Political Economy of Power Sharing in Developing Countries - by Akietuwopiribie Opuene Hart (Hardcover)

About the Book

The clamour for power shift, zoning, and power sharing are rooted in the competition by identity factors of ethnicity, religion, and geography for economic gains for groups and individuals within identity factors.

Book Synopsis

Political Economy of Power Sharing in Developing Countries is an in-depth examination of factors that trigger the clamor for power sharing, zoning and rotation in mostly developing countries. These provocations include geographical, ethnic, and religious identity factors that can influence the political process in varying degrees from country to country. The impact goes a long way in determining the stability and instability of the political process in various countries. The reasons for these differences and the impacts are a combination of the endogenous variables in the first instance, which are the primary prompters. Other elements, which are the exogenous factors, are secondary prompters. When these converge, they produce a peculiar impact in a given society based on the characteristic variables and the resulting outcome. The new paradigm shifts in the agitation in developing countries is demonstrated by an elitist instrument of marginalization and self-aggrandizement. The masses are hoodwinked, sensitized, and manipulated through primal sentiment to support the elites in acquiring political power, which in turn enables the acquisition of economic power.

Review Quotes

Hart adeptly highlights how factors such as ethnicity, religion, and geography play a significant role in shaping power-sharing arrangements that ultimately benefit political elites rather than the masses they are meant to serve. The book brings a fresh perspective on how political power becomes a tool for economic domination, often at the expense of the broader public's well-being. Hart's research makes a significant contribution to the field of political economy and provides readers with a much-needed framework to understand the relationship between politics and economics in developing countries. I wholeheartedly recommend Political Economy of Power Sharing in Developing Countries to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the political dynamics in emerging economies.
Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Nigeria

Nigeria has struggled with how to manage it's diversity crisis for more than sixty years of political independence. The recurring problems of inter-ethnic violence, corruption banditry, insurgency, herder-farmer conflict, and social discontent are indicative that these crises are far from over. It is indeed a great contribution to political economy, Nigerian Government and Politics and Policy studies. As a Professor of Political Economy & Development Studies, I strongly endorse it for use of academics, policy makers and all those interested in the study of the Nigerian state.
University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

The book, Political Economy of Power Sharing in Developing Countries, is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the critical role that identity plays in shaping the politics and power dynamics of emerging economies. Akie Hart's analysis effectively illustrates how political and non-political positions in these countries are not always a result of merit but are heavily influenced by identity politics. This phenomenon is a central cause of the developmental paralysis faced by many nations today. Hart's research offers a deep analysis of how power-sharing mechanisms are used by elites to maintain their control over resources, often at the expense of the broader population's welfare.
Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, NIgeria

About the Author

Akietuwopiribie Opuene Hart holds a BSc in Public Administration, an Advanced Diploma in Theology, and two MSc degrees in Environmental Health and Development Studies, along with a PhD in Development Studies.