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Hearts & Minds - Information
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Africa
Survey Shows Africans Want
Democracy |
Recent studies by the Benin-based Group for the Study
and Research of Democracy and Social and Economic Development in Africa (GERDDES- Afrique)
documents strong popular support for democracy in the region:
- Some 86% of 264 respondents from a careful distribution of the
population of Benin expressed preference for civilian democracy over a military
dictatorship.
- A sample of 1,200 in the Central African Republic showed 87% in
favor.
- In Ghana, which held free elections last December, a survey of 1,439
indicated that 88% preferred an elected civilian government to a military regime.
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The GERDDES studies further document that most Africans believe democracy is
their best chance for economic development as well as political freedom. The empirical
evidence suggests they are right: long-time democracies Mauritius and Botswana prosper
economically, while the worst dictatorships consistently fail. Democratic and liberalizing
governments such as Mali, Ghana, and Benin are experiencing strong economic growth. These
countries’ democratically-elected leaders have managed their resources carefully,
while the dictators of Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria have pilfered the
countries’ treasuries and devastated the environment.
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April 11, 2006 |
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