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The Uneven Playing Field: Exploring the Pathways from Economic to Political Inequality and the Implications for Democracy in Botswana

Rosner, Lea Solveig LU (2025) MIDM19 20251
Department of Human Geography
LUMID International Master programme in applied International Development and Management
Abstract
Globally rising levels of economic inequality pose a serious threat to democracy, fostering support for authoritarian governance and eroding respect for democratic values. While substantial research has examined the relationship between economic inequality and democracy, Sub-Saharan Africa remains largely under-researched in this context. This thesis positions itself as an exploratory study aimed at addressing this gap. Botswana presents a particularly compelling case. Despite being one of the most unequal countries in the world, it is often regarded as a beacon of democracy. With the recent victory of an opposition party for the first time since independence in 1966, Botswana’s democratic landscape stands at a critical juncture. This... (More)
Globally rising levels of economic inequality pose a serious threat to democracy, fostering support for authoritarian governance and eroding respect for democratic values. While substantial research has examined the relationship between economic inequality and democracy, Sub-Saharan Africa remains largely under-researched in this context. This thesis positions itself as an exploratory study aimed at addressing this gap. Botswana presents a particularly compelling case. Despite being one of the most unequal countries in the world, it is often regarded as a beacon of democracy. With the recent victory of an opposition party for the first time since independence in 1966, Botswana’s democratic landscape stands at a critical juncture. This thesis investigates how economic inequality influences support for democracy and political participation in Botswana. A mixed-methods approach is employed, combining quantitative and qualitative data from street surveys in Gaborone with qualitative insights from interviews with academic experts. Notably, the findings diverge remarkably from patterns commonly observed in Western contexts. In Botswana, economic inequality appears to have no significant impact on support for democracy and only a marginal effect on political participation. This positions the country as an outlier to prevailing Western trends. However, there are emerging indicators that the negative effects of inequality may intensify in the future. The thesis aims to unpack these divergent patterns and offers concrete recommendations for NGOs and CSOs to promote more inclusive political engagement. (Less)
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author
Rosner, Lea Solveig LU
supervisor
organization
course
MIDM19 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Botswana, democracy, economic inequality, democracy support, democracy satisfaction, political participation, political equality
language
English
id
9194248
date added to LUP
2025-06-11 13:17:08
date last changed
2025-06-11 13:17:08
@misc{9194248,
  abstract     = {{Globally rising levels of economic inequality pose a serious threat to democracy, fostering support for authoritarian governance and eroding respect for democratic values. While substantial research has examined the relationship between economic inequality and democracy, Sub-Saharan Africa remains largely under-researched in this context. This thesis positions itself as an exploratory study aimed at addressing this gap. Botswana presents a particularly compelling case. Despite being one of the most unequal countries in the world, it is often regarded as a beacon of democracy. With the recent victory of an opposition party for the first time since independence in 1966, Botswana’s democratic landscape stands at a critical juncture. This thesis investigates how economic inequality influences support for democracy and political participation in Botswana. A mixed-methods approach is employed, combining quantitative and qualitative data from street surveys in Gaborone with qualitative insights from interviews with academic experts. Notably, the findings diverge remarkably from patterns commonly observed in Western contexts. In Botswana, economic inequality appears to have no significant impact on support for democracy and only a marginal effect on political participation. This positions the country as an outlier to prevailing Western trends. However, there are emerging indicators that the negative effects of inequality may intensify in the future. The thesis aims to unpack these divergent patterns and offers concrete recommendations for NGOs and CSOs to promote more inclusive political engagement.}},
  author       = {{Rosner, Lea Solveig}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Uneven Playing Field: Exploring the Pathways from Economic to Political Inequality and the Implications for Democracy in Botswana}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}