Democratisation after empire: Pre-independence extensions of political rights

Abstract

Colonialism’s legacy still influences democracy in former colonies. This article examines how political rights under colonial rule shape democratic development after independence. We argue that the early extension of suffrage and access to representative institutions create organisational capacity and pressure colonial regimes to grant autonomy, easing the transition to democracy. Without such rights, colonial powers often retain control until the last moment, creating power vacuums and weaker democratic foundations. We assemble a country-year dataset covering 73 former colonies and use path analysis to estimate how early rights affect post-independence democracy, both directly and indirectly via colonial autonomy. Our findings underscore the importance of institutional pathways in shaping postcolonial institutions.