A unique volume exploring the extent to which elections as a vehicle of democracy have enhanced both the economic performace and the well-being of citizens in several West African states. Many essays in the collection also pay attention to the current debates on globalisation and the West African peripheral economic position and, as a result, vulnerability to global economic trends. Contributors include scholars from Africa, Europe, Canada and the US, all of whom, in addition to being prominent experts on Africa, also specialise in the specific countries they cover.