Leevan Djirosse | 2026 I.S. Symposium
Name: Leevan Djirosse
罢颈迟濒别:听The Intersection of Colonial Legacies, Institutions, and Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa
惭补箩辞谤:听Economics
础诲惫颈蝉辞谤:听Amyaz Moledina
This study explores how different colonial governing styles continue to shape economic and human development in Sub-Saharan Africa today. Specifically, it compares British 鈥渋ndirect rule鈥 (governing through local leaders) and French 鈥渄irect rule鈥 (centralized control) to see if they created lasting differences in institutions and well-being. The research argues that colonial legacies affect development through two main pathways. First, they influence how strong and effective a country鈥檚 institutions are, such as how well governments manage resources and provide services. Stronger institutions tend to support higher incomes and better public services. Second, colonial experiences, especially more coercive ones, can shape people鈥檚 trust in government, which affects whether they use services like healthcare and education. To measure how well countries turn income into better living conditions, the study creates new indicators comparing GDP per person with outcomes in health and human development from 1990 to 2015. The results show large differences across countries. Importantly, simply having a British or French colonial history does not consistently explain these differences. Instead, the quality of governance, especially control of corruption, plays a much bigger role. Better governance improves how effectively income translates into well-being, while mistrust rooted in colonial experiences can weaken this link.
Posted in Symposium 2026 on May 1, 2026.
