Defeating dictators Fighting tyranny in Africa and around the world

George B. N. Ayittey, 1945-

Book - 2011

"Despite billions of dollars of aid and the best efforts of the international community to improve economies and bolster democracy across Africa, violent dictatorships persist. As a result, millions have died, economies are in shambles, and whole states are on the brink of collapse. Political observers and policymakers are starting to believe that economic aid is not the key to saving Africa. So what does the continent need to do to throw off the shackles of militant rule? African policy expert George Ayittey argues that before Africa can prosper, she must be free. Taking a hard look at the fight against dictatorships around the world, from Ukraine's orange revolution in 2004 to Iran's Green Revolution last year, he examines ...what strategies worked in the struggle to establish democracy through revolution. Ayittey also offers strategies for the West to help Africa in her quest for freedom, including smarter sanctions and establishing fellowships for African students. "--Provided by publisher.

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Subjects
Published
New York : Palgrave Macmillan 2011.
Language
English
Main Author
George B. N. Ayittey, 1945- (-)
Edition
1st ed
Physical Description
282 p. ; 25 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN
9780230108592
  • Acknowledgments
  • Introduction Advancing the Cause of Liberty
  • Chapter 1. Despotic Regimes Today
  • Chapter 2. Traditional Societies
  • Chapter 3. Indigenous Curbs Against Despotism
  • Chapter 4. The Modus Operandi of Despotic Regimes
  • Chapter 5. The Demise of Despotic Regimes
  • Chapter 6. Stirrings for Freedom
  • Chapter 7. The Strategy
  • Chapter 8. Reversals in Revolutions-And How to Avoid Them
  • Chapter 9. International Impotence and Hindrance
  • Chapter 10. Epilogue
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
  • Index
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

"The only good dictator is a dead one," argues this hard-nosed, outspoken pro-democracy manifesto and how-to manual. Economist Ayittey (Africa Unchained) surveys current and former dictatorships, aka "vampire states," from his native Ghana, where he helped lead a successful movement against the despot Jerry Rawlings, to Hugo Chavez's Venezuela, Alexander Lukashenko's Belarus, and the tottering tyrannies of the Arab world. Ayittey mixes right-leaning socioeconomics-he champions capitalism against socialist development schemes-with a bullet-pointed primer for activists, one that's full of practical insights on the need for unity among opposition groups, the centrality of independent radio stations and other "free media," the potency of civil service strikes against military rulers, and the usefulness of motor oil for toppling antidemocracy thugs from their scooters. Ayittey's unorthodox political theories-he favors traditional modes of "consensus" decision making over Western-style multiparty majority votes, and insists that political reform must precede economic liberalization-will be as controversial as his one-size-fits-all conception of dictatorship, lumping together countries as dissimilar as China and Ethiopia, which can seem simplistic. Still, his forthright language, lucid analyses, and pragmatic attitude make this a compelling and timely challenge to the despotism-as-usual status quo. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review

How to deal with despots in Africa and other parts of the world.The founder of the Free Africa Foundation,Ayittey (Economics/American Univ.; Africa Unchained: The Blueprint for Africa's Future, 2004, etc.) has struggled for nearly 40 years to advance the idea that despotic governments are not caused by external factorsimperialism, for examplebut by internal corruption and incompetence. In fact, the author argues that intervention from the United States and other Western powers often aggravates the problem. His latest work elaborates on "Ayittey's Law," which identifies the sequence of events that accompany what have been successful movements against despotic regimes. Ayittey divides the despotic regimes into "vampire states" and "coconut republics." The worst of the vampire states include Mexico and Nigeria, while Uganda and Tanzania are among the coconut republics. He also provides a helpful list of "the most odious and despicable" of the despotic regimes, which include Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, Than Shwe of Myanmar and Isaiah Afwerki of Eritrea. The author writes that traditional societies can provide a basis for opposing despots and despotisms. In addition to providing recipes for tactics to be employed against differing kinds of despotisms, Ayittey also shows where movements against despots have failed. Freedom of expression and outreach through media access are among the tactics he recommends, and he cites the successful use of radio in Ghana and online activities in Egypt and Tunisia.A useful step-by-step guide to "help oppressed people...bring democratic change to their countries peacefullywithout violence, without firing a shot, and without Western help or intervention."]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.