African Economies and the Politics of Permanent Crisis, 1979-1999 (Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions)
"This landmark work presents a searching and persuasive political explanation of Africa's failure to achieve development despite two decades of externally imposed economic reform. . . .  A major contribution to our understanding of Africa's political economy."   Foreign Affairs"Nicolas Van De Walle's [book] deserves to be read by all scholars interested in serious discussion of the issue.... Van De Walle's work...provides a useful road map of a jumbled and bewildering economic world."   American Political Science Review"A valuable contribution to the literature, this book broadens the discussion of current development strategies to include an in-depth analysis of the so-called neopatrimonal state as the potential source of failure of African development."  CHOICE