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Beyond Neo-Colonialism: Varieties of Corporatism in Africa
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 November 2008
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Although the essential character of Africa's dependence on the world system changes very slowly, if at all, particular aspects of it are always in flux. For whilst dependence continues to generate underdevelopment, some growth has occurred in several countries at particular periods with important implications for certain classes. The incorporation of the continent into the world system is an ongoing process that reflects shifts in (i) the nature of the world system, and (ii) the nature of Africa's political economies. The sub-structure of the periphery – the capitalist and extractive modes and relations of production – evolves slowly, but the super-structure – the politics and ideology of the state – are considerably more volatile. Given the organic links between the sub- and super-structure, the instability of the latter affects the continuity of the former.
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References
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page 259 note 1 On the emergence of such a bourgeoisie in Nigeria, see Shaw, Timothy M., ‘Introduction: Nigeria as Africa's major power’, in Shaw, Timothy M. and Aluko, Olajide (eds.), Nigerian Foreign Policy: alternative perceptions and projections (London, 1982).Google Scholar On the potential of Nigeria for a transition towards the semi-periphery and semi-industrialisation, see Evans, op.cit. p. 313: ‘It would be a negation of the Brazilian historical experience and a theoretical embarrassment if Nigeria were able to step smoothly from classic dependence to dependent development… That the Nigerian case appears suitable to formulations of the triple alliance at all is impressive. In fact, the prospects for Nigeria moving successfully in the direction of the triple alliance seem good. Thirty years ago Brazil had no petroleum engineers; thirty years from now Nigeria should have a class of state-sector executives quite like the men who run Petrobas or Pemex’.
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