Of Democracy and Elections — in Reverse. On the Exorbitant (Increase in the) Cost of Elections in Africa

Democracy is undergoing a stress test across the world. There is a reversal of a positive trend, especially significant since the end of the Cold War, of an expansion of democracy and the adoption in an increasing number of countries. Freedom House puts the trend reversal in 2005. The reversal is arguably most clearly visible in Africa. Elections are essential to the functioning of democracy, for good governance and, through the latter, for economic development and people's material well-being. Lindberg found that elections improve democracy "on the way up"-but Freedom House has now reported that the slide in the indicators for elections has been twice the rate of the overall Freedom House country scores during the 2016-2018 period. We show that elections, in Sub-Saharan Africa, have become exceptionally expensive (from 2000 an amount of almost USD 125 billion may have been spent in Sub-Saharan Africa alone), while the enhanced technology content-while pushing up election administration cost-has not prevented a significant slide in trust in election integrity. The disenfranchisement and impoverishment that may result from the collapse of democratic systems in the developing world may affect the pursuance of a legal identity for all by 2030 (sustainable development target 16.9, under goal 16: "Peace, justice and strong institutions" which includes target 16.7: "Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels"). Achieving target 16.9 may become confined to an exercise towards achieving utilitarian, material ends (e.g. verification of identity to avail of certain material benefits) rather than the achievement of an immaterial, higher purpose-the recognition of every person's dignity and equality before the law, and the right to choose one's leaders