IBI Internation Burke Institute

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Botswana - 30 years of economic growth, democracy and aid: Is there a connection?

07.09.2025 17:33

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Botswana Sovereignty Index (Burke Index), 2024-2025

26.10.2025 16:24

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The political foundations of development: the case of Botswana

04.09.2025 07:21

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Pitfalls of parliamentary democracy in Botswana

07.09.2025 15:42

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07.09.2025 16:06

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Democratic statecraft versus political legitimacy: The case of Botswana In Africa, Botswana is widely regarded as a frontrunner in democratic politics. But the local political system has been wanting in some aspects. If political legitimacy may be high in “the land of Tswanas”, in many respects political leaders have denied Botswana’s citizens a freedom to shape their political future. To understand the failure of parliamentary institutions in Botswana, we propose to study what Carl Schmitt termed “political decisionism”. Decisionism continues to be relevant to our understanding of the functioning of sovereign state in a country where the political spectrum mainly rests on ethnic and religious affiliations around a strong leader whose legitimacy goes beyond parliamentary criteria.

Botswana’s Success: The Critical Role of Identity-Based Democracy

07.09.2025 17:35

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Botswana’s Economy and the Question of Diversification Botswana is an upper-middle-income country with a significant diamond wealth, being the first world producer of diamonds in terms of value and the second largest, after Russia, in terms of volume. Although Botswana's economy has performed quite well in recent years, apart from the negative year of the COVID-19 crisis, the country still suffers from high inequalities, high levels of poverty, insufficient infrastructure, and a poorly diversified economy too focused on diamonds. This paper examines the economy of Botswana, its features, economic structure, and evolution, stressing the need for diversification. The paper first suggests the need for the government to actively foster private sector development of the economy and the provision of a business-friendly regulatory environment, as well as an innovation policy that encourages the adoption of digital technologies and the establishment of Industry 4.0, finally, last but not least, skill enhancement. Therefore, innovation, institutions, and education are the key factors for diversification and sustainable development.

07.09.2025 15:51

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BOTSWANA'S INDEPENDENCE FROM SOUTH AFRICA The Republic of Botswana shares borders with South Africa to the south, Namibia to the west and north, Zimbabwe to the east, and Zambia to the north. The British declared a protectorate over Botswana, then known as Bechuanaland, in 1885, at the invitation of a prominent indigenous local chief. Prior to this, the territory was inhabited by various peoples ruled by different chiefs, coexisting as independent entities. Initially, missionaries were appointed as Assistant Commissioners in the Protectorate, later replaced by English-speaking South Africans with police or clerical backgrounds, known as Resident Magistrates. South Africa gained virtual control over the territory through the Statute of Union Act (1934), prompting the British to solidify their own rule in the High Commission Territories to prevent transfer to the Union. Consequently, a form of indirect rule was implemented for governance. Nationalism in Botswana was relatively mild and did not lead to widespread mobilization for rapid independence. The transition to independence was more strongly driven by colonial authorities than nationalist leaders. Seretse Khama emerged as a consensus figure for the handover of power. Although from an aristocratic family of the largest tribe among the Tswana (the Bamangwato), his marriage to an English woman cost him his title to the throne. Nevertheless, he maintained high traditional status and was not viewed as a traditional chief. Educated and a successful businessman in ranching, he garnered support from the expatriate community and colonial authorities. In 1962, he was appointed to a senior post in a trainee-minister system. His moderate Bechuanaland Democratic Party (later Botswana Democratic Party), formed in opposition to the Bechuanaland People's Party advocating radical nationalism, quickly became the dominant force in the Legislative Council, winning 28 of 31 elected seats in 1965. Independence was achieved in 1966, again with minimal popular mobilization and Khama became the country's first President.

07.09.2025 17:38

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Botswana’s “Developmental State” and the Politics of Legitimacy Starting from a very low base, Botswana has had amongst the most impressive growth figures in the world and has pursued policies that reflect aspects of the developmental state model. Although the country’s development trajectory has not been unproblematic and there are major contradictions in the economy, the example of Botswana is an intriguing example of how development was pursued in a country that was given no hope at independence. Of major importance in this story was the construction of a post-colonial historic bloc and a broad hegemonic project underpinning the chosen developmental path which has granted the dominant party an enduring form of legitimacy almost unprecedented in the rest of Africa.

Privatisation in Botswana: the demise of a developmental state?

DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE IN BOTSWANA: LESSONS FOR THE TRANSITION ECONOMIES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA