Politics, capital and the state in sub‐Saharan Africa

In post‐colonial sub‐Saharan Africa, the private sector has lacked the capacity to play a leading economic and political role. The weaknesses of indigenous business and especially the absence of an autonomous class of private capital coupled with government controls over business associations have diminished the possibilities for local business to be at the forefront of economic and political activism. Quite extensive state ownership and public enterprise have also curbed the growth of private sector influence. Even under recent economic and political liberalisation, a private sector that can delimit state power is far from being in existence.