The Political Economy of Tanzania: Decline and Recovery

Since gaining independence, the United Republic of Tanzania has enjoyed relative stability. More recently, the nation transitioned peacefully from "single-party democracy" and socialism to a multiparty political system with a market-based economy. But Tanzania's development strategies--based on the leading economic ideas at the time of independence--also opened the door for unscrupulous dealmaking among political elites and led to economic decline in the 1960s and 1970s that continues to be felt today. Indeed, the shift to a market-oriented economy was motivated in part by the fiscal interests of government profiteers.

The Political Economy of Tanzania focuses on the nation's economic development from 1961 to the present, considering the global and domestic factors that have shaped Tanzania's economic policies over time. Michael F. Lofchie presents a compelling analysis of the successes and failures of a country whose postcolonial history has been deeply influenced by high-ranking members of the political elite who have used their power to advance their own economic interests. The Political Economy of Tanzania offers crucial lessons for scholars and policy makers with a stake in Africa's future.

Author: Michael F. Lofchie
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
Published: 02/26/2014
Pages: 280
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.25lbs
Size: 9.41h x 6.27w x 0.95d
ISBN: 9780812245905

Review Citation(s):
Choice 02/01/2015 pg. 1029

About the Author
Michael F. Lofchie is Professor of Political Science at University of California, Los Angeles, and the author of many books, including The Policy Factor: Agricultural Performance in Kenya and Tanzania.