Law Commons^™

Unintended Consequences Of Legal Westernization In Niger: Harming Contemporary Slaves By Reconceptualizing Property, Thomas A. Kelley

Thomas A Kelley III

There are slaves living today in the West African Republic of Niger and their plight is being exacerbated by that country’s aggressive program of legal westernization. Under the guidance of the United States and other Western countries, Niger recently passed a surfeit of new laws, including some that introduce and enforce the notion of private property ownership. The theory – widely accepted by donor countries and international development experts – is that uniform, easily enforceable rights in private property will spur investment and help breathe life into Niger’s moribund economy. This paper does not dispute the validity of that legal …