Although widely overlooked, formal rules have significantly impacted democratisation in African politics.

So, to understand democratisation, we need to focus less on personal relationships (like neopatrimonialism) and more on term limits, constitutions, electoral commissions, economic regulations and systems of land tenure.

When leaders uphold formal rules, this sets expectations, generating a positive feedback loop. For example, when a president stands down at the end of their term, subsequent presidents are more likely to do so.

In this podcast, Professor Nic Cheeseman discusses his fascinating new book, on how the rules of the game shape political developments.

Check out the book: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/institutions-and-democracy-in-africa/73ED89DF634FAFAA2D070F0ED4EE780F