Between the Shadow of the Past and the Contradictions of the Present: The Demise of Democracy in Tanzania

This chapter explains the causes of Tanzania’s authoritarian shift, tracing them to the historical legacy of the one-party state and the dynamics of unequal economic development, which have worsened over the past two decades. This chapter contributes to existing literature by showing that, like other African countries, Tanzania has experienced a short-circuit between multiparty politics and the contradictory effects of economic growth. This situation has led to a resurgence of the authoritarian practices associated with the one-party state, whose historical legacy continues to negatively impact the country's democratic transition.