Big man (political science)

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The terms big man, big man syndrome, and bigmanism, within the context of political science, refer to corrupt, autocratic and often totalitarian rule of countries by a single person.

Contents

Generally associated with neopatrimonial states, where there is a framework of formal law and administration but the state is informally captured by patronage networks. The distribution of the spoils of office takes precedence over the formal functions of the state, severely limiting the ability of public officials to make policies in the general interest. While neopatrimonialism may be considered the norm where a modern state is constructed in a preindustrial context, however, the African variants often result in bigmanism in the form of a strongly presidentialist political system. [1]

Examples

Africa

Americas

Asia

Europe

Oceania

See also

References

  1. Booth, David; Cammack, Diana; Harrigan, Jane; Kanyongolo, Edge; Mataure, Mike and Ngwira, Naomi (2006) Drivers of Change and Development in Malawi. Working Paper No. 261. London : Overseas Development Institute. Source:http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/download/1318.pdf Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Obituary: Omar Bongo". BBC News. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  3. Rice, Xan (4 May 2008). "Papa Bongo's 40 years in power". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  4. Fisher, Jonathan; Cheeseman, Nic (31 October 2019). "How colonial rule predisposed Africa to fragile authoritarianism". The Conversation. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  5. Johanna Granville, "Dej-a-Vu: Early Roots of Romania's Independence," Archived 2013-10-14 at the Wayback Machine East European Quarterly, vol. XLII, no. 4 (Winter 2008), pp. 365–404.
  6. Laber, Jeri (16 February 2005). The Courage of Strangers: Coming of Age With the Human Rights Movement. PublicAffairs. ISBN   978-1-58648-966-3.
  7. Lagenheim, Johnny (1 June 2012). "Big Man Politics". The Monthly. Retrieved 7 August 2022.

Further reading