DEMOCRACY AND DICTATORSHIP IN GHANA AND TANZANIA

DEMOCRACY AND DICTATORSHIP IN GHANA AND TANZANIA

Also by Robert Pinkney DEMOCRACY IN THE THIRD WORLD GHANA UNDER MILITARY RULE RIGHT-WING MILITARY GOVERNMENT

Democracy and Dictatorship in Ghana and Tanzania Robert Pinkney Senior Lecturer in Government University ofnorthumbria at Newcastle Newcastle $ &

First published in Great Britain 1997 by MACMILLAN PRESS LTD Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and London Companies and representatives throughout the world A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978-0-333-63175-7 First published in the United States of America 1997 by ST. MARTIN'S PRESS, INC., Scholarly and Reference Division, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 ISBN 978-1-349-39402-9 DOll0.1057/9780230379589 ISBN 978-0-230-37958-9 (ebook) Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Pinkney, Robert. Democracy and dictatorship in Ghana and Tanzania / Robert Pinkney. p. em. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-312-17518-3 (cloth) 1. Democracy-Ghana. 2. Ghana-Politics and government. 3. Democracy-Tanzania. 4. Tanzania-Politics and government. 1.Title. JQ3036.P56 1997 320.9667-dc21 97-9157 CIP Robert Pinkney 1997 Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover 1st edition 1997 978-1-349-39402-9 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London WIP 9HE. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. 1098765 06 05 04 03 02 01 4 3 2 I 00 99 98 97

Contents List of Tables and Figures Acknowledgements 1 Introduction 1 Why democracy? 1 Why Ghana? Why Tanzania? 4 The art and science of comparative politics 5 2 Democracy in a Hot Climate 8 The varied forms of democracy 8 Who wants democracy? 17 Democratic prospects 20 An end to authoritarianism or a beginning of democracy? 31 viii ix 3 Ghana: Pluralist Democracy, Socialism, Populism and Democracy A socialist experiment? A liberal restoration? The emergence of populism Could any political system be made to work? Economic constraints Cultural constraints Behavioural weaknesses Populists into democrats? Ghana: Political Structures, Civil Society and Democracy The state and civil society The Civil Service The army Constitutional checks and balances: the legislature and the judiciary Local government Conclusion 33 35 37 40 47 48 52 53 58 62 62 68 70 74 77 85 V

VI Contents 5 Tanzania: the Search for Socialism and Pluralism 87 The making of a socialist ideology 7 88 A party of the revolution? 96 Theory into practice? 104 Socialism and pluralism: allies or enemies? 108 6 Tanzania: Political Structures, Civil Society and Democracy 112 The state and civil society 112 Civil and military bureaucracies 118 Constitutional checks and balances: the legislature and the judiciary 123 Local government 126 Trade unions and industrial relations 129 Conclusion 132 7 The Politics of Democratic Transition and Consolidation: Some Preliminary Thoughts 137 The elements in a transition 138 The seeds of challenge to authoritarianism 139 The configuration of interests 145 The resolution of conflicts and the consolidation of democracy 151 8 Ghana: Democratic Transition and Consolidation 158 A long march or trench warfare? 158 The seeds of challenge to authoritarianism 162 The configuration of interests 165 The resolution of conflicts 170 The consolidation of democracy 175 9 Tanzania: Democratic Transition and Consolidation 184 A long and lonely march 184 The seeds of challenge to authoritarianism 185 The configuration of interests 189 The resolution of conflicts 195 Democracy as who chooses what, why and how 198 The prospects for democratic consolidation 205

Contents vii 10 Conclusion 209 Bibliography 220 Index 228

List of Tables and Figures Tables 3.1 Different ideological tendencies in Ghana 34 5.1 The interests, ideologies and policy positions of the Tanzanian President, party leaders, ministers and state bureaucrats 93 9.1 Perceptions of Very important' influences on Tanzanian voters 199 9.2 'Very important' influences on Tanzanian voters: perceptions of two-way channels 199 9.3 Reasons for voting for the CCM (the ruling party) 200 Figures 4.1 State, society and economic change: some suggested relationships 65 7.1 Sources of initiative for democratisation: government and opposition; elites and masses 147 8.1 Sources of initiative for democratisation in Ghana: government and opposition; elites and masses 166 9.1 Sources of initiative for democratisation in Tanzania: government and opposition; elites and masses 190 Vlll

Acknowledgements Many people have made the completion of this book possible. The University of Northumbria at Newcastle granted me sabbatical leave to carry out the research, and colleagues there took over additional teaching and administrative responsibilities in my absence. Dr Austin McCarthy, our Faculty Librarian, was as always invaluable in pointing me in the direction of the relevant literature. The British Academy financed my fieldwork in Africa. Professor Dennis Austin of the University of Manchester and Professor James Read of the School of Oriental and African Studies briefed me on recent events in Ghana and Tanzania respectively, and Tim Kelsall, also of SOAS, provided useful information on the Tanzanian elections. Professor Kwame Ninsin, Dr Joseph Ayee and Dr Mike Oquaye of the Department of Politics at the University of Ghana were all generous in giving up their time to help me, and Mrs Valerie Sackey at Osu Castle helped to put me in touch with many members of the Ghana government. In Tanzania, academics were equally helpful in guiding me through their country's politics, especially Professor Sam Maghimbi, Professor Ralph Masenge and Dr Max Mmuya. Professor Marion Doro was a constant source of help both as a political scientist and as a kindly neighbour, and Mr H. Mtanga and his staff at the University of Dar es Salaam Links Office were always willing administrative helpers. Miss Fauzia Mohamed and Mr David Majura helped as interpreters in interviews with voters, and Mr Revocatur Kamilwa translated the questionnaire responses. Mr Melchior Assey, the Clerk to the National Assembly, arranged for me to meet some of the newly-elected MPs in Zanzibar. In both countries, busy ministers, civil servants, MPs, judges, party officers and officers of pressure groups were generous with their time, and in both countries numerous individuals not holding any public office helped to make me feel welcome. People who had previously been strangers to me IX

X A cknowledgements took trouble to help in such ways as providing transport and first aid, guiding me through unfamiliar terrain and recovering lost luggage. Much may change in African politics, but African hospitality remains undiminished. My wife coped with additional work at home in my absence, and corrected many errors in the first draft of the book. To all those who helped, I am very grateful. I take full responsibility for the contents of the book, and for any errors of fact or opinion. ROBERT PINKNEY