Nationalism and Its Impact on Democratization in Tanzania

Eun Kyung Kim

Institute of African Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies liprib612@gmail.com

Abstract

Tanzania has enjoyed rather peaceful political transitions both to the post-colonial regime and to multiparty democracy whereas in many other African states, recurring violent civil wars and ethnic conflicts have led to tremendous human suffering. This research examines how Tanzania achieved successful national-identity-building and national integration that brought about stability in the society and how the nationalist policies have influenced democratic development in the multiparty regime. Tanzania in the aftermath of colonization chose to follow the path to unity and equality, while it suppressed cultural diversity and individual liberty. Yet, the changes in the recent elections give hope for further democratic development in Tanzania. The nationalism trajectories shape its democratization process to be slow but peaceful.

Keywords:

Tanzania, nationalism, Julius Nyerere, democratization, multiparty democracy

Acknowledgments

The research is supported by Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Research Fund and the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean Government (NRF-362-2010-1-B00003).

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Biographical Note

Eun Kyung Kim is a Humanities-Korea-funded Assistant Professor in the Institute of African Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. Her research interests involve political economy of policy choice, voting behavior, and democratic consolidation in the context of Africa within the subfields of comparative politics and international relations. Recent publications include “Party Strategy in Multidimensional Competition in Africa: The Example of Zambia” in Comparative Politics and “Sector-Based Vote Choice: A New Approach to Explaining Core and Swing Voters in Africa” in International Area Studies Review. Email: liprib612@gmail.com