Domestic Circumstances And Their Implications Upon Madagascar's Foreign Relations With France And China

The significance of domestic politics has been argued for by various international relations theories, and its implications for every state within the international system cannot be denied. Madagascar is an African country which presents many of the specific characteristics common to developing countries. Despite the fact that it is a rich country in terms of natural resources, since its independence from French colonization in 1960, Madagascar has witnessed various kinds of domestic circumstances that affected both its domestic situation and foreign relations. Several important facts are invoked when it comes to domestic circumstances. One of them is cyclic political crises which are a factor that affect foreign relations in different ways and bring different outcomes, mostly negative ones. To mention few, they disturb foreign relations, can disallow countries from benefiting from the development of partnerships; and to a certain extent can constitute the reason of change of partnership also. Furthermore, such political crises can explain the non materialization of the purported positive outcomes of Sino-African relations.In terms of foreign relations, on one hand, Malagasy foreign relations with France, its former colonizer, have largely affected its development and its domestic situation. On the other hand, contemporary African affairs as characterized by China's vastly increased involvement in Africa over the past decade bring significant economic and political consequences; furthermore it gives room for hope of change within the African continent. This is one of the most significant recent developments in the continent and appears to contradict the idea of international marginalization of Africa. As a result of this change within the African continent Madagascar, like its fellow African countries, has increased ties with China while Madagascar's cooperation with France has seen challenges due to this phenomenon.So far, differing ideologies have perceived and critiqued the two bilateral relations in different ways. In their involvement for instance, the implications of how the two countries, France and China, attitudes toward the domestic affairs of the country they are dealing with differ. As a result, one may notice, that both countries do not receive the same concern or judgment from African countries based on what they are doing.This paper makes the following assumptions and questions that will be developed in the present work. First, domestic circumstances, in the form of political crises in Madagascar, have domestic and international implications; what are those different implications? How do they manifest, and how do they affect France and China relationships with Madagascar? Second, such crises occasionally implies foreign interventions and different international reactions which present implication not only for Madagascar but for foreign states in the way that they can shape relationships positively or negatively depending on these states'own reaction, perception and interpretation of the said crises. Bearing this statement in mind, how do France and China react when faced with those situations? What are the outcomes of each actor's reactions? Third, the reaction of other states to these political crises may constitute one cause of appreciation or non-appreciation of cooperation between Madagascar and these partners. The argument developed in this paper-based on these assumptions-is contrary to the other arguments regarding the failure to achieve development by African nations. In taking into account Madagascar's political crises and its implications, the argument carried in the present paper is that Madagascar's domestic circumstances, in the form of political crisis, are detrimental to the country's quest for development even though the two countries highlighted here are not involved in the same way because they do share different identities and attitudes.Here, two variables are taken in consideration:first, domestic circumstances matter in terms of achieving development and in developing foreign relations; second, foreign actors'reaction to domestic problems. Altogether those two variables can provide an explanation about the failure of developing countries to develop by arguing that the implication of domestic circumstances in form of domestic political crisis is a tool for understanding the non-achievement of development. The different chapters of the paper will be presented as follows:Chapterâ… :Theoretical frameworkThis chapter is about the theoretical framework. It provides first a literature review on North-south and South-south relations in taking into account Madagascar's foreign relation with the two countries examined in the present work. Through its sections, the chapter highlights the different identity and perception of the two countries. Second, in taking into account Madagascar's domestic circumstances; the chapter provides a related literature on domestic politics and presents the role played by domestic politics. Furthermore, it carries the theory used to support the main argument of the paper which will help to set out a framework for comprehension and to support the main argument of the paper. For this purpose, a qualitative approach is used to discuss critiques of the assumptions, point of views of scholars about the two bilateral relations and the importance of domestic politics through the adoption of several international relation theories. By emphasizing on the second-image and second-image reversed, the chapter concludes that, domestic politics is linked to foreign policies; can contribute to the achievement of national goal and development. In other words, domestic politics including its nature shaped by stability and the existence of appropriate policies matters. Furthermore, it will predict the positive or negative outcome of the development of relation with foreign states for any country within the international system and can predict foreign policies and relations as well.Chapter II:Review of Madagascar Domestic Politics and Foreign RelationsThe chapter highlights Madagascar's domestic circumstances by providing a descriptive and chronological overview of its domestic politics in economical and political realm. The section shows the nature of its economy and its evolution. Regarding its politics, the paper presents that the island presents a changing domestic politics which is characterized generally by dispute between opposition and leader or leader and the population. In other words, Madagascar has a turbulent political history and its history is marked by struggle for political control. So far this situation had brought outcomes upon its foreign relations as it is presented throughout the paper. However, one may argue that those changes within the country are the result of change occurred domestically; change within the international system or both.A general overview of Madagascar's foreign relations and the outcome of the development of relationship with several countries around the world since its independence are given as well. To add with, it highlights the characteristic of the contemporary relations between Madagascar and France, followed by Madagascar and China by pointing out some foreign aid and assistance given by those two countries. Throughout the chapter, one may notice the level of influence of those two actors as well as the manifestation of the country's domestic politics and its outcome. Chapterâ…¢:Implications of Domestic Circumstances in the form of Political crisesThe case study of Madagascar's political crises that occurred in 2002 and 2009 is used to show the extent and implication of domestic circumstances upon foreign relations including the reaction of its foreign partners. In sum, underlying the extent of this issue, the chapter carries the argument how political crises can impede the search for development despite the fact that both partner France and China are assisting the country through different qualitative and quantitative aid. Moreover, how political crises can impede development in taking into account the foreign reactions and its outcome despite the fact that all foreign partners do not react similarly for instance.Chapterâ…£:Evaluation of Madagascar Domestic Circumstances and its Foreign RelationsThe last chapter presents an alternative explanation of Madagascar's domestic circumstances by pointing out the nature of its domestic politics in discussing the variables that might constitute the cause of its domestic problem, and then its non-development. For this purpose, the paper focuses on the issue regarding the process of democratization as a variable that constitute difficulties domestically and internationally for south country like Madagascar. In other words, it is a variable that disturb the island relationship with its important partners such as France and China and can impede its development compared to other countries. Besides, the topic is a contribution of the understanding of the different reactions that both country France and China shows; furthermore it can explain their attitude and the status of their relationship toward the island. Two African countries are invoked here to compare with the case of Madagascar and to support the argument.Meanwhile, an evaluation of its relation with France and China is given based on the different actions carried by the two countries. This is in order to show how valuable are those relations for Madagascar, how are their status, place within the country; in other words, how they are perceived by the Malagasy side. Furthermore, an alternative explanation of their attitude, evolution of their involvement within the country is presented.This paper concludes that Madagascar's domestic circumstances have affected its foreign relations with its foreign partners and it has impeded its process of development. The paper also highlights the evolution of bilateral cooperation with France and China and their differing reactions in light of the island's domestic issues and draws the following conclusion:As it pertains to France, political crises have always been followed by economic sanctions and interference in domestic affairs if the crises are not resolved. On the other hand, as it pertains to China cooperation had remained uninterrupted and no interference in domestic affairs has been observed to date despite Madagascar's several crises. Furthermore, as one implication of domestic circumstances in form of political crises upon its foreign relations with France and China-which are considered as Madagascar's important partners-the domestic problem of the island have affected the relationship by bringing a change in term of privileged partner.This paper thus offers a different explanation as for the lack apparent development in Madagascar despite increased cooperation with China focusing on the domestic level of analysis and the specific case of political crises in Madagascar. In other words, the apparent non-development that might justify the recent western argument that Africa is a lost case so even China cannot improve the situation of African countries is explained by their domestic circumstances characterized by its political issues which caused instability within the country and disturb its foreign relations as exemplified by the case of Madagascar for instance.