Developing States, Shaping Citizenship: Service Delivery and Political Participation in Zambia

Developing States, Shaping Citizenship explores how citizens' interactions with the government through service provision influence their political behavior, affecting formal and collective behaviors, political engagement, and subversive behaviors. Lack of capacity for service delivery undermines economic growth, human development, and citizens' confidence in the political system, leading to less democratic participation.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 30 May 2019
Publisher: The University of Michigan Press

At the intersection of political science, development studies, and public policy, Developing States, Shaping Citizenship delves into an often overlooked factor that shapes political behavior: citizens' past experiences with the government through service provision. Through a comprehensive analysis using evidence from Zambia, this book showcases how the quality of interactions with the government in the context of service delivery sends crucial signals about the potential outcomes of political action. These interactions not only influence formal political behaviors such as voting but also shape collective behavior, political engagement, and even subversive behaviors like tax evasion. Furthermore, the inability of the government to deliver services not only hinders economic growth and human development but also erodes citizens' trust in the responsiveness of the political system. Without this trust, citizens are less likely to participate in democratic processes, express their preferences, or comply with state revenue collection.

Erin Accampo Hern's book argues that economic development and political development in low-capacity states are interconnected processes. Hern draws on original data from a large-N survey, interviews, Afrobarometer data, and archival materials collected over 12 months in Zambia. The theoretical framework underpinning this book is policy feedback, which posits that policies, once implemented, influence the subsequent political participation of the affected population. While this theory has primarily been applied to advanced industrial democracies, this book represents the first explicit attempt to adapt it to the developing country context.

By examining the role of citizens' past experiences with the government through service provision, Developing States, Shaping Citizenship sheds light on the complex dynamics that shape political behavior in low-capacity states. It underscores the importance of improving service delivery and building trust between the government and its citizens to promote economic growth, political stability, and social well-being. This book offers valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners working in the fields of development, politics, and public policy.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780472074143