Sapped Democracy

This book is a study of the interaction between liberal economic and political reforms in Nigeria between 1983 and 1993. The work investigates the causes and outcome of the Nigerian state's decision to undertake a simultaneous, dual transition. It considers the role of the state, multilateral organizations and domestic politics as potential causes of policy and the dynamic interaction between economic and political processes during the transition as determinants of the outcome. Few studies focus on the interaction between the role of the multilaterals, external creditors, and the state as well as the state and powerful domestic actors as determinants of development strategy on contemporary Africans. Nigeria's dual transition reveals complex power struggles by these domestic and international actors. By providing evidence of the dynamic interaction between state, society, and external forces during a period of grave economic crisis, the underlying power relations which shaped the possibility of economic recovery and democracy become evident. This book advances interdisciplinary, theoretical dialogue and contributes to policy studies by analyzing the interaction of policymaking with socioeconomic and political outcomes.