Abstract

This study examines the relationship between political regimes and economic development in developing countries in Africa. The research addresses the ongoing debate over whether democracies or dictatorships have a positive impact on long-term economic development in Africa’s developing countries. Using a large-scale quantitative analysis, this research employs regression models to assess the impact of regime type on the Human Development Index, a proxy to long-term economic development. The research selects and groups 13 African countries into two major groups namely, Stable and Fragile democracies after their period of democratization with the addition of key indicators such as the Human Development Index (HDI) and ethnic diversity. The findings of the research indicate that while governance structures influence economic outcomes, institutional quality, education, and social cohesion play significant roles in shaping long-term economic development. This research concludes that while democracies do tend to perform better in relation to the Human Development Index in African countries, the presence of solely a democracy is not enough to guarantee a positive relationship between HDI and regime type in African countries.

Advisor

Kim, Sekwen

Department

International Relations; Political Science

Publication Date

2025

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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