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In African Politics in Comparative Perspective, Goran Hyden takes on a daunting task. The volume promises to introduce readers to African politics and to situate Africa relative to other regions through an overview and synthesis of 50 years of scholarship. By tracing the historical roots of contemporary politics in sub-Saharan Africa and highlighting historical continuities and changes, Hyden provides a broad-brushed depiction of political conditions and dynamics found in many African countries. Five chapters address thematic concerns: the movement legacy, the weakness of the state, an ongoing reliance on informal reciprocal exchanges, the prominence of "big men" or charismatic rule, and the prioritization of politics (the drive to maintain power) over policy (understood in terms of technical considerations). Another four chapters explore the consequences of these dynamics for agricultural policy and agrarian development, gender and politics, ethnicity and conflict, and international relations and, especially, foreign aid. Two final chapters summarize the themes and contemplate future directions.
In Hyden's view, several features of contemporary African politics can be traced to colonial rule and the period of anti-colonial mobilization. Outside of Ethiopia, modern states did not exist in sub-Saharan Africa prior...