A Global Political Economy of Democratisation

Rezensionen / Stimmen

"This book offers a scholarly, clear-sighted and utterly devastating critique of Western neoliberal democratisation, and an uncompromising indictment of how its inequities impinge upon distinct countries, classes and groups. Ayers also shows in detail why and how neoliberalism must be confronted, as the only way to overcome its deepening economic and political crises. These are essential conditions for the creation of a better form of democracy, in Africa and elsewhere. A tour de force." - Alfredo Saad Filho, Professor of Political Economy, SOAS University of London.

"The West has self-identified as the arbiter of progress and the cradle of democracy. Conceptions of both progress and democracy have been inscribed into the colonial, imperial, international and global orders. This book shows that, far from forming a discourse of freedom and emancipation, democratisation has impressed and reinforced an ideological settlement of colonialism and imperialism upon the world at large. Alison Ayers provides strong evidence and argument of the international, colonial and material conditions which have formed the neo-liberal global crisis of democratisation and the global crisis of democracy. At each twist and turn, international theory or theories of democracy or African history or methodology or historiography and much more is subjected to scholarly criticism and elaboration, therein demonstrating the ideological complexity which is named 'democracy.' " - Julian Saurin, Free University, Brighton and Middle East Technical University, Northern Cyprus Campus

"A Global Political Economy of Democratisation is an exercise in reclaiming democracy and challenging orthodoxies. With passion and searing intelligence, Alison Ayers sets out to rescue democracy from its imperial pretenders. Along the way, she critically dissects neoliberal state-building projects, particularly in Africa, and reveals them to be practices of neo-coloniali