Evaluate the importance of personal ambition in the establishment of two single-party states in Africa.

The question requires that candidates make an appraisal of the importance of personal ambition in the establishment of single-party states weighing up its importance or otherwise in two African countries. Candidates may offer equal coverage of the two countries or they may prioritize their evaluation of one. However, both countries must be featured in the response. A comparative approach may or may not be used. Candidates may refer to the character, qualifications and personal qualities of the individual seeking power as well as their policies, programmes or ideals. While other relevant factors, for example, internal problems or conflicts, state of the existing government, external pressures, the introduction of new ideologies and examples provided by other states may be referred to, the bulk of the response will remain on the issue raised in the question.

The question required that candidates make an appraisal of the importance of personal ambition in the establishment of single-party states. The responsesto this question were generally quite weak as students seemed to ignore the demands to evaluate reasons for rise to power and delivered biographies of the chosen leaders or a description of their lives and programs throughout their careers. This is a clear example of either not understanding historical terms or using prepared answers regardless of the demands of the question. In both cases results were not very positive.