Crise des autoritarismes militaires et renouveau politique en Afrique de l'ouest : étude comparative Bénin, Mali, Niger, Togo
Institution:
Bordeaux 1Disciplines:
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Abstract EN:
The political evolution in a number of states in post-colonial africa is marked by the military regimes taking over from the civilian governments that, where set up after independence. Even though some devolpentalist theories supported the idea that the army was the only body capable of modernization in a context where development seems to be at a standstill, it does not take long to notice that this assertion is not confirmed by the facts. Military regimes turned out to be of the same nature as their civilian predecessors : politically authoritarian and economically unproductive. The increasing scarcity of public ressources and the recent changes in the international environment have challenged these predatory and freedom-suppressing authoritarianisms. Indeed, since 1990, does the african continent experience a wave of democratic claims which forces the rulers to grant political openings. Multiparty-system is established everywhere and competitive elections are organized. The democratic transition which is taking place in africa is experiencing various ways (revision of the constitution, national conference), and it will find many hurdles on its path. But it is too early to judge negatively the experiences under way.
Abstract FR:
L'evolution politique de l'afrique pos-coloniale est marquee dans nombre d'etats, par la succession de regimes militaires aux regimes civils des lendemains de l'independance. Meme si certaines theories developpementalistes ont soutenu, que les armees etaient les seuls corps capables de modernisation dans un contexte ou le developpement semble etre bloque, on ne tardera pas a s'apercevoir que cette affirmation ne resite pas a l'epreuve des faits. Les regimes militaires se sont reveles etre de meme nature que leurs predecesseurs civils : des autoritarismes politiques, economiquement improductifs. La rarefaction des ressources publiques et les mutations recentes de l'environnement international, ont engendre une remise en cause de ces autoritarismes predateurs et liberticides. Le continent africain connait en effet, depuis l'annee 1990, une vague de revendication democratique, qui contraint les dirigeants au pouvoir a consentir des ouvertures politiques. Le systeme multipartisan est instaure partout, et des elections competitives sont organisees. La transition democratique ainsi amorcee selon des modalites diverses (revision constitutionnelle, conference nationale), aurait beaucoup d'obstacles a surmonter. Mais, il est encore trop tot pour jeter un discredit sur les experiences en cours.