The State and Development: A Study of the Dominance of the Political Class in Zambia

Abstract

In the absence of countervailing forces in Third World Countries, the political class plays a dominant role in the economic, industrial, political and social spheres. Political class here refers to the national political rulers and their allies-the managerial bourgeoisie. The power of this political class in developing countries accrues not so much from relationships in economic production as from the polity and state apparatus. Most nationalist politicians came to power and thrive in it through their ability to organize and through political and govermental institutions. 1 The purpose of this paper is to discuss and analyze the dominance of the new ruling class over the old ruling class in Zambia from the perspective of the Local Administration Act of 1980 and the controversy surrounding its adoption. This Local Administration Act proposed to transfer power from the central goverment in Lusaka to local leaders at the district level. The paradox. however, was that the members of Parliament sitting on the back bench and the leaders of the labor movement opposed a law that was supposed to enable local people to take charge of their affairs. We will look closely at the reason for this opposition and the way in which government and party leaders overcame it.