Reversing poverty : the role of institutions, state capacity and human empowerment

Abstract

English: The study explores the fundamental causes of poverty persistence, which remains a central challenge of the modern world. In theory, rising political participation operationalises checks on state predation and cultivates development-enabling state capacity. This did not materialise in post-colonial sub-Saharan Africa. The theoretical foundation of this premise is further brought into question by the development achievements of strong, capable non-democracies. The study uses a dynamic, panel-data model to explore a probabilistic development hypothesis that fuses broad institutionalism with modernisation and human empowerment. The model relies on regime-independent state capacity to trigger the transformational impetus of rising existential security, autonomy and individual agency. Ensuing shifts in societal value orientations towards emancipative mindsets then drive the progression towards prosperity. The results show that the poor-country deficit in human empowerment, represented by mind-broadening education and emancipative values, dwarfs the shortfalls in all other drivers of prosperity, including exports and investment. The findings rule against geography and democracy as direct drivers of prosperity.

isiZulu: Lolu cwaningo luhlola izimbangela ezisemqoka zobuphofu obuqhubekayo, obuyinselele engumnyombo yomhlaba wesimanje. Ngokombono, ukukhuphuka kokubamba iqhaza kwezombusazwe(kwezepolotiki) kusebenzisa ukuhlola ekuhlaselweni kombuso futhi kwakha ukuthuthukiswa okuvumela amandla okuphatha ombuso. Loku akuzange kusebenze emazweni ase-Afrika angaphansi kwe-Sahara ngemuva kokwenziwa kobukoloni. Umbono oyisisekelo waloko okushiwoyo uyaqhubeka uveze umbuzo wokuthuthukisa ukufinyelela okwaziyo ukukwenza okungamandla, okuyikhono lezintando zeningi ezingezona. Ucwaningo lusebenzisa umklamo oshukumisayo wamaphaneli emininingwane ukuhlola umbono wokuthuthukisa ongenzeka ohlanganisa ukwenziwa kwezikhungo okubanzi nokwenziwa ngokwesimanjemanje kanye nokunikeza abantu amandla okwenza okuthile. Umklamo wethembele emandleni ombuso kahulumeni ozimele ukuqupha umfutho wenguquko yokukhuphuka kokuphepha okukhona, ukuzimela nokusetshenzelwa komuntu ngamunye. Okulandela ukugudluka esimweni sokuyigugu komphakathi maqondana nokukhululwa kwemiqondo bese kuhanjiswa ukuqhubekela phambili okubhekene nokuhluma. Imiphumela ibonisa ukuthi ukuntuleka ekunikezeni abantu amandla okwenza okuthile, okumelelwa yimfundo eyakha umqondo ocabanga kabanzi kanye nokukhululwa kokuyigugu, kunciphisa ukushoda kuko konke okuyintshayelelo yokuhluma okubandakanya ukuthekelisa kanye notshalomali. Imiphumela ibeka umthetho ngokumelene nezezwe nezentando yeningi njengokuqondile okuqhuba ukuhluma.

Afrikaans: Die studie ondersoek die fundamentele oorsake van die volharding van armoede, wat 'n sentrale uitdaging van die moderne wêreld bly. In teorie operasionaliseer toenemende politieke deelname kontrole op staatspredasie en kweek ontwikkeling wat staatskapasiteit wat moontlik maak. Dit het nie in postkoloniale Afrika suid van die Sahara gerealiseer nie. Die teoretiese begronding van hierdie uitgangspunt word verder bevraagteken deur die ontwikkelingsprestasies van sterk, bekwame niedemokrasieë. Die studie gebruik 'n dinamiese, paneeldata-model om 'n waarskynlikheidsontwikkelingshipotese te verken wat breë institusionalisme met modernisering en menslike bemagtiging versmelt. Die model maak staat op regime-onafhanklike staatskapasiteit om die transformasie-imetus van toenemende eksistensiële sekuriteit, outonomie en individuele agentskap te aktiveer. Die gevolglike verskuiwings in samelewingswaarde-oriëntasies na emansipatiewe denkwyses dryf dan die vordering na welvaart. Die resultate toon dat die arm lande se tekort aan menslike bemagtiging, verteenwoordig deur verstandsverruimende onderwys en emansipatiewe waardes, die tekorte in alle ander dryfvere van welvaart, insluitend uitvoere en beleggings, verdwerg. Die bevindinge weerspreek geografie en demokrasie as direkte drywers van welvaart.

Sepedi: Thuto ye e hlahloba lebaka la motheo la phegelelo ya bohumanegi, leo le sa dutšego e le tlhohlo ya bogareng ya lefase la sebjalebjale. Ka kgopolo, hlatlogo ya go tšea karolo dipolotiking go šomiša ditlhahlobo tša dihlaselo mmušong le go hlagolela bokgoni bja mmušo bjo bo kgontšhago tlhabollo. Se ga se sa phethagala ka morago ga bokoloniale go Afrika ya sub Sahara. Motheo wa teori wa pono ye o tlišwa gape ka pelaelo ke diphihlelelo tša tlhabollo tša dinaga tše di tiilego, tše di nago le bokgoni tšeo e sego tša temokrasi. Thuto e šomiša mohlala wo o fetogago, wa datha ya phanele go hlahloba kgopolokgolo ya tlhabollo ya kgonagalo yeo e logaganyago setheo se se nabilego le sebjalebjale le maatlafatšo ya batho. Mohlala o ithekgile ka bokgoni bjo bo ikemetšego boemong bja mmušo go tsoša tlhohleletšo ya phetogo ya tšhireletšo ya go ba gona ye e hlatlogago, boipušo le boemedi bja motho ka noši. Diphetogo tšeo di bago gona ditshekamelong tša boleng bja setšhaba go iša menaganong ya tokologo ke moka di hlohleletša tšwelopele go ya katlegong. Dipoelo di laetša gore tlhaelelo ya go matlafatša batho ba dinaga tše di humanegilego, yeo e emetšwego ke thuto yeo e katološago monagano le ditekanyetšo tša tokologo, e fokotša mafokodi a mangwe ka moka ao a hlohleletšago katlego, go akaretšwa diromelwantle le dipeeletšo. Dikutollo di kgahlanong le gore lefelo le temokrasi di hlohleletša katlego thwii.