Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago
Date: Friday, 10 Apr 1992 20:22:49 CDT
From: <U49146@uicvm.uic.edu>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: Re: Democracy and Africa
Distribution: na

In article <1992Apr9.224650.29129@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu>,
chess@Ice.McRCIM.McGill.EDU () says:
>
>One of my Canadian friends in the office asked me about the lack of democracy
>in most african countries.
>
>After thinking for a while, the only logical explanation I could come up
>was the fact that the borders of african nations were drawn up in europe
>without much local consultations. Hence different groups of people(tribes)
>ended up being called citizens (?) of a country, which was formed overnight.
>The boundaries of these countries were drawn up purely on economic advantages.
>This process also occured in South America and South Asia.
>
>Hence one party states have been very effective in preventing ethnic
>fighting and disintegration as in Yugoslavia, USSR ,etc .
>Furthermore politicians who capitalize on racial differences have
>had no say upto now. I hate to see the day when such politicians begin
>campaigning on the streets of Africa. This process has already started
>in South Africa.
>
I think you are wrong in this.  One party dictatorial states such as Ethiopi
a did not prevent ethnic fightings. In fact Mengistu (former president) use
d a "divide-and-rule" tactic to stay in power by waging propaganda against the
Eritreans who were fighting for independence.  That some people bought it is a
point of contention which has polarized the (mainly) Tigre and Amhara ethnic
groups). (Eritrea itself is made up of many ethnic groups so I don't know if
you would make a distinction about this).

>My point here is that even though "one party states" have been ineffective
>in providing alternate views and competition ,but they have worked well as
>far as holding a nation together. Remember " One Zambia One Nation", KK has
>been able to hold Zambia together despite the economic chaos.
>
This "holding together" is very superficial and unstable though.

>I hope legislation is brought up so that political parties can be formed
>only on economic , social and political lines and parties that adopt any
>attitude of racial hatred are banned in newly democratized nations in Africa.
>
I have to disagree with you on this.  Africa is made up of many many many ethni
c groups and I just don't see the point in not facing up to this fact and desig
ning policies that acknowledge this diversity.  What I am advocating is certain
ly not policies that promote racial hatred but ones that promote racial equalit
y and harmony.  In some countries like Ethiopia, power has been in the hands of
only one ethnic group for so long that the new transitional government is imple
menting representation based on ethnicity.  Now this has not,in some cases been
the most peaceful one,as there are certain ethnic groups that are fighting with
in themselves concerning the representation, but I think it is one that will cr
eate the most stable solution in the long run.

>Can anybody think of any other LOGICAL reason for this observation (ie
>lack of democracy in most african countries).
>
>
The following sounds logical to me :).  Africa was practically in stage of dev.
political scientists call the "primitive society" for the most part (please not
e that I am for the most part ignoring various civilizations such as the Egypti
an, Meroitic, Axumite ones that flourished during various times) when the Europ
ean colonizers and Western influence began to arrive.  Our societies were not
allowed to develop at their own pace going through the various economic and pol
itical stages (like various European countries did). (Assuming they needed to d
evelop at all). The Europeans came and lef
t and you have all this chaos (the boundaries etc that you mentioned).  Anyhow
the question regards lack of democracy and not economics.  You have these few
elite people who seem to be shrewd, take up power and generally it seems power
does corrupt.  Because of the literacy rate of the people, ethnic differences,
the lifestyle (mostly peasants who live scattered all around), it becomes reall
y hard to get rid of such dictators.

Anyway democracy is a rather new notion (not the Greek/Athenian version please)
So while we hopefully don't have to wait for it for a long time, I hardly think
its lack is such a surprising fact.


>Regards
>
>K.G.S
>

Sigh.  I feel like I'm talking with myself with so many postings.

Sofia
>