State Formation and Governance in Botswana
a Department of Government, Harvard University, 1737 Cambridge St., Cambridge MA02138 and b Department of History, Faculty of Humanities, University of Botswana, Private Bag UB 00704, Gaborone, Botswana
1 James A. Robinson is the corresponding author, e-mail: jrobinson{at}gov.harvard.edu
Our analysis begins with the puzzle: how did Botswana develop a legal-rational state? We suggest that three key interlinked factors were important. First, during the pre-colonial period the Tswana developed local states with relatively limited kingship or chiefship and with a political structure that was able to integrate people of other ethnic groups such as Kalanga. Second, facing the onslaught first of the Boers, next of the British South Africa Company, and finally of the Union of South Africa, Tswana political elites attempted to maintain a good measure of independence by defensively modernizing. Finally, the political elites in both local states before independence and the national state at independence heavily invested in the country's most important economic activity, ranching. This gave them a strong incentive to promote rational state institutions and private property. Moreover, the integrative nature of traditional Tswana political institutions reduced the likelihood that alternative groups would aggressively contest the power of the new unitary state.