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A Comparative Analysis of the Neoliberal Turn in Three Former French Colonies

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Power, policy and discourse: a comparative analysis of the neoliberal turn in three former French colonies Harriet Thiery A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Languages and Cultures University of Sheffield January 2020 Abstract This thesis examines the role of the Bretton Woods Institutions (BWIs) in the development of three former French colonies. Comparing the experiences of Chad, Côte d’Ivoire and Haiti, it explores the ways in which the development trajectory of postcolonial countries has been shaped by international institutions and neoliberal ideology. It does this by examining two key periods of development lending: structural adjustment and poverty reduction strategies. Adopting a neo- Gramscian theoretical approach, this study understands neoliberalism as an ideological hegemonic project as well as a development paradigm. It examines both the practical content of the programmes, and the discourse, borrowing methodological insight from Critical Discourse Analysis. The findings reveal important trends across the case studies and over time and are therefore both spatially and temporally significant. Over the thirty-year period, the World Bank and the IMF imposed a common neoliberal policy matrix, which centred on austerity, export markets, deregulation and privatisation. The SAPs undermined the sovereignty of the state, deepened dependency and impeded economic and social development. The poverty reduction strategies, in spite of claims of country-ownership and participation, continued to adhere to the neoliberal formula. Only the discourse evolved, co-opting counter-hegemonic ideals in order to legitimise the further embedding of the neoliberal agenda and the entrenchment of poverty. The approach sheds light upon the interactive relationship between policy, power and discourse, demonstrating how the dynamics of power in these three countries are both coercive and consensual. I argue that the conceptual premise and operational framework of international development reflects continuity with the imperial legacy of circumscribed sovereignty. In this sense, the neoliberal development project is understood a form of neo-colonial control. 2 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... 6 Abbreviations ..................................................................................................................... 7 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 9 The case studies ....................................................................................................................... 14 Chapter synopses .................................................................................................................... 15 The argument ........................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter one: literature review .................................................................................. 19 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 19 A note on terminology ........................................................................................................... 20 Traditional approaches: modernisation theory and classical IR ............................ 21 Neoliberalism: a critique of theory and practice .......................................................... 28 Dependency theory and neo-colonialism ....................................................................... 38 Gramsci, Cox and Discourse ................................................................................................. 49 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 54 Chapter two: methodology .......................................................................................... 55 Philosophical considerations .............................................................................................. 56 Comparative approach .......................................................................................................... 58 Case study selection ............................................................................................................... 59 1. ‘Failed’ States ................................................................................................................................. 61 2. Foreign military interventions .............................................................................................. 63 3. External Debts ............................................................................................................................... 66 Methodological approach ..................................................................................................... 69 The CDA approach ................................................................................................................................ 70 Methodological challenges ............................................................................................................... 79 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 79 Part one: structural adjustment ................................................................................ 81 Introducing the Bretton Woods Institutions (BWIs) ................................................... 83 The scope of the study: policy themes .............................................................................. 85 Historical context .................................................................................................................... 87 SAPs and the case studies: a timeline and corpus ........................................................ 91 Chapter three: the austerity agenda ........................................................................ 93 The neoliberal rationale for austerity ............................................................................. 94 SAPs: cutting social sectors and scaling back the civil service ................................. 95 Austerity: a nationally owned project? .......................................................................... 106 Legitimising austerity: there is no alternative ............................................................ 109 Argument 1: The blame discourse .............................................................................................. 111 Argument 2: There is no alternative to austerity policies ................................................ 120 Denying the political nature of the reforms ............................................................................ 126 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 127 Chapter four: the neoliberal trade strategy ........................................................ 129 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 129 Export-led growth ................................................................................................................. 130 Rolling Back the state ........................................................................................................... 135 Neoliberal trade policies: a question of sovereignty? ............................................... 145 Legitimising the neoliberal trade strategy ................................................................... 148 Argument 1: state-marKet discourse ......................................................................................... 149 Argument 2: the growth discourse ............................................................................................. 163 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 170 3 Conclusion to part one ......................................................................................................... 171 Part two. Poverty Reduction Strategies: governance without government Structural adjustment: a discredited model ........................................................................... 175 Poverty Reduction Strategies: aligning with global development goals .................... 175 The HIPC: ending the debt trap? .................................................................................................. 177 PRSPs: genuine shift or business as usual? ............................................................................. 178 PRSPs and the case studies: a timeline ...................................................................................... 181 Chapter five: rebranding austerity ......................................................................... 184 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 184 PRSPs: renewed investment in health and education? ............................................. 185 HIPC: ending the deBt trap and freeing up resources?
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