Date of Award

Spring 6-6-2018

Document Type

Honors Project

University Scholars Director

Dr. Christine Chaney

First Advisor/Committee Member

Dr. Bradley Murg

Second Advisor/Committee Member

Dr. Caleb Henry

Keywords

regional integration, economic freedom, Africa, Sub-Saharan, Botswana

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between policies facilitating domestic economic freedom in Sub-Saharan African states and the degree of regional integration of those states into their respective regional economic communities. It conducts a linear regression analysis with data from the Economic Freedom of the World Report 2017 and the AFRICA Regional Integration Index to conduct a quantitative study of Sub-Saharan African states. The regression finds strong evidence that domestic economic freedom is a significant contributing factor, between 5% and 15% causality, to a state’s degree of regional integration. The paper hypothesizes that private sector political and economic activity is the causal mechanism for such a relationship. It examines the case study of Botswana to test this hypothesis in a plausibility probe, examining policies across time, and especially the establishment of Botswana’s High Level Consultative Council. Finally, it proposes several potential avenues for further research.

Comments

A project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the University Scholars Program.

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