WeekendAnalysis Basics of democracy; how far are we?

Tconcept of democracy is very fascinating and controversial. It is by far the most contested and of late, especially in the Kingdom of Eswatini, has become the most confusing and abused concept.

I will drive my point later, but first I want to establish the gist and purpose of my thoughts today. I wish for the citizenry to shake their brains and assess whether we are anywhere close to the basics of the concept of democracy or we are just fumbling in darkness and ignorance.

Scholars define democracy as ‘power of the people’. The concept itself stresses on equal moral worth of individuals while it also refers to collective self-rule.

In the context of a democratic government, the concept translates to a leadership that is rooted in the consensus of the people.

A democratic State is constitutive of its citizenship; which means it gives equal rights and liberties to the citizens. Democracy is also associated with pluralism (the existence of different types of people, who have different beliefs and opinions, within the same society). It protects their social relations so that they can develop autonomously from the State. Diversity is seen as the main strength of democracy and it calls for the tolerance of all shades of opinion.

I want us to work on our mindset a bit and try not to confine our thoughts on this subject to our political convictions. This type of thinking exercise needs the maturity of the mind so that at the end, we can all be convince that each one of us needs to be politically fixed. There is a need for serious scrutiny and introspection from across the political divide.

HE INTROSPECTION

Khumalo, my Sociology lecturer, thought me that the best place to start introspection was where you stand and then the environment around you.

Having said that; let me first appreciate that you, the reader, are either part of the conservative or the progressives while a few are undecided yet.

The ability for the three political schools of thought to co-exist epitomises the concept of democracy.

Have the progressives done enough to unpack the concept of democracy to the undecided people or they have preyed on their ignorance and fed them a sham? This is a question that any progressive member of the mass democratic movement in the country should be asking himself or herself.

I have a problem with the manner in which we have dealt with the above question. My problem is that in all my political interactions, everyone bases their response to what the opposition has either done, are doing, or not doing. No one looks at him or herself and say ‘I have done enough’.

Everyone describes democracy in a narrative that suits his or her desired actions. Some terrorists describe murdering someone as a democratic act. Looters and thieves use the concept of democracy to steal from the people while claiming to be democratically elected.

People have become politically conscious, but democratically illiterate. Anything and anyone who seeks to remove incumbent government from power is now described as a democracy fighter. Killers and thieves are leeching on our illiteracy on the subject of democracy.

It is now easy for a habitual thief and a group of car robbers to portray themselves as freedom fighters or agitators of democracy.

DEVELOPMENTS

However, it is worth mentioning that democratic governments are undergoing rapid transformation across the world. While political developments in countries like South Africa and others are increasingly challenged by societal issues such as multiculturalism, individual identities and migration, the complex single identity of emaSwati makes the concept of democracy dangerous for the country.

If we don’t get it right, we stand a risk of extinction. The concept used in fighting apartheid in South Africa was based on racial discrimination and ethnic inferiority and superiority. It was easy for some to sing ‘Kill the Boer’ because of the colour of their skin or race, but will the same concept of killing and fighting help develop our democracy in light of our interrelations?

My point here is that we are using undemocratic methods to gain democracy. We infringe on the basic human rights of individuals when we burn their structures and kill them, the right to life and the right to shelter. I have consciously used ‘we’ in the sentence not to say I participated but to emphasise on the interrelations we have.

I painfully learnt the other week that one progressive’s leader had his property burnt and a conservative relative had his burnt too. The journalist in me wanted to interrogate the relation of the two incidents which have now created disharmony within democratic individuals; each practising his own democracy.

Historically, democracy has been a movement that was aimed at the removal of differences based on caste, race, gender and ethnicity.

Eliminating differences comes from the idea of the equal moral worth of every individual; that is the democracy we should be seeking.

My concept of democracy is not based on leadership, but embedded on the principle of delivery by those we have given tasks. It clings tightly on how they distribute the revenue to equally benefit even my uncle, Popodvo Zwane, at Moyeni in the outskirts of Manzini.

FUNDAMENTAL

My concept of democracy speaks to the respect of identities and relation. My democracy believes that the identity of an individual should not be altered. By identities I am referring to the fundamental context of what makes me to be Mhlonishwa Motsa; family, religion, culture, traditions and the right to the land of my forefathers and what it produces.

Identities are socially constructed and are rooted in a matrix of social relationships. However, it is worth mentioning that the sometimes these identities create double standards between groups and become a catalyst of conflicts in singular nations like the Kingdom of Eswatini. When these dual identities are ranked in hierarchies, they become oppressive and result in unbalanced power relations.

The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle

Bachelet, in a session on the status of democracy in the world, once observed that democracy was ailing.

In 2021, the level of democracy enjoyed globally by the average person was down to a very low level and that meant democratic gains of the last 30 years had been greatly reduced.

Last year, almost a third of the global population lived under authoritarian rule. I want us to note that these countries have the leadership style that has been sold to us as a democratic style of leadership.

Hence I am saying democracy should not be measured through the scale of leadership, but through delivery and equal value of the people.

Even in the Animal Farm, life was better until some animals became more equal than others. Mr. Jones was long kicked out by then, so let us beware of the Squealers of our time.

Some are slowly becoming Napoleons while Jesse and Bluebell wonder where their nine puppies are.

In case you wonder, these are characters in George Orwell’s 1945 novel, Animal Farm and I can literally show you a few resemblance by character in some of the our democracy fighters.

For purposes of political correctness I will not delve much on happenings at the authors fictional Manor Farm, but I am sure my Literature teacher, Ms Lindiwe Dlamini at Mhubhe High School, would be proud.

EXTINCTION

Let me offer my advice as usual; there is an urgent need to prevent the extinction of our democracy. The current government should not sell-out the people.

By admitting and committing to a national dialogue, His Majesty King Mswati III was silently admitting that there was a need to engage. He approved a budget of E22 million and the government only needs to implement.

I am not digressing but I want to drive a point that our democracy should be protected as much as we all agree that there is a need for change. Political and financial support is critical, to promote public participation. The democracy we have is under threat event media freedom is being challenged.

As we approach the election year, I suggest that the civic education usually conducted by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) should include the democratic benefits of the system of governance.

Prioritising investment in these pillars of democracy and promoting them in political action, will go a long way in addressing some of the issues the country is currently facing.

After all is said and done, what distinguishes one country from another boils down to the quality of its governance. The fruits of good governance are as clear and welcome as the rotten fruit of poor and bad governance are unwanted.

That is my conclusion on the matter.