Political opposition manifests in riots, many persons killed, incarcerations and opponents blocked from standing as candidates in elections. (1)
Cameroon sits on a powder keg. (2)
Tanzania and Cameroon have had the same political party in power since Independence.
The benefit of dictators, however, is that they do bring peace - albeit via the barrel of a gun or a PR24 (Red Squad baton) - when compared to what happens when “they" are rolled.
Examples:
Pre Mandela, South Africa had stability.
Shah of Iran united a disunited Iran
Gaddafi united a disunited Libya
Assad united a disunited Syria
Democratic evolutions?
John Minto and co, rolled de Klerk in South Africa and delivered democracy to Blacks and Coloureds.
Outcome? The difference between the wealthy and the poor in South Africa has been increasing steadily since the end of apartheid in 1994, and this inequality is closely linked to racial divisions in society. Today SA has one of the highest crime rates in the world.
The Western Democracies rolled Gaddafi and Assad- for the grand cause of providing democratic process in Libya and Syria - and NOTHING to do with access to oil.
Outcomes? Both these states since the Arab Spring, endure the on-going evolution of democracy manifest is it has been, in outright brutal civil war. (4)
Western delivery of democracy to the denizens of reasonably stable governments, created mayhem.
Ironically the demise of the Western backed dictator of Iran, also brought to an end, a level of stability.
Outcomes? The manifestation of how women are treated in Iran, providing another salutary lesson of the dangers of democracy.
Democracy can produce nightmares. Take New Zealand as an example. (4)
Outcome? “The most destructive, divisive, dangerous deliverer of democracy (if you could still claim New Zealand was a democracy during her tenure), New Zealand has ever witnessed” (an opinion of Jacinda Ardern - previously published by the author).
PS May she go well in a roll in the dying empire – UN.
Addendum: Though I studied Africa at university; lived and worked in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Morocco, Western Sahara, Syria – and Russia, this does not make me an expert in these foreign fields.
Ross Meurant BA MPP Former Police Inspector, Member of Parliament, Honorary Consul.
(1) https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2ww0e0jewo
(2) https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwypqg8vnleo
(3) https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cze6y5x8np8o
(4) https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2023/10/ross-meurant-political-perspicacity.html
1 comment:
When Lebanon was imploding back in 2020/21, many people I regularly dealt with on the street told me, "What we need is a good dictator." At that time, Syria has a 'good dictator'. Now, thanks to Western meddling, it has become another Libya, an anarchic shambles.
Perhaps some day the Western policy makers will realise that some cultures are amenable to democracy and some aren't, or aren't yet.
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