Colonial Traces of Fractionalization: The Possibilities of Africa Moving Beyond the Walls to a Sustained Growth

John Dogbey

Authors

John Dogbey

Keywords:

fractionalization, institutions, trade, colonial rule, homogeneity, spatial dependence

Abstract

While fractionalization had long been debated as one of the devastating economic factors on the African continent, there is much to believe that some important factors are responsible not only for its increasing growth and adverse effects, but also its perpetuation over the continent. This paper asserts that, colonial rule, among others, is to blame for the difficulties involved in dealing with the seemingly invincible effects of linguistic fractionalization and makes a recommendation that could help assuage the situation. The results are robust to alternative specifications including OLS, a simultaneous equation model and a spatial econometric model.

Downloads

How to Cite

Colonial Traces of Fractionalization: The Possibilities of Africa Moving Beyond the Walls to a Sustained Growth. (2014). Global Journal of Management and Business Research, 14(22), 1-10. https://journalofbusiness.org/index.php/GJMBR/article/view/

Download Citation

References

Alesina Alberto, Devleescjauwer Arnaud, Easterly William, Kurlat Sergio, Romain Wacziarg (2003) Fractionalization. 8, 155-194.

Robert Barro (1991) Economic Growth in a Cross Section of Countries. 106(2), 407. https://doi.org/10.2307/2937943

Bertocchi Graziella, Fabio Canova (2002) Did colonization matter for growth? An Empirical exploration into the historical causes of Africa's underdevelopment. 46, 1851-1871.

Barry Chiswick (2008) The Economics of Language: An Introduction and Overview.

Abner Cohen (1969) Custom and Politics in Urban Africa. https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520314153

Discussion Papers Series.

Easterly William (2001) Can institutions resolve ethnic conflicts?. 49, 687-706.

Easterly William, Ross Levine (1997) Africa's Growth Tragedy: Policies and Ethnic Ethnic Divisi- ons. 112, 1203-1250.

Robin Grier (1999) Colonial legacies and economic growth. 98(3-4), 317-335. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1018322908007

Knack Stephen, Philip Keefer (1997) Does Social Capital Have an Economic Payoff? A.

Cross-country Investigation. 4(4), 1251-1288.

T. Leeson, Peter (2005) Endogenizing fractionalization. 1(1), 75-98. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1744137405000056

A. Rubinstein (1998) Economics and Language. 14-98.

Adam Smith (1776) An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. https://doi.org/10.1093/oseo/instance.00043218

(1976) Audited by W.

J. Thornton (1995) Africa and Africans in the Mak- ing of the Atlantic World. 1400-1680.

London: Cambridge University Press.

J. Vansina (1968) Long-distance trade-routs in central Africa.