Following independence, most countries in Africa sought to develop, but their governments pursued policies that actually undermined their rural economies. Examining the origins of Africa's "growth tragedy," Markets and States in Tropical Africa has for decades shaped the thinking of practitioners and scholars alike. Robert H. Bates's analysis now faces a challenge, however: the revival of economic growth on the continent. In this edition, Bates provides a new preface and chapter that address the seeds of Africa's recovery and discuss the significance of the continent's success for the arguments of this classic work.

Preface to the 2014 Edition, ixPreface to the 2005 Edition, xiAcknowledgments, xviiIntroduction, 1Part I. Government Interventions in Major Markets1. Policies Toward Cash Crops for Export, 112. The Food Sector: The Political Dynamics of PricingPolicies, 303. The Food Sector: The Use of Nonprice Strategies, 454. The Emerging Industrial Sector, 62Part II. Interpretation5. The Market as Political Arena and the Limits ofVoluntarism, 816. Rental Havens and Protective Shelters: Organizing SupportAmong the Urban Beneficiaries, 967. The Origins of Political Marginalism: Evoking ComplianceFrom the Countryside, 1068. Commonalities and Variations: The Politics of AgriculturalPolicy, 1199. Political Reform and Economic Development, 129Appendix A: Interrelations Between Food Supply, Demand,and Prices, 149Appendix B: Value Received by Farmers for Export Crops, 152Bibliography, 163Index, 185