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  • Xu, Tao Louie
  • Zhou, Shengjie

Abstract

This perspective critically examines the global alignment of good governance as a crusader complex to ideologically universalise Western market-oriented institutions across the South. With the case of Sub-Saharan Africa, the essay interrogates the historical, sociopolitical, and economic implications of imposing one-size-fits-all governance standards without sufficient contextualisation. The political settlements approach is called to recognise diverse power structures and local realities. Scanning South Africa, Mauritius, Senegal, and Botswana, it demonstrates the necessity of tailoring governance to specific contexts with pragmatic political settlements.

Suggested Citation

  • Xu, Tao Louie & Zhou, Shengjie, 2024. "Crusader Complex: Good Governance and Political Settlements in Africa and Beyond," MPRA Paper 122765, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:122765
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    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/122765/1/MPRA_paper_122765.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Matt Andrews, 2008. "The Good Governance Agenda: Beyond Indicators without Theory," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(4), pages 379-407.
    2. Gisselquist, Rachel M., 2012. "Good Governance as a Concept, and Why This Matters for Development Policy," WIDER Working Paper Series 030, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Xu, Tao, 2024. "The Third Way: Reinterpreting the Political Settlements Framework with Structuration Theory," MPRA Paper 122491, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. repec:unu:wpaper:wp2012-30 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Xu, Tao Louie, 2024. "The Third Way: Reinterpreting the Political Settlements Framework with Structuration Theory," SocArXiv nmvhq, Center for Open Science.
    6. repec:osf:socarx:nmvhq_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Daniel Stedman Jones, 2012. "Masters of the Universe: Hayek, Friedman, and the Birth of Neoliberal Politics," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 9827.
    8. Emmanuel Botlhale, 2017. "Sustaining the developmental state and moving towards a developed state in Botswana," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(1), pages 90-104, January.
    9. Xu, Tao Louie, 2024. "Economic Growth, Poverty Mitigation, and Social Policy in our Neoliberal Era: A Polanyian Perspective," MPRA Paper 122658, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Rachel M. Gisselquist, 2012. "Good Governance as a Concept, and Why This Matters for Development Policy," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2012-030, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    11. M. Doornbos, 2001. "'Good Governance': The Rise and Decline of a Policy Metaphor?," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(6), pages 93-108.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • B5 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches
    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
    • Z18 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Public Policy

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