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Contents vii
Types 232
Executive Structures: Presidential and Parliamentary 233
Formal Powers 235
Partisan Powers 238
Coalitions 238
Informal Powers 243
Causes and Effects: What Explains PART IV: Politics, Society, and Culture
Executive S tability? 243
Stable and Unstable Regimes: Presidentialism, Parliamentarism, CHAPTER 12
and Democracy 244
Stable and Unstable Executives: Styles of Presidential Rule 246 Revolutions and Contention 280
Stable and Unstable Executives: Patterns of Parliamentary Concepts 282
Rule 248 What Is “Contention”? 282
Revolutionary and Non-Revolutionary
THINKING COMPARATIVELY Beyond the American and British
Contention 283
Models 250
CASES IN CONTEXT
Types 283
Social Movements 283
France 234
Revolutions 288
United States 234
Insurgencies and Civil Wars 290
Russia 237
Terrorism 291
China 239
“Everyday Resistance” 293
Nigeria 244
Thinking About Contention: Summary 294
CHAPTER 11
Causes and Effects: Why Do Revolutions Happen? 294
Relative Deprivation 294
Political Parties, Party Systems, and Interest Resource Mobilization and Political
Groups 254 Opportunities 295
Rational Choice 297
Concepts 257
Culture or “Framing” Explanations 299
Political Parties 257
Party Systems 257 THINKING COMPARATIVELY The “Arab Spring” of 2011 and Its
Interest Groups 258 Legacy 301
x Contents
BrazilKUWAIT
400 Bushehr
Zahedan
Germany 443
SAUDI Asaluyeh
PROFILE
ARABIA
400 Bandar Abbas
PROFILE 443
Introduction 400 Persian
PAKISTAN Introduction 443
Chabahar
Historical Development QATAR
402 Gulf
Historical Development 445
Gulf of Oman
Regime and Political Institutions 405 Regime and Political Institutions 448
U.A.E.
Political Culture 406 Political Culture 449
Political Economy 407 OMAN Political Economy 450
0 110 220 Kilometers
Insights
CHAPTER 5 Atul Kohli, State-Directed Development: Political Power and Industrialization in the Global Periphery 108
Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A. Robinson, The Colonial Origins of Comparative
Development 110
Francis Fukuyama, Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity 111
Immanuel Wallerstein, The Modern World System 114
Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies 115
CHAPTER 6 Seymour Martin Lipset, Political Man: The Social Bases of Politics and Some Social Requisites of
emocracy: Economic Development and Political Legitimacy 135
D
Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America 137
Samuel Huntington, The Third Wave: Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century 139
Guillermo O’Donnell, Philippe C. Schmitter, and Laurence Whitehead,
Transitions from Authoritarian Rule 141
Ronald Inglehart and Christian Welzel, Modernization, Cultural Change, and Democracy:
The Human Development Sequence 142
CHAPTER 7 Barrington Moore, Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy: Lord and Peasant in the Making of the
Modern World 163
Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy 164
Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba, The Civic Culture: Political Attitudes and Democracy in Five N
ations 166
Timur Kuran, Now Out of Never: The Element of Surprise in the East European Revolution of 1989 168
Steven Levitsky and Lucan A. Way, Competitive Authoritarianism:
Hybrid Regimes After the Cold War 169
CHAPTER 8 William Riker, Federalism: Origin, Operation, Significance 189
Alfred Stepan, Federalism and Democracy: Beyond the U.S. Model 189
Wallace Oates, Fiscal Federalism 192
Jonathan Rodden and Erik Wibbels, Beyond the Fiction of Federalism: Economic Management in
Multi-Tiered Systems 193
Ran Hirschl, Towards Juristocracy: The Origins and Consequences of the New Constitutionalism 196
xv
xvi Insights
CHAPTER 9 Scott Morgenstern and Benito Nacif, Legislative Politics in Latin America
216
Hannah Pitkin, The Concept of Representation 217
Gary Cox and Matthew McCubbins, Legislative Leviathan: Party Government in the House 222
Morris Fiorina, Divided Government 224
Michael Mezey, Comparative Legislatures 225
CHAPTER 10 Juan Linz, The Perils of Presidentialism and The Virtues of Parliamentarism 245
Scott Mainwaring and Matthew Shugart, Juan Linz, Presidentialism, and Democracy:
A Critical Appraisal 246
Guillermo O’Donnell, Delegative Democracy 247
Kenneth Roberts, Neoliberalism and the Transformation of Populism in Latin America:
The Peruvian Case 248
Arend Lijphart, Consociational Democracy 250
CHAPTER 11 Robert Dahl, Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City 268
Maurice Duverger, Les Partis Politiques [Political Parties] 271
Giovanni Sartori, Parties and Party Systems: A Framework for Analysis 271
Anthony Downs, An Economic Theory of Democracy 274
Mancur Olson, The Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and the Theory of Groups and The Rise and
Decline of Nations: Economic Growth, Stagflation, and Social Rigidities 276
CHAPTER 12 Zeynep Tufekci, Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest 287
Mark Sageman, Understanding Terror Networks 292
Samuel Huntington, Political Order in Changing Societies, and Ted Gurr, Why Men Rebel 296
Theda Skocpol, States and Social Revolutions: A Comparative Analysis of France, Russia, and China 297
Mark Lichbach, The Rebel’s Dilemma 299
Preface
T he field of comparative politics is changing, not only in how it’s studied but
in how it’s taught. We set out to write this textbook because we saw the
need for a new approach—one that is truly comparative, that goes beyond a litany
of facts or abstract ideas. In the process, we had to rethink what a book for this
course should look like. We started with a central aim: to get students to think like
comparativists. Toward that end, we have integrated theories and methods with
a range of country case applications to address the big questions in comparative
politics today.
Many undergraduates take a course in comparative politics because they
are broadly interested in world affairs. They want to understand issues such as
democracy and democratization, economic and social development, transnational
social movements, and the relationship between world religions and conflict
around the globe, just as we did as students (and still do!). This book focuses
squarely on these big issues and offers a framework for understanding through
comparison.
Our job is to teach students how to think critically, how to analyze the world
around them. We want our students to do more than just memorize facts and
theories. Ultimately, we want them to learn how to do comparative politics. This
course is successful if students can use the comparative method to seek out their
own answers. We are successful as educators if we give them the analytical skills
to do so.
An Integrative Approach
One of the distinctive features of this book is the way we have integrated theories,
methods, and cases. Rather than focusing on either country information or themes
of comparative politics, we have combined these approaches while emphasizing
application and analysis. By providing students with the tools to begin doing
their own analyses, we hope to show them how exciting this kind of work can
be. These tools include theories (presented in an accessible way), the basics of the
comparative method, and manageable case materials for practice, all in the context
of the big questions.
We thus take an integrative approach to the relationship between big themes
and country case studies. This text is a hybrid containing sixteen thematic chapters
plus linked materials for twelve countries of significant interest to comparativists.
The country materials following the thematic chapters include both basic country
information and a series of case studies dealing with specific thematic issues.
We link the country cases to the thematic chapters via short “call out” boxes—
“Cases in Context”—at relevant points in the chapters. For example, a “Case
in Context” box (titled “Democracy’s Success in India: What Can We Learn
from a Deviant Case?”) in a discussion of theory in chapter 6, “Democracy and
Democratization,” points students to a full case study on democratization in
India, included at the back of the text.
CASE IN CONTEXT
Democracy’s Success in India:
What Can We Learn from a Deviant Case? PAGE 466
India is a major anomaly for modernization theories of develop- 3. Can you think of a way to “save” modernization theory
ment. In essence, the relationship between its political and eco- in the face of the case of India?
nomic development has been the inverse of what modernization
theory would predict. India is the world’s second largest society
and its largest democracy—consider, therefore, the share that
Indian citizens hold in the world’s broader democratic popula-
tion. This anomaly has potentially serious implications and makes
the puzzle of Indian democratization all the more intriguing.
For more on the case of democratization in India, see the
case study in Part VI, p. 466. As you read it, keep in mind the
following questions:
1. What, if anything, does Indian anti-colonial resistance
have to do with the country’s democratization?
2. What, if anything, does Indian democratization sug-
gest about the importance of individual actors, leader- Indian Voters, 2017, in Uttar Pradesh state. India is
ship, and institutional design? the world’s largest democracy.
CASE STUDY
Democracy’s Success in India: What Can We Learn
from a “Deviant Case”? CHAPTER 6, PAGE 136
How does modernization theory account refutes modernization theory, and turn development facilitates democratiza-
for low-income democracies such as India? to some other theory of democratization. tion and democratic consolidation? Why
As discussed in chapter 6, modernization For example, we could turn to institu- would this be different? Because the
theory predicts that economic develop- tional theories of democratization as an theory would now say that it is unlikely
ment will lead to democratization and alternative. Perhaps something about that India could successfully democra-
democratic consolidation. Indeed, this the parliamentary form of government tize without first achieving a higher level
relationship generally holds. More often rather than presidential government of economic development, but not that
than not, increasing economic develop- contributed to India’s rather successful it is impossible. A more flexible theory of
ment increases the probability that any democracy (as is discussed in chapter modernization might be compatible by
given society will have democratic politics. 10); one could consider the Indian case to including insights from other theories. For
India, however, poses a major anomaly for test this hypothesis. For example, has the example, perhaps modernization theory
some versions of modernization theory. parliamentary system with its multiparty could be linked to institutional theories,
Given that India’s population is approxi- coalitions and governments that are ac- like the one on parliamentarism men-
mately one-seventh of the world’s popu- countable to the legislature resulted in tioned previously. Maybe parliamentarism
lation, this anomaly is not easily dismissed. more power-sharing and less “winner- is particularly called for as a form of insti-
Why does India constitute an anom- take-all” politics? Has it resulted in a prime tutional design when the society in ques-
aly or “deviant case” for modernization ministerial “style” that is less centralized tion has a relatively low level of economic
theory? India only recently began to see than in presidential systems? There is evi- development. We are speculating here for
notable economic development; and for dence both for and against the argument the sake of argument and not proposing
most of the twentieth century, the coun- that parliamentarism has been a cause of this theory; India’s history of development
try was profoundly poor. Modernization India’s democratic success. and democracy does not and cannot
would lead us to suspect authoritarian Another alternative, though, would prove this assertion. Rather, it might sug-
governance under these conditions. Yet be to use a deviant case like India’s de- gest this hypothesis, which we could then
after decolonization, India defied pes- mocracy to amend or clarify the nature test through the examination of other
simists and built the world’s largest de- of the original theory. What if modern- well-selected cases. In general, deviant
mocracy, one that has now endured for ization theory is not making the law- cases are useful. We should be pleased
decades. There are several conclusions like generalization that development when we find them, as they help us to criti-
that one could draw from this. We could leads inevitably to democratization, but cally assess existing theories, modifying or
decide that this anomaly disproves or rather a “weaker” claim that economic rejecting them as appropriate.
CASE STUDY
Another “Case in Context” box in chapter 6 (titled “Is China Destined for
Democracy?”) invites Federalism
students to and Differences
consider in Development
whether democratization in Chinain India
is CHAPTER 8, PAGE 192
inevitable. Other boxes in that chapter focus on issues of democracy and democ-
ratization
One of the inmain
Brazil and theofUnited
advantages federal-States.
competition with one another while Brazil can have different policies in differ-
Using
ism these short
is purported “linking”
to be its impact onboxes
eco- has enabled
also ensuringus togovernment
that integrate adecisions
complete entset states,
of each adapted to local needs
case materials
nomic without
and social interrupting
development. As notedtheabout
narrative
taxesflow of the chapters.
and services are “closerThe
to kind
and of
demands. Yet this key advantage
reading we 8,suggest
in chapter with the
federal systems maystructure
allow of this
the textand
people,” is similar
thus moretoresponsive.
following hyper-
of federalism and decentralized govern-
links in online
different statestext—something
to engage in healthy students do easily.
A country like This
India,flexible design
the United States,feature
or alsois also one of its disadvantages:
ment
xx Preface
growth, we must understand why the idea spread that human- inconsistency in each case in the key groups that are most cen-
Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes
ity is divided into distinct “peoples”
INSIGHTS After the Cold War who are “sovereign” and tral in redefining their societies as nations. At the same time,
“equal.” For Greenfeld, the key preconditions
by Steven Levitskyforandthe develop-
Lucan A. Way Greenfeld acknowledges the importance of institutions like the
ment of national identity are problems in stratification systems state prior to national identity’s emergence in helping to shape
L
through which societies
evitsky andhierarchically
of transitions
as the class structure. Elitethat are likely
status
divide
Way are interested themselves, the
in understanding such
to develop out ofcondition
inconsistency—a
sorts the
“competitive this
type to
linkages
firsttheory
that
thedevelops
is ongoing
in any
West, though, given
two main
authoritarianism
also
case.
paths
in the context
note that political
areScholars working with
possible. The
of a strong play
institutions
authoritarian” regimes, a term that they have coined to label This path is most likely, the authors argue, when (a) the state
state. an impor-
present when the stratification system breaks down and elites tant role in spreading and preserving national identity.
regimes that do allow (often problematic) elections alongside is strong at the beginning of the process and (b) the party or
are no longer other
sure non-democratic
of their status—leads
features. Assome groups
they note, to seekau- Liah
competitive other strongest
Greenfeld, organizational
Nationalism: vehicle
Five Roads in the competitive
to Modernity. Cambridge,au-
MA: Harvard
to transform thoritarian
identity, regimes
and national
should notidentity often
be thought seems
of as to University
transitional: thoritarianPress, 1992.
environment (which is the core of the competitive
there is no reason to assume that competitive authoritarian authoritarian regime) has lots of “organizational power.” The
regimes will become democratic or more fully authoritarian. second path is authoritarian persistence with lots of instability
However, certain characteristics do predict the likelihood of and turnover, which is more likely in the context of a weaker
the countrytarian
turnedregime thatand
inward is characterized by many
sharply limited of the features
commercial we have discussed. It is making “laundry lists” (as noted earlier)
questions:
a “personalist” regime, the population of which is subject to many of the vagaries and saying, “Everything matters”? In
and cultural contact with the outside world. Yet many schol- 1. What does Japan show preparingus about
to make theargu-
theoretical relationship
of authoritarianism. It is characterized by repression, a lack of secure political ments, it is of course important for any
ars think that it only
rights, developed
seemingly modern
arbitrary rule,national identity
and so on. Eveninafter its recent
between nationalism
transition, and
au- particular other key
question to examine how
aspects of
Preface xxi
Organization
The sixteen thematic chapters of this book are divided into five parts:
• Part I (chapters 1 and 2) focuses on basic methods in comparative politics,
covering conceptualization, hypothesis testing, the formation of theories,
and the use of evidence. The goal in these first two chapters is not to focus
on the details of methodology, which can be taught in more specialized
courses, but on the overarching logic of comparative inquiry.
• Part II (chapters 3 through 7) focuses on the state (chapter 3), political
economy (chapter 4), development (chapter 5), democracy and democrati-
zation (chapter 6), and the various forms of authoritarian regimes (chapter 7).
• Part III (chapters 8 through 11) focuses on the analysis of political institu-
tions, giving students the tools to analyze institutional design in consti-
tutional structures and judiciaries (chapter 8), legislatures and elections
(chapter 9), executives (chapter 10), and political parties and interest groups
(chapter 11).
• Part IV (chapters 12 through 15) focuses on issues that link comparative
politics to political sociology, such as the study of revolution and other forms
of contention (chapter 12), national identities and nationalism (chapter 13),
race, gender, and ethnicity (chapter 14), and religion and ideology (chapter 15).
• Part V consists of a single chapter, 16, which links comparative politics to
international relations, emphasizing how global politics has produced new
sets of problems that both comparativists and international relations scholars
must analyze. As such, the book points to another kind of integration, pushing
students to see connections between comparative politics and other courses
in political science.
After chapter 2, the thematic chapters follow a common format. They are
divided into three main sections:
• Concepts: covers basic definitions and develops a working vocabulary.
• Types: discusses useful typologies, such as the major types of dramatic social
change that interest political scientists.
• Causes and Effects: walks students through the major theories that aim
to explain causes and effects, ending with the “Thinking Comparatively”
feature to model analysis.
The final part of the book, Part VI, comprises country “profiles” and
in-depth “case studies.” We selected twelve countries after surveying more than
xxii Preface Case Studies 439
CASE STUDY
The French Revolution CHAPTER 12, PAGE 289
The French Revolution took place amid be called. When the Estates General con- numbers. Robespierre was a key figure
major structural problems in eighteenth- vened, it was divided in the customary in this period, perpetrating the para-
century French society (Furet 1995; Doyle manner into the three estates mentioned noid violence that ultimately consumed
2003). In this period, France, like much of previously. However, before long, politics him. This was followed by a period of
early modern Europe, remained an “estate and propaganda forced representatives relaxation known as the “Thermidorian
society,” divided into three groups: a no- of the first two estates to join the latter reaction,” and, finally, by the rise of Na-
bility with special privileges, the clergy, one, the core idea being that the French poleon. On one hand, Napoleon appears
and commoners. The social status of the nation shouldn’t be divided by estates a conservative figure, since, for example,
nobility, however, was weakened by the because all of its members should be he declared himself emperor. But on the
ongoing efforts of the centralizing, abso- equal. The third estate was the nation, other hand, he can be viewed as a revolu-
lutist crown. As the monarchy and its state as Sieyes declared (Furet 1995: 45–51). tionary whose mission was to spread the
grew stronger, the nobility felt increas- In other words, the Estates General was French Revolution to the rest of Europe,
ingly marginalized. At the same time, the reinterpreted as being something like a through an imperial war.
French absolutist state, largely through its modern, national legislature (though the What struck so many contemporaries
involvement in foreign wars (especially leaders of the Estates General remained was the Revolution’s destructive nature. It
the American Revolution), faced major bourgeois and nobles, along with some seemed intent on an eradication of the
fiscal difficulties (Doyle 2003). Indeed, by clergy, and not “popular” actors). old society and the replacement of all of
the late eighteenth century, it was nearly Reform quickly devolved into a novel its forms by new, “revolutionary” ones.
bankrupt. Meanwhile, periodic problems form of collective behavior that was This included the creation of a new, revo-
in food distribution and rural poverty en- surprising even to its most central par- lutionary calendar, the efforts to destroy
sured that much of France’s rural popula- ticipants and those who attempted to the Church and its teachings, the war on
tion felt discontent. Finally, the spread of lead and control it. Street actions began, the nobility, the destruction of many ar-
the Enlightenment and of nationalism and mobs attacked the Bastille prison chitectural sites, and so forth. The French
provided the bases for an intellectual cri- on July 14, 1789, wishing to destroy a revolution subsequently became the
tique of the old regime (Greenfeld 1992; reviled symbol of the arbitrary authority model for many later revolutionaries
Bell 2001). of the monarch to imprison opponents and its ideals inspirational for national-
The revolution began as a series of at will. By 1792, the monarchy had fallen ists and republicans everywhere. At the
efforts to reform the French state. The amid increasing violence—much per- same time, it surprised nearly everyone
crown called an “Assembly of Notables,” petrated by mobs known as the “sans involved, and those who attempted to
but the assembly declared that the Es- culottes”—opening a period known as control it quickly learned that they had
tates General, which had not met since the “Terror” in which perceived enemies helped to unleash social forces beyond
the early seventeenth century, needed to of the revolution were murdered in large their ability to lead (Arendt 1963).
150 instructors of comparative politics to see which they considered most crucial
CASE STUDY
for inclusion. The cases are Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Iran, Japan,
Religion and Secularism
Mexico, in France
Nigeria, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. CHAPTERThis selection
15, PAGE 363
offers broad coverage of every major world region, democratic and authoritarian
France is the society most closely polities,
associ- every
of othermajor religious
societies tradition,
as well, including partshighly
time,varying levels
there had beenof economic
a relatively and
large
social
ated with the idea of laïcité, though one development, and quite different institutional
of Latin America (Blancarte 2008). France designs.
Protestant minority (the “Huguenots”),
encounters it prominently in a number was historically a Catholic society. For a but they were repressed and most fled
Preface xxiii
Flexibility in Instruction:
Ways of Using This Text
The chapters are arranged in a logical order yet written in such a way that
instructors might easily rearrange them to custom fit a course. Some instructors,
for example, may wish to pair chapter 3 (on the state) with chapter 13 (on nation-
alism and national identity). Others might wish to assign chapter 15 (on religion
and ideology) alongside chapters 6 and 7 (on democratic and authoritarian
regimes). We have written the book with the flexibility to facilitate such pairings.
Indeed, while we strongly suggest beginning with chapters 1 and 2, students will
be able to follow the text even without reading them first.
Similarly, the book’s structure supports a range of options for using the country
materials. Some instructors may wish to teach selected country materials at or
near the beginning of a course. Some may wish to make reference to country
materials as the course proceeds, assigning students to read them as they are clearly
and visibly “called out” in the text. One approach could require all students in a
course to familiarize themselves with only a subset of the countries detailed here,
rather than all twelve. Another might require each student to select three or four
countries, following rules or categories of countries as laid out by the instructor.
The book also works with or without supplemental materials chosen by the
instructor. The “Insights” boxes throughout the text provide indications of
excellent options for further readings. Many other choice readings are noted in
the “References and Further Reading” section at the back of the text, organized by
chapter. A companion book of classic and contemporary readings is available, in
addition to a reader on current debates (see Packaging Options, p. xxv). In short,
instructors can use this text alone or link it seamlessly to other readings.
Summary of Features
We have built a number of useful features into the text, some of which we have
already mentioned:
• “Case in Context” boxes tie in to the narrative of the main chapters,
pointing students to full case studies in the book’s final part.
• “Insights” boxes illustrate causal theories by describing the work of key
authors in the field, making this work accessible to introductory students.
xxiv Preface
Supplements
Oxford University Press offers instructors and students a comprehensive ancillary
package for qualified adopters of Comparative Politics: Integrating Theories, Methods,
and Cases.
We started very early the next morning, but our guide got
confused, and did not know the way to Gungi. Some men in a canoe,
however, directed us, and we had to go up-stream again beyond
Agata, and get into another arm which we had passed on the left.
We then, though not without some difficulty, succeeded in reaching
the village, passing several artificial dykes, beyond which stretched
rice-fields now inundated. Gunga, a wretched little place, is peopled
by slaves taken in war by the sheriffs of Agata. Mohamed’s rice was
handed over to us, but it was all still in the husk, and it would take us
the whole of the next day to get it shelled.
During the night a Kel es Suk arrived, who, in a very important
manner, informed me that he had very serious news to
communicate. The whole of the tribes of the Sahara, he said, had
combined against the French, and were advancing upon Timbuktu.
Awellimiden, Hoggars and all the rest of them were up, and Madidu
himself was at Bamba at the head of his column. This was really too
big an invention, and the narrator overreached himself by going so
far. Without losing my sang-froid for a moment, I thanked my
informant, Father Hacquart acting as interpreter, for my visitor spoke
Arabic well, and begged him to take my best compliments to Madidu.
The old rogue then turned to the subject he really had most at heart,
and tried to make me give him a garment of some kind as a present,
but I was too deep for that, and sent him off empty-handed.
OUR PEOPLE SHELLING OUR RICE AT GUNGI.
I observed that I had already given him stuff enough to clothe his
whole family.
“But my bubu and breeches are dirty now!” he replied. “Well, go
and wash them, you wretch!” was the angry rejoinder. “What!” he
cried, “would you like a soldier under such a chief as you to demean
himself by such work as that?”
Sheriff Hameit, to whom I had sent Abiddin’s letter the evening
before, answered us very impolitely, declaring that his religion
forbade him to have anything to do with infidels.
I consoled myself for this fresh failure by having a chat with the
little Kunta Tahar, Mohamed’s companion, who had come on to
Gungi to see that the rice was duly handed over to us.
He told me of the death in 1890 near Saredina of Abiddin, the son
of Hamet Beckay, of whom he had been a faithful retainer when at
Gardio near Lake Debo.
This Abiddin and his followers had come to make a pilgrimage to
the tomb of the great marabout, and also to try to win recruits against
the Toucouleurs of Massina, with whom Abiddin carried on the
struggle begun by his father. Two columns had marched forth
against them, one from Mopti, the other from Jenné, and surrounded
them. Abiddin was wounded and taken prisoner, but his faithful
Bambaras of Jenné, who had always followed his fortunes, rescued
him from the hands of the enemy. But, alas! no less than three
bullets hit the doomed man after this first escape, killing him on the
spot, and a great storm then arose which put an end to the battle,
only a few of those engaged in it escaping to tell the tale.
The wind, which was very violent and dry, whirled up such
quantities of sand that the corpse of Abiddin was buried beneath it,
and no one was ever able to discover the place where he lay, as if
Nature herself wished to protect his body from desecration and
insult.
WEAVERS AT GUNGI.
Tornadoes play a great part in the histories of Kunta wars. Hamet
Beckay is supposed to have had the power of calling them up when
he liked, and to have by their means several times overwhelmed
armies sent to attack him, but that of Saredina came too late to save
his son.
Can it have been the story told to me by my friend the Kunta
which caused a tremendous tornado to sweep down upon us that
very evening, with thunder and lightning and torrents of rain all
complete, soaking everything and everybody on board?
Our rice shelled, put into bags, and stowed away in the hold, we
went on and anchored the next morning opposite Baruba to
breakfast there. The ancient town, the Kaaba of the Tuaregs, which
was still standing in the time of Barth, has since been destroyed, but
its site is marked by piles of rubbish such as are still characteristic of
the environs of Timbuktu, and from their vast extent prove that it was
a city of considerable importance.
The country round about is extremely picturesque. The
descendants of those who dwelt in the old city have moved a little
further down stream to a dune which is so completely surrounded
with water during inundations as to form an island. They bury their
dead beneath the shade of the thorny bush beyond their settlement.
At Baruba we saw some date trees which had reverted to the wild
state, and were very majestic looking. We visited the site of the old
town, and then anchored opposite its successor. Now that the waters
of the Niger were beginning to subside, and the island was becoming
a peninsula only, the inhabitants were losing their sense of security,
and talking of migrating to an islet in the river itself opposite their
present home. A few huts had already been put up on it, making
white spots amongst the dense green verdure.
There we received envoys from the chief named Abder Rhaman,
who brought us a letter in which we were informed that the reason
the writer did not come to see us was, that he was afraid we should
not understand each other, and bad results might ensue.
Then came a band of Kel-Owi, serfs of the Igwadaren, bringing
ten, twenty, or thirty sheep, which they informed us they meant to
give us. The number of animals seemed increasing at every
moment, and I at once feared there was some sinister intention
behind this unusual generosity. But no, I was wrong. They were
really good fellows these Kel-Owi, though the merit of their
munificence rather melts away when you examine closely into
motives. It was present for present, as of course they knew I should
not take their beasts without giving them something in exchange. I
had the greatest difficulty in making our visitors understand that our
boats were not sheep-pens, and that all I could do was to choose out
the five finest animals.