The Palgrave Handbook of African Political Economy

Abstract

The political economy of Africa has manifested itself in various forms. In recent years, there have been discourses around a supposed African rising. The leading media houses and international financial institutions have been at the forefront of this narrative. Global capital has seen Africa as various poles of accumulation and sites of investment. In reality, the growth trajectories have not benefited Africans as poverty and inequality remain high. This chapter seeks to think through how Africa was inserted into the global capitalist system and how contemporary dynamics intensify the dependent position of Africa. The chapter also focuses on state-society relations and how the modes of governance affect development outcomes in Africa.