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  • 1 - The Spatial, Historical, and Socio-political Context

  • from Part I - An Overview of Economic and Institutional Constraints on Benin’s Development
  • Edited by François Bourguignon, École d'économie de Paris and École des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris, Romain Houssa, Université de Namur, Belgium, Jean-Philippe Platteau, Université de Namur, Belgium, Paul Reding, Université de Namur, Belgium
  • Book:
    State Capture and Rent-Seeking in Benin
    Published online:
    09 November 2023
    Print publication:
    23 November 2023, pp 15-42
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  • Summary

    This chapter stresses several important features related to the society and polity of Benin.The country has a long history of regional trade facilitated by direct access to the sea, which has fostered entrepreneurial talent. Also, there is considerable ethnic fragmentation and multiple factions compete and may enter into shifting alliances. Consequently, political power does not belong to one group at the definite expense of the other groups. However, the fact that the contending factions tend to take a ‘winner-takes-all’ approach to power has the effect of raising the stakes of elections and promoting particularised privileges instead of policies aimed at the country’s long-term economic development. In addition, the political system is dominated by Big Men or oligarchs who have accumulated big fortunes and tend to see state power as an instrument to advance their economic interests. Because they succeed each other rather frequently in power, great political instability is created that further undermines long-term national development.