Includes bibliographical references and index.

Section 1. Toward a new theory of chiefs. The paradox of chief s -- Conceptualizing chiefs -- Traditional leaders and democracy -- Section 2. Chiefs, development and elections in Zambia. Int roduction to Zambia -- Chiefs and local public goods provision -- Electoral king makers -- Chiefs and the voter's calculus. -- Section 3. Traditional leaders in Africa and beyond. Chiefs and g overnment responsiveness across Africa -- Development brokers revisi ted. Appendix A. Construction of cross-national measures of chief 's power -- Appendix B. List of interviews and interview protocol s -- Appendix C. Data set on local public goods provision and abs ent chiefs -- Appendix D. Survey of chiefs and chiefdom level dat a set -- Appendix E. Household survey and experiment. Chiefs a s development brokers.