Comparing the Effects of Chinese and Traditional Official Finance on State Repression and Public Demonstrations in Africa
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Date
2020
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Johns Hopkings University
Abstract
There is little, non-biased, existing literature on the effects of
Chinese official finance on state repression and public
demonstrations. As such, this paper employs standard multiple
regression analysis to assess how different attributes of
Chinese and traditional official finance predict variations in
rates of repression and demonstrations in Africa. Although
Chinese and traditional official flows have more similarities
than differences in their effects on repression, there is a
distinct positive and statistically significant relationship
between aggregate traditional official finance and public
demonstrations. Looking at regional distributions of foreign
financed projects and public demonstrations in Cameroon
(receiving predominantly Chinese official finance) and Uganda
(receiving mainly traditional aid), I find evidence to support a
negative correlation between Chinese official finance and
public demonstrations on the one hand and a positive
correlation between traditional official finance and public
demonstrations on the other. However, when specifically
analyzing demonstrations against foreign funded development
projects this paper reveals, through interviews on selected
Chinese and World Bank-funded projects in Cameroon, that
owing to less stringent project impact assessments, impact
management standards, and the absence of complaint
management offices, Chinese-funded projects are more prone
to anti-project demonstrations.
Description
The papers in this Working Paper series have undergone only limited review
and may be updated, corrected or withdrawn. Please contact the corresponding
author directly with comments or questions about this paper.
Keywords
World Bank, Chinese African Research, Policy Making, Public Demonstrations in Africa
Citation
Afa’anwi Ma’abo Che. 2020. Comparing the Effects of Chinese and Traditional Official Finance on State Repression and Public Demonstrations in Africa. Working Paper No. 2020/42. China Africa Research Initiative, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.sais-cari.org/publications.