Speakers: Dr Emmanuel Sekyere & Mr Siyanda Jonas (EPD, HSRC)

Date:  Tuesday, 21 October    

Time: 12:30  – 13:30

Venue:    VCRs, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban

The transition from autocratic and military regimes of governance in African States to democracy was at the instance of international development organisations as a prerequisite to development assistance in the late 1980s to mid-1990s.  Reforms in the institutions of State and civil liberties were expected to be a panacea for enhancing economic growth and development in African States.

This study investigates what the impact of such institutional changes has been on economic growth in Anglophone West African countries.  We test the reverse of the modernisation hypothesis of Lipset (1959) using data from 1970 to 2010 for Anglophone West African states, a typical sample of countries which have experienced significant institutional changes since independence.

We employ dynamic panel data econometric techniques to explore what the trends have been over the sample period and whether democracy on its own could enhance economic growth.

The seminar may be attended in Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban

RSVP by 20 October
Cape Town: Ray Adams (021) 466 7936, radams@hsrc.ac.za  12th Floor, Plein Park Building, Plein Street, Cape Town
Durban: Ridhwaan Khan (031) 242 5400, rkhan@hsrc.ac.za   1st Floor, 750 Francois Road, Ntuthuko Junction, Pods 5 and 6, Cato Manor
Pretoria: Arlene Grossberg (012) 302 2811, acgrossberg@hsrc.ac.za  1st  Floor, HSRC Building, 134 Pretorius Street, Pretoria