The causes of wars debate in Africa, and its implications for African military expenditures.
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Date
2007
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Abstract
The dissertation reviewed "the causes of war debate in Africa, and its implications for
African military expenditures" by levelling the argument of greed hypothesis as
inconsistent with the pragmatic ground situation in Africa that can properly inform
optimal decision-making. The arguments raised support the debunking of greed claim
that opportunity to pillage state resources, supersedes issues of grievance as cause of civil
war. This work discussed the major civil wars in Sub-Saharan Africa since 1990, the
study raised concerns that, by taking stance with greed has the tendency to make
traditional state security the utmost policy concern. That also provides cost benefit excuse
for state actors to give milex priority over other social sectors in budget prioritizing. It is
argued that greed does not offer the platform for durable peace pursuit. The dissertation
then showed that grievance is consistent with causes of civil war in Africa due to its
multifarious outlook of conflicts. Grievance hypothesis, is supported because it offers
practically approach to pursue endurable conflict, and problem solving approach to
conflict analysis in Africa. Grievance encourages a policy of milex reduction and
encourages peacebuilding effort. The study concluded by saying that none of the debate
grievance and that of greed's validity justify the heinous carnage and destruction involved
in African civil wars. Therefore what compels leaders to find solution with violence as a
result of opportunity not based on resource per se, but it also involves misplaced priority
to find lasting solution to grievance issues. It also involves the opportunity to heroism
based on distorted perception of power and lack of social education on appropriate means
to conflict resolution, and lack of appropriate early warning mechanism and trivialization
of conflict warnings as happened in ECOWAS, East-Central Africa. Nine
recommendations suggested in the dissertation centres on the causes of new civil wars
debates and policy; the study of cases of new civil wars in SSA; and on the influence of
new civil wars debate on milex.
Description
Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2007.
Keywords
Government spending policy--Africa., Military administration--Africa., Africa--Appropriations and expenditures., Theses--Management studies.