"Development First, Democracy Later?" explores how politics and democracy play out in reality in Africa, bringing into question the fundamental construction of the aid system and the values that drive it. The book points to the challenges of aid, which are too often based on an assumption that development comes first and democracy only later. While making a push for seeing the value of democracy on its own merits, as well as its advantages for development, the book poses some serious questions about the way the aid system is built and argues for substantive changes in the aid landscape. This is an outspoken, insider's account illustrated with situations taken from real life in Africa and international aid discussions. It is a broadly accessible, engaging, and stimulating debate on an issue that is still, remarkably, swept under the carpet.