From Protest to Parties: Party-Building and Democratization in Africa

Why do strong opposition party organizations emerge in some democratizing countries, while parties in others remain weak or fragmented? Does polarization undermine democratization, or might it play an important role in party-building?From Protest to Parties examines differences in opposition party strength in hybrid regimes in Africa. These political systems, which mix democratic and authoritarian characteristics, are a novel terrain in which to study party formation and organizational development. In order to understand why some parties are able to transcend ethnic cleavages, LeBas points to differences in past patterns of authoritarian rule. Where authoritarian states relied on alliances with corporate actors, notably organized labor, they unintentionally armed their allies, providing them with structures and resources that could later be used to mobilize large constituencies and effectively challenge the state. From Protest to Parties also suggests that conflict can help build the institutions necessary for democracy just as surely as it can endanger them. Opposition parties are more likely to maintain their organizational cohesion and the commitment of activists when they use strategies and appeals that escalate conflict and re-orient social boundaries around the lines of partisan affiliation. Polarization forges stronger parties, but it also increases the likelihood of violence and authoritarian retrenchment.From Protest to Parties draws upon an in-depth analysis of three countries in Anglophone Africa: Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Kenya. Though these countries share similar institutions and electoral rules, opposition party development takes a different route in each. In addition to providing a unique window into the politics of mobilization and protest in closed political regimes, the book sheds light on how the choices of political elites affect organizational development.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments List of Tables and Figures Acronyms Part I: Introduction 1: Opposition Parties and Democratization in Africa 2: The Sources of Opposition Party Strength Part II: Historical Legacies 3: Corporatism in Zimbabwe 4: Labor Control Regimes in Zambia and Kenya Part III: The Organization of Protest 5: Opposition and Collective Identity in Zimbabwe 6: Weak Ties in Zambia and Kenya Part IV: The Formation of Parties 7: Polarization and Party-Building in Zimbabwe 8: Fragmented Parties in Zambia and Kenya Conclusions Bibliography

About the Author :
Adrienne LeBas is an Assistant Professor of Government at the School of Public Affairs, American University, Washington, DC. She previously taught at Michigan State University and was a Postdoctoral Prize Research Fellow at Nuffield College, University of Oxford. Her current work examines popular responses to political violence in Kenya.

Review :
LeBas has written a sophisticated book at the cutting edge of research on African political parties. The early chapters should be required reading for students of political studies, who will appreciate the clarity and force of the legacy argument. From Parties to Protest is an important milestone in the comparative historical analysis of African political parties. This book is a major contribution. Nearly all political scientists agree that strong parties are critical to achieving and sustaining democracy, but party-building in the developing world has proven far more difficult than many scholars anticipated. From Protest to Parties offers a new - and highly compelling - theory of why strong opposition parties emerge in some contexts but not others. Based on impressive field research in Kenya, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, the book shows that robust party organizations are often forged during periods of intense polarization and conflict. This book is helping to reshape scholarly debates about party formation. It should be required reading for anyone interested in parties and party organization in the developing world. The intricate exploration of the origins and outcomes of political party development in From Protest to Parties shows that conflict is a double-edged sword. It can amplify popular protests and make parties stronger, thereby promoting democracy, but it can also trigger authoritarian backlash. By comparing well-chosen cases from three African countries, LeBas helps move forward our understanding of the divergent dynamics of contemporary political change. How can activists build strong opposition parties to overturn single-party rule? And how can they build such parties despite ethnic divisions and the ever-present threat of repression? She shows that the strategies of both rulers and activists, with their frequently unintended consequences, provide the main answers. Polarization and conflict, LeBas finds, can encourage democratization as much as consensus and negotiation - even as they increase the risk of a repressive backlash by rulers. This important book will interest many audiences, including scholars of social movements and "contentious politics." Following giants like Jackson and Rosberg, LeBas masterfully refines our understanding of how variation - not uniformity - in authoritarian experience continues to shape democratization in sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, she captures the critical role that choices of elite actors play. The systematic juxtaposition of "Legacy and Choice" is at the heart of this splendid book. Extensive interviews, sometimes under difficult circumstances, paved the way for this innovative and thought-provoking book ... [LeBas] has produced an important piece of research that will leave scholars thinking for some time to come. LeBas shows how a highly contentious transition to democracy can help strengthen political parties but also tends to increase the possibility of political violence The books analysis of party competition is astute and rings true. I strongly recommend this book to students, analysts, and policy makers who are interested in contemporary African politics and processes of democratization. The central arguments are clear, original, and persuasive; the analyses encourage one to think about democratization and political parties in new ways; and I, for one, learnt a lot about the three country case studies discussed.