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This comprehensive Elgar Companion examines the conceptual and empirical relationship between democracy and development, analysing different political regimes adopted by sub-Saharan African countries in the post-independence period. Leading experts survey their governance and development through both macro and micro lenses, drawing on specific case studies and broader, continent-wide analysis.

Interdisciplinary in scope, the book also explores various issues such as party institutionalization and ideology, women's political leadership and participation, military coups, foreign assistance and the role of the African Union, all in relation to democracy and development. Reflecting on the diversity of the African experiences, the contributors propose that the utility of democracy lies in the extent to which it can deliver political goods to its citizens, and that achieving this requires a reimagining of the state which reincorporates indigenous governance and institutions. Analysing the implications of democratic backsliding, chapters advocate for a thinking state anchored by developmental elites, the establishment of strong and accountable institutions, and a shared value of development.

The Elgar Companion to Democracy and Development in Africa is a crucial resource for scholars and students of politics and public policy, economics and development studies. Policymakers and civil servants will also benefit from its practical insights and future-oriented perspectives.