Theory of the crises of the state

Abstract

Africa has suffered untold hardship through a series of violent encounters with other parts of the world. Despite differences in historical epochs and actors, the destitution and the inhumanity of the African states have not changed across time. These crises have raised serious questions about the definitions, origins, the nature, the functions, the capability, the capacity and the effects of African states. This chapter argues that the diverse descriptions of these crises and the competing and/or complementary possible remedies for them imply an important conclusion: that the most significant factors accounting for the origins, persistence and harrowing effects of the crises are directly related to the profound legitimation deficits of the state, its institutions and political incumbents, and the interplay of both local and international factors, past and present.