Wealth, Power, and Authoritarian Institutions

Collord's work is at the cutting edge of a new generation of work on party-state formation in African studies. She argues that different trajectories of politicised accumulation produce varying patterns of ruling party development. Her operational indicators of ruling party strength and cohesion provide secure footholds for future comparative research in this critical domain. This book sets a very high standard. * Catherine Boone, Professor of Comparative Politics, London School of Economics * A refreshing analysis of how wealth and power are distributed through state channels and elite contestations. Collord boldly combines political economy and institutional analysis to unpack the interplay between democracy and development. This is a must-read for those interested in the role of political parties, parliamentary institutions, and presidential changes in reshaping distributive politics across the authoritarian spectrum. * Chambi Chachage * Michaela Collord makes a compelling contribution to our understanding of the complex political and economic dynamics that underpin authoritarian institutions. Using meticulous research on the legislatures in two dominant party regimes Uganda and Tanzania, the book advances a fascinating argument about the socio-economic foundations of elite power. She traces the implications of different patterns of wealth accumulation and how this diversity shapes political contestation and participation. The book sheds new light on the contemporary political economy of Tanzania and Uganda. It also provides a timely contribution to our understanding of the often-opaque political processes within authoritarian regimes and their wider implications for socioeconomic change. * Hazel Gray, Senior Lecturer in African Studies and International Development, University of Edinburgh * Collord has produced a highly original and lucid account of power, parties, and legislatures in contemporary Africa. Employing a fresh and compelling theoretical perspective that is grounded in extensive empirical detail, Collord considers political party and legislative variation in Tanzania and Uganda. She argues persuasively that this institutional variation reflects differences in the distribution of power and wealth across authoritarian African regimes. Her book makes a valuable contribution to the literature on African political economy. * Roger Tangri, Co-author of The Politics of Elite Corruption in Africa: Uganda in Comparative African Perspective *