The State They're In
An Agenda for International Action on Poverty in Africa
By (author) Matthew Lockwood
Publication date:
15 December 2006Length of book:
201 pagesPublisher
Practical Action PublishingDimensions:
138x216mmISBN-13: 9781853396403
Two years on from the Gleneagles G8: What has been achieved? What has changed? In July 2005 the first edition of Matthew Lockwood’s The State They’re In asked the key questions of the moment: What are the roots of poverty in Africa and what should now be done about it? How can a better understanding of African politics contribute to an entirely new policy agenda for aid, trade, and debt? This new edition continues to investigate these issues, now placing the arguments in the context of the Make Poverty History campaign of 2005, and the outcomes of the G8 summit in Gleneagles in July 2005 and the WTO summit in Hong Kong in December 2005. It broadens the scope of the first edition to address the American approach to aid and the new 'transformational diplomacy' agenda. Finally, with 'governance' now centre stage of policy debates on Africa, this edition clarifies how the arguments in the book differ from the standard approaches to governance, and why those approaches will not work. Lockwood draws on a substantial body of research to argue that much thinking on Africa - from both official donors and from international NGOs alike - is flawed, because that thinking either does not recognize or does not draw out the implications of the central role of politics and the state in Africa’s development problems.
‘Matthew Lockwood’s book is a real tour de force. It’s a punchy and very intelligent read, covering everything the campaigner and engaged citizen needs to understand about the African poverty agenda in 2005. Its central argument – that the number one obstacle to eradicating poverty in Africa is the nature of the state – will not be universally popular; but the evidence assembled in the book leaves little room for doubt. What we need now is a robust and imaginative policy debate matching the historic proportions of the challenge Lockwood describes.’
David Booth, Overseas Development Institute
‘In this extraordinarily rich and valuable book, Matthew Lockwood explores the gulf between international development narratives on aid, trade and debt, and the political and economic realities of Africa. The resulting reality check and proposals for how to bridge the divide, are essential reading for anyone interested in Africa’s future.’
Duncan Green, Head of Research, Oxfam
‘A thought provoking thesis that questions the basic assumptions underpinning the approach of much of the NGO community in the North to development. Essential
reading for anyone who wants to understand the deep rooted difficulties in tackling global poverty.’
Shriti Vadera, Adviser to the Chancellor, HM Treasury
‘This is an important book. Matthew Lockwood argues that the
answer to Africa's problems is political reform to bring about effective
states. Everybody who is interested in the future of Africa should read
it.’
Larry Elliott, The Guardian