With the waning of the Cold War, the major political powers are no longer constrained to support African authoritarianism. All over Africa democratic experiments have sprung up. But can they survive, and are they compatible with renewed economic growth? Richard Sandbrook answers these questions and assesses the feasibility of the new political program in reinforcing Africa’s economic recovery. He argues that the program has merit in the short term, but in the longer term, a more self-reliant, state-directed approach should be adopted to ensure prosperity and durable democracy.