The Politics of the Entrepreneurial Middle Class: An Examination of Female Entrepreneurs in Eldercare in Accra

Abstract: The history of liberalism in the West has linked political and economic transformation to the rise of the bourgeoisie. The prominence of the new middle class in Africa has raised questions as to whether it would similarly lead to the rule of law, democratization, and investment in public goods. This article examines this question through the political actions of mainly female entrepreneurs providing eldercare services in Accra. It argues that the public good may be an outcome of middle-class entrepreneurs’ pursuit of self-interest; however, the government of Ghana, though it has become friendlier to business, as shown in neoliberal reforms, remains essentially uncaptured by indigenous capitalists and unresponsive to their political pressure.