International Journal of Research in Education Humanities and Commerce

DEMOCRATIC DECAY IN AFRICA: REFLECTION ON THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE AND POOR LEADERSHIP

Author: Samia Idris Adem

ABSTRACT

This paper is a qualitative analysis of democratic decay in Africa with a specific focus on governance systems and leadership. The study combines an exploratory and a case study approach taking an in-depth analysis of drivers of democracy decline in, Gabon, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Four theories have been utilized to uncover factors, (political, economic, institutional, and international influences), that have played a role in strengthening authoritarian regimes in these countries. The study has obtained data from government websites and international organizations’ reports, (United Nations and United States Department of States), Freedom House Index, Civil societies publications, Civic Society participation Index, world development indicators, and country-specific credited publications. This paper concludes that a complex combination of political, economic, institutional, and international factors bear responsibility for the decline of democracy. Authoritarianism has flourished politically due to the established dominance of ruling regimes, feeble opposition parties, and constrained democratic institutions. Moreover, democratic governance and accountability have been weakened by income disparity, corruption, and reliance on natural resources.

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