Stability and Neo-Patrimonial Developmentalism in Gabon: A Comparative Analysis of Equatorial Africa

Gabon, Republic of Congo, Chad, and Central African Republic all gained independence in 1960. These four states were territoires under the shared jurisdiction of French Equatorial Africa (AEF) up to this point, but since gaining independence their experiences have been highly variable. Gabon has proceeded to record one of the most impressive development records in sub-Saharan Africa while the other three have all been far less successful. In investigating the processes behind these disparate outcomes, this thesis set out to explain: 1) In what ways have domestic circumstances and state operations in Gabon differed from those in Congo, Chad, and CAR? and 2) How have these case-specific circumstances and dynamics resulted in such significant divergence between these ostensibly similar and intimately linked countries? All four of these states have been assessed as being neo-patrimonial, but the analysis in this thesis departs from dominant perspectives on African neopatrimonialism to emphasise the variability inherent to these informal systems and the outcomes generated. Rather than viewing neo-patrimonialism as inherently deleterious for development, this thesis aligns with literatures on neo-patrimonial developmentalism in emphasising the case-specific impact from these systems. Specifically, the thesis investigates the disparate outcomes among these four states and identifies key points of differentiation through which domestic circumstances and state operations in Gabon are distinct from those in Congo, Chad, and CAR to promote security and productivity in Gabon that is absent in these latter three contexts. Neo-patrimonialism operates through mechanisms for clientelism, presidentialism, and regime corruption. The dysfunction from these systems can be counteracted by expanding formal capacities for extraction, coercion, and administration, which can enable progress toward political, economic, and social development. Such has been the case in Gabon, promoting institutional performance and development outcomes that surpass its regional counterparts and rival the most developed states in sub-Saharan Africa.