ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on political institutions and how they are linked to long-run economic performance in sub-Saharan Africa. It briefly reviews a few core development theories that have shaped our thinking about development, generally, and in the African context specifically. The chapter examines the relationship between political institutions and economic outcomes, namely the relationship between regime type and economic growth. It considers governance and corruption, which are both tied to the quality of institutions. The chapter highlights how Africa's growth turnaround has coincided with a wave of democratization. It also highlights the cases of Botswana and Mauritius, Africa's often-cited success stories, as examples of why institutions matter and then briefly examines the relationship between regime type and economic growth. The chapter discusses the latest trends in governance in the Sub-Saharan African context, focusing in particular on the IIAG, highlighting the progress that has taken place and the areas that are of concern.
