Democratization processes and political competition in 1990's Africa: the cases of Mozambique and Zambia

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Periodical article

Title:	Democratization processes and political competition in 1990's Africa: the cases of Mozambique and Zambia
Authors:	Terenciano, Fidel Do Socorro Souza Braga, Maria da Silva Souza, Carlos Augusto
Year:	2016
Periodical:	Revista Brasileira de Estudos Africanos = Brazilian journal of African studies (ISSN 2448-3923)
Volume:	1
Issue:	2
Pages:	166-188
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Mozambique Zambia
Subjects:	democratization democracy
External link:	http://seer.ufrgs.br/index.php/rbea/article/view/66959/40026
Abstract:	This article aims to analyze the processes of democratization and political competition in Africa in two case studies: Mozambique and Zambia. Democracy is a system that should allow the confrontation of various social and political forces, and its legitimacy arises from the recognition of the various actors involved in the political process and the elections as a whole. The article takes a comparative perspective, analyzing secondary data about the election results in southern Africa. The article is informed by theoretical discussions about the political history of Africa and of electoral systems and supporters. The study finds that there is a relationship between the historical trajectory and politics (both countries have had experiences with a ruling single party) and the patterns of electoral competition, though the trajectories towards democratization and political openness in the two countries have been different. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract, edited]