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Thesis (MA (Political Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Botswana and Mauritius have been operating as stable, multi-party democracies since their independence, in 1966 and 1968 respectively. It is unclear, however, which country is the most consolidated democracy. Therefore, this study compares Botswana and Mauritius, using specific criteria as developed by writers such as Huntington (1991), Linz and Stepan (1996), Przeworski (1996) and Schedler (1998 and 2001) to determine which country is the most consolidated democracy. The criteria used to determine the most consolidated democracy, can broadly be subdivided as follows. Firstly, institutions impacting on democratic consolidation, and the presence of these institutions in Botswana and Mauritius will be studied, such as the rule of law; whether the respective countries are characterised by a system of Presidentialism or Parliamentarianism; the electoral system used; whether elections are competitive, free and fair, and whether these elections resulted in a peaceful change in political power; the presence of a usable state bureaucracy; and lastly, the rankings by Freedom House will be used to determine to what extent citizen political and civil rights are protected and guaranteed. Secondly, the socio-economic factors impacting on the erosion or deepening of democratic consolidation will be studied, with the focus on trends since independence. These factors include the existence of an economic society; per capita income; economic growth and inflation; as well as inequality reduction within the respective countries. Lastly, the social conditions influencing democratic consolidation will also be studied, such as ethnic homogeneity or heterogeneity; the prevalence and size of the middle class as influenced by urbanization and adult literacy; and lastly, the prevalence and role of civil society. Botswana and Mauritius were compared using the above criteria. This study comes to the conclusion that Mauritius is the most consolidated democracy. The following findings support the conclusion that Mauritius is the most consolidated democracy. Mauritius is a rechtsstaat, whilst Botswana is not. In Mauritius, there is a distinction between the position of Head of State and Head of Government, in contrast to the extensive power given to the President in Botswana. There is no single dominant party in Mauritius, whilst the political sphere in Botswana is characterised by the dominance of the BDP since independence. The FPTP electoral system in Mauritius is supplemented by the BLS, in an effort to ensure sufficient representation to minority groups in the National Assembly, whilst Botswana only uses the FPTP electoral system. Elections in Mauritius are considered to be competitive, free and fair, whilst the fairness of Botswana’s elections, given the electoral system, have been questioned. Mauritius also passes Huntington’s Two Turnover test, as there have been three changes in political power, whilst the BDP in Botswana have won every election since independence. Mauritius’ position on the HDI is much better than the position of Botswana, and the consociational compromises agreed upon in Mauritius resulted in a social environment which assists democratic consolidation. Lastly, Mauritius is also characterised by a lively civil society, whilst civil society in Botswana is considered to be a-political and weak.

This study is concerned with discovering relationships between community power structures and economic growth. The economic growth in selected Northeast Texas counties and their major cities is compared with the power structures in each of these communities during the 1944 through 1968 period.

This study is an examination and comparison of the manner in which Nigeria, Iran and Libya used oil revenue for their economic development. The research methodology was the case study approach, utilizing statistical time series data, as well as a historical profile of each country's income and expenditure accounts. As a prelude to the oil injection, the pre-oil revenue economy, the history of the oil industry, and the previously implemented development plans of each of these nations is surveyed. The impact of the oil revenues on the standard of living and the non-oil sectors of these economies is examined. The paper concludes with projections concerning each country's ability to continue to promote economic development when its exhaustible oil reserves runs out.

by Ngan Nga Wing. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 220-236). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgments --- p.iii / Table of Contents --- p.iv / List of Tables --- p.xi / List of Figures --- p.xiii / List of Abbreviations --- p.xiv / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Background --- p.1 / Context of the Study --- p.2 / Ethnic Chinese and Their Business --- p.2 / Ethnic Chinese and Homeward Investment --- p.4 / Guanxi and the Contemporary Socialist China --- p.5 / The Notion of Guanxi and Instrumental Relationships --- p.7 / Area of Study --- p.10 / Physical Environment of Fuj ian Province --- p.10 / Economic Development Since 1949 --- p.10 / "Reasons of Selecting Jinjiang, Fujian " --- p.11 / Objectives of the Study --- p.12 / A Brief of the Thesis --- p.13 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES --- p.14 / Introduction --- p.14 / Research Designs And Methods --- p.15 / Choice of the Method-Qualitative Method --- p.15 / Data Collection From Human Resources --- p.20 / Purposive and Emergent Sampling --- p.21 / Data Collection in the Field --- p.22 / In-depth Interviews --- p.23 / Group Interviews --- p.26 / Participant Observation --- p.28 / Secondary Data in the Field --- p.29 / Some Critical Reflection in the Field --- p.30 / Data Collection From Non-human Resources --- p.32 / Inductive Data Analysis --- p.33 / Categorization --- p.33 / Triangulation --- p.34 / Network Analysis --- p.35 / Case Reporting --- p.36 / Tape Recording --- p.37 / Verbatim --- p.38 / Narrative --- p.38 / Validity And The Issue Of Subjectivity --- p.39 / Summary --- p.41 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- ETHNIC CHINESE AND THEIR BUSINESS CULTURE --- p.42 / Introduction --- p.42 / Economic Success of Ethnic Chinese --- p.43 / Hostile Business Environments --- p.45 / Political Environment --- p.45 / Restriction of the Scope of Economic Activities --- p.47 / Restriction on Capital Participation of Ethnic Chinese --- p.49 / Restriction of Governing Labour by Ethnic Chinese --- p.50 / Other Discriminatory Treatment Against Ethnic Chinese --- p.51 / Chinese Culture And Capitalism --- p.53 / Confucian Value System --- p.55 / Confucianism and Ethnic Chinese Entrepreneurs --- p.57 / Ethnic Chinese Business Culture --- p.59 / The Concept of Family --- p.59 / Family and Ethnic Chinese Business --- p.60 / Characteristics of Family-oriented Firms --- p.61 / Kin Groups and Association --- p.64 / Types of Kin's Groups and Association --- p.64 / Functions of the Kin's Groups and Associations --- p.66 / "Networks, Trust and Guanxi " --- p.68 / The Cultural Trait of Networks Among Ethnic Chinese --- p.68 / Trust --- p.70 / Guanxi --- p.72 / Ethnic Chinese Homeward Investment --- p.76 / Spatial Hurdles in Homeward Investment --- p.77 / Weak Legal Framework --- p.77 / Poor Quality of Bureaucrats --- p.79 / The Prevalence of Guanxi --- p.80 / How Do Ethnic Chinese Do to Overcome the Problems? --- p.81 / Summary --- p.84 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- NETWORKS AND ETHNIC FUJIANESE ENTREPRENEURS --- p.85 / Introduction --- p.85 / Networks and Investment --- p.86 / Types Of Networks --- p.88 / The Nature of Networks --- p.89 / Extra-firm Networks --- p.89 / Intra-firm Networks --- p.93 / Entrepreneurship --- p.96 / Inter-firm Networks --- p.97 / Kinship --- p.97 / Friendship --- p.99 / Friendship is More Important than Kinship --- p.101 / Motivations of Cultivating Networks --- p.104 / Extra-firm Networks --- p.104 / Weak Legal Framework --- p.105 / Flimsy Bureaucratic System --- p.107 / Greater Autonomy of Local Authority --- p.107 / Intra-firm Networks and Inter-firm Networks --- p.110 / Ancestral Ties and Emotional Linkages --- p.110 / Personal Trust and Reciprocal Obligation --- p.112 / Cultural Affinity --- p.113 / Complex Sentiment --- p.114 / Mechanisms of Network Building --- p.115 / Extra-firm Networks --- p.115 / Power rather than Monetary Relationships --- p.115 / Proprietary Rights --- p.116 / Social and Political Legitimacy --- p.117 / Intra-firm Networks --- p.118 / Utilitarianistic Familism --- p.118 / Entrepreneurial Familism --- p.121 / Inter-firm Networks --- p.122 / Blood Relationship of Kinship --- p.123 / The Role of Intermediary --- p.124 / Reciprocity and Obligations of Friends --- p.126 / Benefits of Building Networks --- p.127 / Extra-firm Networks --- p.127 / Access to Profit --- p.129 / Access to Protection --- p.130 / Intra-firm Networks --- p.132 / Reliable Management --- p.133 / Fast Decision Making --- p.134 / Personal Achievement --- p.134 / Inter-firm Networks --- p.136 / Obtaining Information --- p.136 / Minimizing Risk --- p.137 / Mutual Exchange --- p.138 / Summary --- p.139 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- ENTREPRENEURS AND GUANXI --- p.141 / Introduction --- p.141 / Dimensions of Personal Relations --- p.142 / Rural Vs Urban --- p.142 / Sentimental Relations Vs Instrumental Relationship --- p.145 / Guanxi Mentality Vs Economic Mentality --- p.147 / Reciprocity (Bao) Vs Corruption/Bribery --- p.148 / Elements of Guanxi Management --- p.150 / Sameness --- p.151 / Familiarity --- p.152 / Trust --- p.154 / Social Obligation and Reciprocity --- p.155 / The Tactics of Cultivating Guanxi --- p.157 / Gift-giving --- p.157 / Money-giving --- p.161 / Banquets --- p.163 / Achieved Familiarity by an Intermediary --- p.165 / Employment and Partnership --- p.167 / Entrepreneurs Need Certain Technical Skill --- p.172 / Awareness of Guanxi --- p.172 / Understand the Guanxi Cultivating Process --- p.173 / Impacts of Guanxi --- p.174 / "Ability to Identify, Design and Implement Guanxi Cultivation " --- p.175 / Knowledge of Management Techniques --- p.177 / Attitudes and Performance of Entrepreneurs in Guanxi Cultivating --- p.179 / Proactive --- p.179 / Reactive --- p.182 / Resistive --- p.185 / Characteristics of Firms With Successful Strategies --- p.189 / Strong Entrepreneurship --- p.189 / Strong Personal Networks --- p.191 / Good Family Networks --- p.193 / Local Professionals --- p.194 / Strong Financial Back Up --- p.195 / Summary --- p.198 / Chapter CHAPTER SIX --- CONCLUSION AND REFLECTIONS --- p.200 / Homeward Investment by Ethnic Fujianese in Fujian: Summary of Finding --- p.200 / Reflections --- p.203 / Reflections from Informant Entrepreneurs --- p.203 / Personal Reflections --- p.209 / Contribution of the Study --- p.210 / Direction for Future Study --- p.211 / Appendix I In-depth Interviews with Ethnic Fujianese Entrepreneurs --- p.213 / Appendix II In-depth Interviews with Government Officials --- p.215 / Glossary --- p.216 / Bibliography --- p.220

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Access to markets is increasingly regarded in development circles as a critical factor in determining livelihood choices in peasant economies. In the northeastern Peruvian Amazon, a multitude of river transporters and market intermediaries based in the central city of Iquitos provide essential services and market opportunities for remote peasant producers across the region. Using a multi-scalar, multi-method approach involving extensive fieldwork in the Peruvian Amazon, this research (re)assesses the meanings and implications of "remoteness" and "connectedness" for rural peasants. At the regional scale, I examine the functional heterogeneity of river trading networks and marketing agents. Given the high-risk/high-transaction-cost environment, river trading is found to be expensive for producers and traders alike. High costs are exacerbated by the low gross returns of rural production (mainly food and natural building materials). Thin or missing markets for credit, labour, land and insurance increase the hardships associated with limited access to product markets. Regional findings are complemented with a comparative livelihoods analysis in two remote communities of the Alto Tigre River that benefit from differential access to oil-labour. My study reveals that differential access to labour has significant impacts on the livelihood strategies of working households. However, given limited access to external markets, cash-income from oil-labour is found to offer limited opportunities for growth. In sum, the research proposes insights for advancing the debate on livelihoods and poverty in the Peruvian Amazon.