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8 - Conclusion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  aN Invalid Date NaN

Jessica Gottlieb
Affiliation:
University of Houston
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Summary

The final chapter concludes by outlining practical policy guidance implied by the theory and exploring speculative but promising pathways out of the weak-state trap from both Senegal and elsewhere. First, it considers nascent constituencies that might serve as advocates for a stronger, more programmatic state. In particular, it tells the story of Senegal’s wealthiest businessman, who built an incredibly successful corporation and whose political interests are now at odds with those of the traditional economic elite. It then traces the rise of a new, externally mobilized political party (a recipe for success suggested by the literature) that has a more credible claim to making programmatic promises than its predecessors, which have all been borne out of elites from the ruling party. Finally, it introduces two possibilities suggested by cases outside Africa: mixing strategies (clientelistic and programmatic) and compensating intermediaries. I additionally consider whether and how the book’s theory might extend beyond Africa, to Latin America in particular, and conclude with a discussion of the book’s academic contributions and policy implications.

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  • Conclusion
  • Jessica Gottlieb, University of Houston
  • Book: Keeping the State Weak
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009846707.008
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  • Conclusion
  • Jessica Gottlieb, University of Houston
  • Book: Keeping the State Weak
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009846707.008
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Conclusion
  • Jessica Gottlieb, University of Houston
  • Book: Keeping the State Weak
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009846707.008
Available formats
×