Lecture 13: Leadership and coalitions

Question 1

The fundamental problem of the politics of development

Answer 1

Where does the political will for accountability, collective action, and representation come from? Why would leaders implement change?

Question 2

5 Structural arguments of development

Answer 2

1. Geography
2. History
3. Geopolitics
4. Existing socioeconomic conditions
5. Formal and informal institutions

Question 3

How are history and institutions path dependent, according to structural arguments? 3 points

Answer 3

1. Winners from current institutions are powerful and can veto changes
2. Informal institutions depend on expectations, being stuck in an equilibrium, with need for big push to change
3. Agreeing on new institutions is a collective action problem itself

Question 4

How does path dependency prevent accountability, collective action, and representation?

Answer 4

Accountability: once I’m in power, why help citizens hold me accountable?

Collective action: reporting corruption leads to social shaming

Representation: Leaders have no reason to change the rules that elected them in the first place

Question 5

Definition: Agency

Answer 5

The capacity of agents to shape their environment

Question 6

Agency encompasses the ability to do these 3 things

Answer 6

1. Change institutions
2. Enforce institutions
3. Make institutions legitimate/respected

Question 7

Definition: Critical junctures

Answer 7

Moments in time when the constraints of path dependency are alleviated, and agency has broader scope to alter institutional rules and outcomes in the future

Question 8

2 examples of critical junctures

Answer 8

Natural resources running out; impending conflict

Question 9

These 4 things can create critical junctures

Answer 9

1. External imposition (e.g. Japanese post-war constitution made by the US)
2. Revolutions - after war (constraints of former people in power gone) or democratization
3. Economic shocks (oil shocks 1980s)
4. Shifting ideas about institutions (fall of Berlin Wall -> democratization in Africa; Arab spring)

Question 10

How do leaders use agency?

Answer 10

By forming coalitions

Question 11

4 ways that forming coalitions is collective action

Answer 11

1. Common goal to win and stay in power
2. Each potential member wants to ‘free-ride’ on the concessions of others
3. Leaders must get enough potential members to compromise and agree
4. Both formal and informal coalitions

Question 12

What was the great thing about Mandela’s coalition in South Africa?

Answer 12

He made everyone a winner from development

Question 13

Which coalitions are pro-development is

Answer 13

Country-specific, depending on the relationship between political and economic elites

Question 14

Definition: Developmental coalition

Answer 14

A broad coalition with concentrated enforcement power that directs rents to invest in development

Question 15

Developmental coalition: Broad coalition

Answer 15

Key economic and political elites are part of the coalition to ensure:
- institutions are inclusive, not extractive
- more people have a stake in development
- losers are credibly compensated and don’t resist

Question 16

Developmental coalition: Concentrated power

Answer 16

The leader can discipline members of the coalition so:
- Institutions are enforced
- Accountability limits corruption and clientelism to benefit the coalition as a whole
- Autonomy of bureaucrats is protected
- Leaders initiate collective action

Question 17

Developmental coalition: Rents directed to investment

Answer 17

Directing rents toward developmental ends, not personal gains
Informal coalition ties provide ‘embedded’ autonomy

Question 18

How can a developmental coalition improve development? 4 points

Answer 18

1. Voters reward politicians for successfully creating development
2. Emerging business elites provide electoral financing to politicians
3. Business elites get favorable terms and investment opportunities, if they promote development
4. Bureaucrats earn social praise from developmental success, not corruption

Question 19

How has Rwanda achieved rapid development (strengthened institutional rules, centralized state, successful external aid, low corruption, limited resistance?

Answer 19

Through a developmental coalition!
- Broad with politicians, business elites, military leaders, Tutsis and moderate Hutus, women
- Concentrated power in Rwandan Patriotic Front as a dominant party, grounded in the military
- Directing rents to investment

Question 20

How is development politically beneficial to the coalition in Rwanda?

Answer 20

Business investments received political protection, and electoral campaigns financed by business profits

Question 21

Definition: Developmental patrimonial (Rwanda)

Answer 21

Developmental: Directing and disciplining resources for investment

Patrimonialism: centralized and personalized power, which is surprising given our theories

Question 22

What 5 conditions permitted the emergence of a developmental coalition in Rwanda?

Answer 22

1. A history of Weberian bureaucracy and indigenous state-building
2. Disempowerment of large landowners (genocide)
3. Dominant, cohesive elite
4. External threats that align elite interests with development
5. The agency of Kagame to forge a broad coalition, use concentrated power and enforce accountability, initiating collective action using social norms, increasing representation for pro-development groups, and effectively using aid

Question 23

Which 5 things questions the sustainability of the Kagame regime in Rwanda?

Answer 23

1. Dependent on Kagame
2. Economic crisis may undermine coalition
3. Reciprocal financing can easily become corruption
4. Dominant parties lack credibility
5. Violence discourages investment

Question 24

What does the role of agency imply for the role of donors and external aid?

Answer 24

If the coalition is not developmental, limit support and finance civil society instead

If the coalition is developmental, support it with very few conditionalities