1066. The Ambitions of the State
Justin Willis
Since the early nineteenth century, central states in the Sudan have had
two consistent characteristics. They have been authoritarian, perceiving
themselves as representing a political culture superior to and distinct
from that of the majority of the people whom they rule. And they have
been weak. Not weak in an absolute sense, since they have often been
able to deploy considerable force against their own people; but weak in
that they have lacked the resources to pursue their ambitions effectively.
This weakness, combined with distrust of their own subjects, has helped
create a further consistent characteristic of successive regimes in Sudan:
they have tried to coopt forms of local or ‘traditional’ authority which
they believe they need, but which they see as inferior and distinct. Where
these states have differed has been in the extent of their ambition and
particularly, how far they seek to change, rather than simply dominate
and exploit, the people whom they rule.
Central states in Sudan have also tended to be extractive, supporting
themselves by taxing or directly engaging in the export of raw materials- slaves, ivory, cotton, grain or petroleum. As is the case across much of
Africa, that extractive role has emphasized their position as gatekeeper
states, whose existence is predicated on their ability to mediate between
powerful external forces and subject peoples. The rulers of the Sudan
have often looked beyond Sudan itself for their cultural and political
models and their economic and military support.
There were states in the Sudan long before the early nineteenth
century. But they have left little mark on Sudan’s modern political culture.
Although the material remains of these earlier states are well represented
The Sudan Handbook, edited by John Ryle, Justin Willis, Suliman Baldo and Jok Madut Jok. © 2011 Rift Valley Institute and contributors in^ the^ National^ Museum^ in^ Khartoum^ (the^ incidental^ by-product^ of^ the^
(www.riftvalley.net).