Rule of law benefits poor

Protests in Iran over the killing of a young woman for not wearing a hijab continue unabated.

In Afghanistan the Taliban resist pressure to let girls go to school. Viewed from afar, it is difficult to understand these cultural norms as they seem cruel and senseless. The line between culture and cruelty would appear to be exceptionally fine.

Why then, I wonder, does Rod Lloyd think kings and queens are the answer for SA’s rural poor? (“Is it time to bring back traditional rural government structures?“, November 7). A quick dip into Europe’s medieval history, when royalty were 10 a penny, is a litany of endless wars and misery for millions. Hardly a recommendation for a return to tribal heredity unless you subscribe to the idea of museums of mankind, where the rich few can jet in for the weekend to see how the natives live.

I suspect that when push comes to shove, anyone — no matter how remote or poor — would rather rely on the rule of law and the government’s magistrate than the whims of their traditional leader.

Bernard Benson

Parklands