One-party government in the Ivory Coast

Abstract

Political life in the Ivory Coast has been centeredin recent years around the activities of one man, FelixHouphouet-Boigny, and of one organization, the Parti Democratiquede Cote d'lvoire. By 1957, three years before thecountry became independent, they had gained a virtualmonopoly over access to public office at all levels. Havingacquired power and authority, the new rulers of the IvoryCoast created instruments of government in their own image.They defined the rules of the game, recruited the players,and chose the goals to be pursued. The purpose of this studyis to explore the origins of this regime, its present characteristics,and its possible future.