Liberia is located on the west coast of Africa and the name means ‘land of the free’. In 1820, freed slaves from America were sent to Liberia to settle there. The American colonisation society helped the free slaves, who had come to Liberia, to setup a government. It was in 1847 that Liberia was declared an independent country. The capital of Liberia is named after the fifth American president John Monroe and is called Monrovia.

Until 1980, Liberian politics were stable and the republic Liberia was prospering. The government was a one party government who were descendents of the immigrant freed slaves. The True Whig Party was founded in 1847 and the first president of Liberia was born and raised in America. The constitution of Liberia was framed on the American constitution. As only immigrant slaves’ heirs were allowed to have voting rights and citizenship of Liberia, there was hatred building in the local ethnic groups. This system of government continued util 1980. Master Sergeant Doe overthrew the Liberian government and seized power. Liberia quickly declined economically and politically and was soon embroiled in civil war. The Liberian country was virtually destroyed and it remained in a power struggle until 2005. It was pressure from America that brought an elected government back in power and some peace and stability returned to Liberian country.

Liberian politics was typically wrapped in ethnic groups and clans making a bid to seize power, which led to the decline of the Liberian country. The economy suffered, illiteracy increased and so did poverty. In fact Liberia witnessed some of the bloodiest civil wars in the history of Africa. It took decades and pressure from the American government to make sanity return to Liberian politics.

Today Liberia is limping its way back, and stability and economic conditions have started to improve. No single party has a majority in the parliament, as there are thirty registered political parties in Liberia.

Liberia’s economy before the civil wars was dependent on the export of rubber and iron ore. Another major industry was maritime registry. Today Liberia is dependent on rubber exports and rebuilding of its maritime registration business. Republic Liberia has a female president, who is assisted by technocrats in running the government of Liberian country. Liberian politics has been through its worst period and with assistance from America and the United Nations the country is now going through a rebuilding phase.