The Myth of the 'Benevolent Dictator': Does Africa Need 'Strongmen' to Prosper?

It is often said that Africa is not ready for democracy, and that what African states really need are so-called 'benevolent dictators' who can maintain order while driving economic development.

The seemingly impressive performance of Rwanda, for example, on anti-corruption and economic growth is often cited as evidence that democracy is a dangerous distraction that the continent, writ large, can ill-afford. Yet Rwanda is, in many ways, the exception rather than the rule -- both in Africa and worldwide. Most of Africa's one-party states, military regimes and personal dictatorships that emerged after independence have failed to deliver either economic growth or political stability. And very few of the authoritarian leaders that the continent has produced have been in any way 'benevolent.'

This show brings together activists, critical journalists and researchers to ask whether African countries need 'strongmen' to prosper, or whether democracy is better for development, as the available data seems to suggest. Does authoritarian rule have advantages? And if so, what are they? And if dictators are not actually needed, what explains the continued traction of this narrative, which does harm democratic development?