Predatory elites, rents and cocoa: a comparative analysis of Ghana and Ivory Coast

This article explores the way in which the cocoa sector shaped the rent-seeking behaviour of ruling elites and rural producers in Ghana and Ivory Coast. Analysis of their rent-seeking behaviour is done in two different contexts. The first context is a boom period in which the exploitation of the rent generated from cocoa production leads elites and rural producers to pursue specific investment and allocation strategies. The other context is the bust period in which the rent has declined and, more importantly, the factors of production – land and labour – associated with the successful exploitation of cocoa become more contested and contribute to increased political tension along class, ethnic and regional lines.