tured by elites. This situation owed much to the existence of vacant land
which made emigration an ever-present option to peasants who felt them-
selves oppressed. It is also due to the strength of kinship networks in provid-
ing vital services....
[Thepeasants] defined the limits of elite power and the
framework of African political economy. They sometimes accomplished this
by armed rebellion, but more commonly they would "drag their feet," "vote
with their feet," and find a variety of other ways to frustrate policies emanat-
ing from higher authorities. 70
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