Book contents
- Power Over Progress
- Power Over Progress
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Cross-Country Patterns in Subnational Allocation of Development Finance
- 3 No Hyena Eats the Lion’s Share
- 4 An Ounce of Competition, a Pound of Gold
- 5 Ghana: Short Horizons, Decentralized Rent Management, and the Targeting of Swing Voters during Electoral Cycles
- 6 Conclusion
- Book part
- Bibliography
- Index
1 - Introduction
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 March 2026
Book contents
- Power Over Progress
- Power Over Progress
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Cross-Country Patterns in Subnational Allocation of Development Finance
- 3 No Hyena Eats the Lion’s Share
- 4 An Ounce of Competition, a Pound of Gold
- 5 Ghana: Short Horizons, Decentralized Rent Management, and the Targeting of Swing Voters during Electoral Cycles
- 6 Conclusion
- Book part
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
This chapter lays the foundation for a theory that integrates external accountability (pressures from financiers and transparency regimes) and internal accountability (electoral competition and coalition maintenance) to explain the distributive politics of development finance. It also provides an overview of the data sources and mixed-methods research design employed in this book outlines the book’s core contribution, and offers a concise preview of the subsequent chapters to guide readers through the unfolding narrative.
Keywords
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- Power Over ProgressHow Politics Shape Development Finance in Africa, pp. 1 - 31Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
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