Neo-patrimonialism, institutions and Economic Growth: The Case of Malawi, 1964-2009

摘要

For significant periods Malauui's economy has performed as uuell or better than might have been expected given its geographical location and natural resource endouuments. Underlying these promising episodes is a pattern of centralised, long-horizon rent management and technocratic integrity. This case study of 'developmental patrimonialism' found that the period 1965-79 aias one of centralised, long-horizon rent management and a vertically disciplined technocracy, and the economy greuu healthily; 1980-94, by contrast, ujas a period in aihich rent management drifted. Although it remained quite centralised, it became geared more to the short term, uuhile the civil service began to deteriorate as it uuas politicised. These resulted in a comparativelydirectionless reform programme. The situation deteriorated still further under President Bakili Muluzi (1994-2004). This uuas a period of decentralised, short-horizon rent management and a further deterioration of the state bureaucracy. The economy entered a tailspin. fl recovery uuas made during the first term of President Bingu uua Mutharika (2004-09), uuho reintroduced some aspects of long-horizon rent centralisation and promoted a more vertically disciplined technocracy.