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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Mauritania
Index
Although originally supported by Mauritania's leading chiefs,
the PPM in 1963 made the policy decision to suppress the
institution of chieftaincies in order to foster unity and
allegiance to a national leader. Accordingly, no replacement was
chosen for a chief who died or resigned. Nevertheless,
traditional rulers continued to play a significant, if
decreasing, role in the political system. At the local level,
traditional rulers represented the administration with the
peasantry, aided in the maintenance of public order, and
mobilized resources for public works projects. Chiefs also
collected taxes, and in return the government paid their
salaries.
On the national level, traditional rulers were most often coopted and integrated into the party, where they played an
important role. Some chiefs or their kin became secretaries of
the party committee in their villages; others held civil service
positions. Throughout Daddah's stay in office, nearly all his
ministers and deputies came from the highest levels of
traditional leadership, and especially from
marabout (see Glossary)
castes. Daddah regularly brought new members of the old
elite into the government to improve efficiency and to enlarge
his base of support. This changed only when the costs of the war
in the Western Sahara threatened the economic well-being of the
growing class of technocrats--a new elite--at home.
The 1978 military coup brought another group of traditional
elites into government, as leaders of what had been warrior
castes (hassani) replaced those of maraboutic groups. Of
far greater significance for the long term, however, has been the
movement of civilian and military technocrats into positions of
political leadership. Taya's 1987 cabinet appointments-- such as
the new minister of mines and industry, Khadijatou Bint Ahmed,
and the new minister of foreign affairs, Commander Mohamed Lemine
Ould N'Diayane-- have tended to be young (Ahmed, a woman, and
N'Diayane are under forty), well educated, motivated, articulate,
and energetic politicians.
Data as of June 1988
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