Emergence of Democratic Governance in Liberia: Challenges and Prospects

Liberia was the first country on the continent of Africa to gain independence as a free and sovereign nation. Founded in 1822 by an American philanthropic organization, the American Colonization Society (ACS), the small West African country became a free nation on July 26, 1847 with the liberty to entirely conduct its own affairs without interference or domination of any form. In spite of this self-governing authority experienced for more than 160 years, the country is however still struggling today to come to speed with many of its contemporaries in meeting the socio-economic, political and development needs of its people. This struggle is by all accounts a true reflection of the country’s long standing governance and political decadence. Today, as it endeavors to transition gradually from an autocratic form of governance compounded by more than a decade of bloody civil conflict, the country is now grappling with the realities of nurturing its nascent democracy. Ultimately, this book “Emergence of Democratic Governance in Liberia: Challenges and Prospects” seeks to take a critical look at some of the veracities of Liberia’s governance processes with emphasis on the challenges and prospects in sustaining its evolving democracy.