The book examines the impact of neoliberalism in Africa, highlighting the diverse responses shaped by each country's unique historical, economic, and political contexts. Focusing on Cameroon, it explores the resistance to neoliberal reforms from both the authoritarian state elite and civil society groups. This analysis is informed by over twenty years of extensive research by a prominent scholar, shedding light on the complexities of Cameroon's political landscape amidst external pressures for development aid.
The book explores the intricate relationship between civil society and the politics of belonging in Africa, challenging the simplistic views held by neoliberal discourse. It argues that ethno-regional associations play a crucial role in civil society, often overshadowing conventional organizations. Through a case study of Cameroon, the author highlights how the pervasive politics of belonging influences various aspects of associational life, urging a reevaluation of existing assumptions about civil society to better reflect African realities.
The book examines the impact of the economic and financial crisis on the plantation economy in the Anglophone region of Cameroon since the 1980s. It analyzes neoliberal reforms, such as privatization and reduced state intervention, and their effects on civil-society groups, including regional elites and plantation workers. Through extensive research, the author highlights the active resistance and alternative strategies these groups have employed in response to the crisis, challenging existing theories on plantation production and capital accumulation.
The current economic crisis and political liberalization process in Africa have led in many cases to a partial withdrawal of the state, creating more space for autonomous forms of organization and action. Most analyses of these developments focus only on the national level, overlooking forms of organization and action at regional and local levels. This monograph tries to fill this gap. It first examines the impact of the current economic crisis on one of the oldest private agro-industrial enterprises in Cameroon, the Plantations Pamol du Cameroun Ltd, or Pamol, as it is still popularly called. It is a subsidiary of the giant Unilever company located in the South West Province of Anglophone Cameroon. The Francophone-dominated Cameroonian state denied any assistance to the ailing company during the crisis, leading to Pamol's liquidation in 1987. Interestingly, the newly appointed liquidator then decided to run the company as an ongoing business until a prospective buyer was found. The book also assesses the roles played by Pamol's trade unions and contract farmers'cooperatives, as well as by newly created regional elite groups and associations, in defence of their members' interests. Their capacity to act appears to be strengthened by the current political liberalization process.
