Includes bibliography.

This book is divided into four sections. section one, which seeks to situate the politics of underdevelopment, sets out to answer the question about the nature of post-colonial state and class interests that it serves. Section two. looks at issues of political violence, militarism and warlordism, which by the late 1980s, had become features of politics in Africa. Section three addresses issue of culture, political power, gender and political participation. As Africa continues to react to the neo-liberalagenda, the final section focuses on politics of neo-liberalism, democratization and the question of the role of the sate in fostering development.