Globalization and political re-composition, II: The Role of the State in Africa Antonio.

Global Justice School 2008 Report

Day 3

The Role of the State in Africa:

I Theories of the State

II Rise and Fall of (Marxist) States

III Country Reports: Congo Brazzaville and Morocco

I Theory of the State in the Periphery A. Realist: Four premises

1-States are the most important actors in International Relations

2-States are unitary actors

3-States behave rationally

4-National Security is always the priority for States

B. Pluralist: Four premises

1-States are one of the many actors at an international level

2-States are not monolithic; there are various competing interests and contradictions within the state

3-States do not always behave rationally, the make concessions and work on concession

4-In the international arena States try to reach a minimal programme

C. Globalist or Marxist: Four premises

1-The global (capitalist) system is the point of departure

2-The historical development of the world system largely determines the position of different states

3-The primacy of economics determines state formation

4-Paradigm o conflicts between the dominating and the dominated Marx, Engels, Lenin, Luxembourg, Dependency theorists of Latin America, Wallerstein From here a new developing theory coming from political scientists like Cerny and Jessop: Relational State Theory : The state is understood in a relational manner , i.e. national historical formation of social forces in relation to the global system: this is important

D. Trtosky and the excerpt of the History of the Russian Revolution….a word about the the language…ej. Backwards, savage, etc…..something that we have to get rid of in the way we talk. The bourgeoisie and lack of , "Asiatic Despotism", link to the international capitalist system; the compradour class.

E. Transmission belt theory or Cushion?????

II Rise and Fall of (Marxist) States

A. We can organise our thoughts on the development of the State in Africa in three major phases: 1945-1970; 1970-1985; 1985-1990s and the present. Countries became independent through octroyee or arraché

B. 1945–70: imperialism, socialism and the Cold War

C. 1970–85: the new \’Marxist-Leninists\’ and the state

D. Economic reform, austerity and popular protest in the 1970s and 1980s

E. The military and the new economics in the 1980s

F. Political transformation in the 1990s

G. The 1990s and today

III Country Reports

1. Morocco
2. Congo Brazzaville

Central points: Marxist analysis of the (capitalist) world system; independent countries followed trends in development schemes went from Keynesian to Neo-liberal models of production in both the so-called Marxist and Non-Marxist states (independent of state leaders\’ ideology); current conflicts are due to neo-colonial relationships, the role of ethnicity is largely exaggerated; the so-called revolutionaries of yesterday became neo-liberal leaders today; there is an African working class and pre-independence history of strikes and rebellions prove that; alternative models of development and state power must be created;

Country Report summaries to be given by Jean and Omar.