Comrades, Clients and Cousins: Colonialism, Socialism and Democratization in São Tomé and Príncipe

Description

This book provides comprehensive information on the 500-year long colonial history, post-colonial politics, and local political culture and practice of the island republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, one of the smallest and least known African countries. CONTENTS LIST OF PLATES AND FIGURES ABBREVIATIONS PREFACE INTRODUCTION The objective Caribbean contours in an African environment Historic background The theoretical and political context Relevant concepts Local patterns of multiparty politics The chapters Research methods and sources INDEX CHAPTER ONE FORMATION AND RECOLONIZATION OF AN AFRICAN CREOLE SOCIETY Introduction The formation of the creole society Settlement and slavery The sugar plantations External threat and economic decline The Catholic mission Institutional and political conflicts Slave revolts and escape The creolization process The second colonization The rise and fall of cocoa From slave to serviçal The recolonization of the church The indentured labour system External and internal responses to the labour system The forros’ aversion to field labour The stratification system Conclusions CHAPTER TWO FROM THE ORIGINS OF FORRO NATIONALISM TO INDEPENDENCE Introduction Political activities in the early 20th century The Massacre of February 1953 The causes of the massacre and the number of victims São Tomé’s few nationalists: exiled, dispersed and fragmented The decolonization process Conclusions CHAPTER THREE THE SOCIALIST ONE-PARTY REGIME Introduction The construction of the socialist state The establishment of the security apparatus The administrative system and the party structure Social and education policies The foreign policy options The constitutional framework The competition for power Alleged coups and invasion threats The census riots and Trovoada’s imprisonment Pinto da Costa’s autocracy The emergence of the exile opposition The performance of the state-owned economy The plantation economy The structure of the state-owned plantations The failed diversification of the economy The party’s ideological trajectory Conclusions CHAPTER FOUR POLITICAL TRANSITION AND ECONOMIC REFORM Introduction Initial political change Political instability and invasion The economic liberalization Corruption scandals The renovation of the state party The transition process The emergence of political parties The democratic elections Cocoa rehabilitation under structural adjustment Conclusion CHAPTER FIVE GOVERNANCE, CONFLICT AND PUBLIC PROPERTY UNDER THE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM Introduction End of a tactical alliance Continuous conflict and final break The MLSTP returns to power The military coup The background The course of the events The aftermath of the coup Continuous political instability The initial anti-corruption drive Increasing transparency and corruption scandals The importance of external funds The routine of corruption The impunity of corruption Factors in favour of corruption Conclusions CHAPTER SIX STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE UNDER DEMOCRATIC RULE Introduction The difficult relationship with the Bretton Woods institutions Overambitious goals and poor performance Administrative reform The financial sector reform The privatization of agriculture Manufacture and services The emergence of the oil sector Controversial oil licensing rounds Unmanageable debts and inefficient foreign assistance Conclusions CHAPTER SEVEN POLITICAL PLURALISM AND COMPETITIVE ELECTIONS Introduction The local elections of December 1992 The early legislative elections of October 1994 PCD pôs o país de pé (PCD has put the country on its feet) Acreditar em S. Tomé e Príncipe (Believing in São Tomé and Príncipe) The local patron as candidate Renovar a mudança (Renew the change) O partido que fala a verdade (The party that tells the truth) Voto de confiança (Vote of confidence) Election results Legislative elections in 1998 and 2002 Multipartyism: characteristics and conditions Conclusions CHAPTER EIGHT PARTY TRAJECTORIES AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS Introduction The political parties: MLSTP/PSD The parties claiming political change: PCD-GR and ADI The theree small parties: CODO, FDC and AP(PTS) The 1996 presidential elections: the prelude The first round The voting and the aftermath The final ballot The 2001 presidential elections Conclusions CHAPTER NINE LOCAL DIMENSIONS OF POLITICS: KINSHIP, RUMOURS AND PAMPHLETS Introduction The impact of kinship Kinship and conjugal unions types The current customary union The visiting union Patterns of polygyny Women and mothers Family life in an urban neighbourhood Kinship and politics Rumours and anonymous pamphlets The characteristics of rumours Rumours and Rádio BB Anonymous pamphlets Conclusions CONCLUSIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDIX ONE PRESIDENTS AND GOVERNMENT MINISTERS OF SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE 1975–2005 APPENDIX TWO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES OF SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE’S LIBERATION MOVEMENTS AND MAIN POLITICAL PARTIES 1960–2002 APPENDIX THREE ELECTION RESULTS APPENDIX FOUR BASIC ECONOMIC DATA 1988–2004