3 - Structural Assets

Summary

This chapter discusses the country’s key structural assets: control of violence; formal institutional capacities as shown by the dual economic and political transition as well as bureaucratic accomplishments; and expression of the population’s democratic aspirations.Episodes of violence are flare-ups rather than deliberate political strategies. In the light of the country’s long history, no non-state organisation appears to have any real power to whip up violence. Although violence exists in Malagasy society, it is largely repressed and, when it does surface, it tends to take the form of infrapolitical eruptions expressing a discontent that does not clearly pinpoint its causes or directly designate those responsible.Depending on the period, Madagascar posts capacities and achievements that could place it at an advanced stage of natural state in all three economic, bureaucratic and political arenas. Three examples illustrate this: the success of the export processing zones, significant results in the fight against bureaucratic corruption and the process of democratic transition.Last but not least, population matters. Changes of government have often been driven by large-scale movements. Escalating economic and unfulfilled democratic governance aspirations are a major source of popular frustration and potential mobilisation.