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Explaining growth in Burundi: 1960-2000

Author

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  • Janvier D. Nkurunziza
  • Floribert Ngaruko
Abstract
This study analyses Burundi’s economic performance over the period 1960-2000 and finds that it has been catastrophic. The usual economic factors explaining growth are endogenous to political decisions, suggesting that it is politics not economics that explains the dismal performance. This picture particularly limits the relevance of textbook models that rely on the assumption of a competitive resource allocation rule. When cronies rather than qualified managers are running the economy, when priority is given to investment projects in function of their location rather than the objective needs of the economy, the economic model loses its explanatory power. Economic performance has been shaped by the occurrence of violent conflicts caused by factions fighting for the control of the state and its rents. The capture of rents by a small group have become the overarching objective of the successive governments that have ruled the country since shortly after its independence. Therefore, the economic system will not change unless the political system is modernised from a dictatorial regime playing a zero-sum game to a more democratic and accountable regime. Therefore, it would be naïve to propose that economic reforms will boost the country’s economy if they are not preceded or at least accompanied by political reforms. One central message of this study is that Burundi’s poor economic performance is the result of specific identifiable factors evolving around governance. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with Burundi: Development failure may be reversed if the issues identified in the study are properly addressed.

Suggested Citation

  • Janvier D. Nkurunziza & Floribert Ngaruko, 2002. "Explaining growth in Burundi: 1960-2000," CSAE Working Paper Series 2002-03, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford.
    • Handle: RePEc:csa:wpaper:2002-03
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. de Janvry, Alain & Fafchamps, M. & Sadoulet, Elisabeth, 1991. "Peasant Household Behavior with Missing Markets: Some Paradoxes Explain," CUDARE Working Papers 198579, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
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    3. Pritchett, Lant & Filmer, Deon, 1999. "What education production functions really show: a positive theory of education expenditures," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 223-239, April.
    4. International Monetary Fund, 1999. "Burundi; Statistical Annex," IMF Staff Country Reports 99/08, International Monetary Fund.
    5. Pritchett, Lant & Filmer,Deon, 1997. "What educational production functions really show : a positive theory of education spending," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1795, The World Bank.
    6. de Janvry, Alain & Fafchamps, Marcel & Sadoulet, Elisabeth, 1991. "Peasant Household Behaviour with Missing Markets: Some Paradoxes Explained," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 101(409), pages 1400-1417, November.
    7. World Bank, 2000. "World Development Indicators 2000," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 13828.
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    Cited by:

    1. Beekman, Gonne & Bulte, Erwin H., 2012. "Social norms, tenure security and soil conservation: Evidence from Burundi," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 50-63.
    2. Zsuzsanna Biedermann, 2015. "Rwanda: developmental success story in a unique setting," IWE Working Papers 213, Institute for World Economics - Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    3. Robinson, James A. & Torvik, Ragnar, 2009. "A political economy theory of the soft budget constraint," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(7), pages 786-798, October.
    4. Mwangi Gĩthĩnji, 2015. "Erasing Class/(Re)Creating Ethnicity: Jobs, Politics, Accumulation and Identity in Kenya," The Review of Black Political Economy, Springer;National Economic Association, vol. 42(1), pages 87-110, June.
    5. Janvier D. Nkurunziza, 2010. "Why Is The Financial Sector In Burundi Not Development-Oriented?," EUI-RSCAS Working Papers 29, European University Institute (EUI), Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS).
    6. Janvier Nkurunziza, 2004. "How Long Can Inflation Tax Compensate For The Loss Of Government Revenue In War Economies? Evidence From Burundi," Development and Comp Systems 0409065, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Milanovic, Branko, 2003. "Is inequality in Africa really different ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3169, The World Bank.
    8. Janvier D. Nkurunziza, 2005. "Credit Can Precipitate Firm Failure: Evidence from Kenyan Manufacturing in the 1990s," Economics Series Working Papers WPS/2005-04, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    9. Janvier D. Nkurunziza, 2010. "Why Is The Financial Sector In Burundi Not Development-Oriented?," RSCAS Working Papers 2010/29, European University Institute.
    10. Janvier Nkurunziza, 2004. "How long can inflation tax compensate for the loss Wof government revenue in war economics? Evidence from Burundi," Economics Series Working Papers WPS/2004-19, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.

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