Journal of Historical Political Economy > Vol 1 > Issue 4

Why Do Colonial Investments Persist Less in Anglophone than in Francophone Africa?

Joan Ricart-Huguet, Program in Ethics, Politics, & Economics and Department of Political Science, Yale University and Department of Political Science, Loyola University Maryland, USA, jricart-huguet@loyola.edu
 
Suggested Citation
Joan Ricart-Huguet (2021), "Why Do Colonial Investments Persist Less in Anglophone than in Francophone Africa?", Journal of Historical Political Economy: Vol. 1: No. 4, pp 477-498. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/115.00000017

Publication Date: 01 Dec 2021
© 2021 J. Ricart-Huguet
 
Subjects
Econometric models,  Hypothesis testing,  Public Economics: Public Goods
 
Keywords
Colonialismpublic investmentshistorical persistenceconflictdevelopmentsub-Saharan Africa
 

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In this article:
Introduction 
Measuring Colonial Investments and Contemporary Development 
Differential Persistence of Investments 
Why Do British (French) Investments Persist Less (More)? 
Conclusions 
References 

Abstract

Comparisons of British and French colonialism in Africa have typically examined institutions (e.g., directness of rule, forced labor, conscription) or the effect of those institutions on postindependence political reforms and development. Instead, this article focuses on colonial public investments in health and education in East and West Africa. I find that such investments are better predictors of today's development in Francophone than in Anglophone Africa. Why? While more political instability should decrease persistence, I find — contrary to what might be expected — that Anglophone and Francophone countries have been equally unstable since independence, as proxied by their number of coups, government turnovers, and constitutions. Instead, I suggest that the higher economic growth of Anglophone Africa compared to Francophone Africa in recent decades erodes the persistence of colonial investments.

DOI:10.1561/115.00000017

Companion

Journal of Historical Political Economy, Volume 1, Issue 4 Special Issue - Historical Persistence, Part I: Articles Overview
See the other articles that are part of this special issue.