Democracy could be doomed – News24
2017-02-26 06:29
Thuli Madonsela
"Democracy needs to be reviewed or repackaged for it to remain meaningful to all and, accordingly, maintain sustainability. This view was expressed by one of the South African millennials at Harvard with whom I have been engaging in spontaneous democracy dialogues since our arrival here. His colleagues who participated in the conversation, enthusiastically concurred.
The young leaders advised that they had been giving the issue of democracy and what they see as its contemporary challenges some thought for a while. One of their bold statements was that if current democracy trends continued, democracy was doomed. One of them opined that the key threats to democracy today were irrationality and selfishness among those who are public representatives and their administrative support functionaries.
The spontaneous democracy dialogues I have been having with young people have dispelled the myth that young people have no interest in politics or are some lost generation with regard to leadership and national affairs.
My dialogues with young people have convinced me that if young people tend to do nothing about concerns regarding proper use of state power and public resources, it is not that they dont care or dont have an opinion. It is principally because they tend to find current democracy avenues rather undemocratic or inaccessible to the average person.
Undemocratic
How can democracy be undemocratic? You must be wondering if this is not an oxymoron. I too had similar thoughts when former Spanish presidential candidate Pedro Sanchez commenced his address on democratising democracy at the 2016 conference of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin. As I listened to his talk, though, I found resonance between his thoughts on contemporary democracy gaps and the views I have expressed in various forms regarding the need to reimagine democracy.
Has democracy become undemocratic, you might ask. My answer is yes. You might even argue that many of the things that are done in the name of democracy only share the -cracy part with democracy and that the demos part a Greek concept meaning people is missing.
Democracy is meant to connote the government of the people, by the people, for the people. The Freedom Charter simplified democracy into the phrase: The people shall govern. Its a system in which people govern themselves directly or through their elected representatives who are accountable to them. In the simplest of terms, democracy means power to the people. Worth noting, accordingly, is the centrality of the people in a democracy, both as the mandate givers and the supposed beneficiaries of the exercise of public governance.
The philosophy behind democracy is that the collective decides that unregulated coexistence is anarchic and potentially brutal, with survival of the fittest being the order of the day. The collective surrenders to regulated coexistence with a few chosen to regulate the conduct of the group and collective resources for common good. The chosen few, commonly referred to as political representatives of the electorate, are supposed to be the most selfless and most regulatory competent of them all. The outcome of democracy must be the improved fortunes of all and peaceful coexistence.
Essential elements of true democracy are that the few chosen based on trust to look after everyones interests govern at the will of the people and are ultimately accountable to the people as mandate givers.
But lets look at the state of democracy today through the lens of the true meaning of democracy. You will agree with the young leaders views that there are serious discrepancies between what is done today in the name of democracy and what democracy is supposed to mean.
For example, public representatives are supposed to be elected by the people, but many are not.
Taking South Africa as an example, the people have no say whatsoever in the appointment of an increasing number of people to Parliament and even Cabinet today. Many of the people holding key political positions were never elected by the people or put on a list that was reviewed by the people when they consciously voted for political parties in April 2014.
Unlike in constituency elections, the public has no say about who does or does not get on the list of the parties they will vote for. Only party members have a say, but even then, within the constraints of power dynamics in each political party.
Government must be at the will of the people. But not so long ago, the executive unilaterally decided, without the involvement of Parliament or the people, to withdraw South Africas membership of the International Criminal Cour, despite having no alternative mechanism for the impunity for genocide and related war crimes the court was established for.
Furthermore, all public representatives are supposed to be impartial and selfless, but many are encumbered by conflict of interest with a few flagrantly choosing to favour actions that advance their interests, instead of the public interest.
An example is Cabinet getting involved in the conflict between Oakbay and the banks, despite the president having a conflict of interest arising from his sons part-ownership of Oakbay.
Reimagine democracy
While improved fortunes of all is an essential outcome of democracy, we must agree that social justice continues to elude many of those left behind, while the fortunes of some can only be principally attributed to their political positions or connections.
In another country, a president who came into power on the promise of taking power away from the capital and giving it back to the people has since been making major life-changing regulatory decisions without the legislatures input or the involvement of the people.
The courts, of course, have helped the people to push back against some of the excesses of the executive and other state functionaries. The high court recently decided that the ICC withdrawal without parliamentary involvement and peoples participation was unconstitutional. The constitutional administrative accountability institutions have also played some role, as seen in investigations such as the state capture report.
This indeed offers a lot of comfort. Such measures help defend and deepen democracy. The media and civil society also play a part.
The mechanisms for defending and deepening democracy are all thanks to the visionary architects of the constitutional democracy. Such architecture incorporates independent judicial and administrative scrutiny of acts of state functionaries to ensure constitutional, legal and policy compliance, among other factors.
But are these enough to plug the gaps regarding undemocratic tendencies brazenly executed in the name of democracy?
Are current measures aimed at deepening and defending democracy enough to save and sustain it as the best model for regulating peaceful coexistence?
The millennials believe we should dig deeper. One of them proposes considering the future use of robots (artificial intelligence) to govern, as theyll do so with efficiency, precision and impartiality.
I have my doubts. But I do agree that it is time to review or reimagine democracy. Democracy must work for all. Above all, democracy must yield fairness and improved fortunes for all not just some. It seems to me that the centrality of the people in democracy is the answer.
If we dont find a way to bring back the people element into democracy, democracy is indeed doomed. If democracy is doomed, peace and stability are equally doomed in the long term.
Madonsela is a Harvard Advanced Leadership Fellow and chief patron of Thuma Foundation
TALK TO US
Do you believe that democracy in SA is working as it should?
SMS us on 35697 using the keyword THULI and tell us what you think. Please include your name and province. SMSes cost R1.50
View post:
Democracy could be doomed - News24
- Partisan and creepy interviews are threat to democracy, Nick Robinson says - The Guardian - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- Star Wars-themed democracy rally held in Irvine - FOX 11 Los Angeles - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- End Times Fascism: Naomi Klein on How Trump, Musk, Far Right Dont Believe in the Future - Democracy Now! - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- Australians sizzle on election day with 'democracy sausage' and 'budgy smugglers' - Reuters - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Claims Criticisms Of Judges Are 'Attacks On Democracy' | Will Cain Show - Fox News - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- Hundreds rally in Farmington for democracy and climate action - The Portland Press Herald - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- Chilling: Wisconsin Gov. Evers Pushes Back After Trumps Border Czar Threatens to Arrest Him - Democracy Now! - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- Students and faculty advocate for academic freedom at pro-democracy rally - The Stanford Daily - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- Opinion | 3.5% and the Hopeful Math for Saving Democracy - Common Dreams - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- In Brief with Mu Sochua, President of the Khmer Movement for Democracy - 9DashLine - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- Democracy on edge: Germany labels leading AfD a 'far-right threat,' facing historic clash - Haaretz - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- May Day Alaska: Rallies support workers and protest Trump, threats to democracy - Alaska Beacon - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- Trumps Assault on PBS and NPR Chooses Oligarchy Over Press Freedom and Democracy - The Nation - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- How Bad Is It?: Andrew Marantz on the Health of Our Democracy - The New Yorker - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- Romanias war on democracy Is this a stolen election? - UnHerd - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- Star Wars fans join in California rally for democracy on May the 4th - Honolulu Star-Advertiser - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- Hundreds of activists stage Malis first pro-democracy rally in years since coups - AP News - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- Cacciari Warns Against Banning AfD As Threat To Democracy - Evrim Aac - May 5th, 2025 [May 5th, 2025]
- The Dangers of Trumps First 100 Days: A Democracy in Exile Roundtable - dawnmena.org - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Democracy is a gift worth fighting for - MinnPost - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Can Ukraines fight for democracy survive without US support? - Middle East Institute - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- This 1938 pro-science manifesto defended democracy against fascism - Big Think - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Three U.S. Citizen Children, Including 4-Year-Old Battling 4th Stage Cancer, Deported to Honduras - Democracy Now! - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Media Freedom Rapid Response Input regarding the EU Democracy Shield - European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- The crucial role of schools in protecting Australia's democracy - The Educator - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- What Im Thinking Now, as a Political Bridge-Builder and Democracy Reformer - AllSides - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Ateneo universities across the Philippines mark the launch of the Philippine Observatory on Democracy - Ateneo de Manila University - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Whats wrong with democracy in Europe? - The Economist - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- What Greek tragedy could teach us about the decline of our democracy - The Boston Globe - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- What the Trump assault on American democracy has taught us - The Globe and Mail - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Lowering the voting age will benefit democracy | Letters - The Guardian - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Trump calls Harvard a threat to Democracy amid executive orders targeting higher education - NBC News - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Democracy on the Brink: Scholars Warn of Americas Authoritarian Turn - The Fulcrum - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Editorial: Dont Let Trump Kill News and Democracy - InDepthNH.org - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- When White House begins to embrace conservative influencers, where will 'American democracy' head? - Global Times - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Judge Halts Trumps Anti-Voting Executive Order - Democracy Docket - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- The State of Democracy Requires Us to Expand the Map - Democracy Docket - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- A threat to Democracy: Trump continues bashing Harvard amid attacks on major institutions - Politico - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Democracy is hard; freedom is worth all the inconveniences: Arvelo - Seacoastonline.com - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Bookstores are arsenals of democracy - Princeton University Press - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Courts Handed Trump A Slew of Legal Losses This Week - Democracy Docket - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Poll: 61% of Israelis fear for democracy, 66% say internal rift is greatest threat - The Times of Israel - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- In praise of a democracy on paper - The Globe and Mail - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Opinion | When governors sabotage democracy just because they feel like it - The Washington Post - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Reuters: Trump Will Offer $100+ Billion Arms Deal to Saudi Arabia - Democracy Now! - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- DRC Agrees to Ceasefire with Rwanda-Backed M23 Rebels - Democracy Now! - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Don Wooten: Pope Francis, Trump and the tension between capitalism and democracy - Dispatch Argus - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Gen Z Has a Complex Relationship with Democracy, Survey Reveals - The 74 - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Tunisian Authorities Raze Refugee Camps That Housed 7,000 - Democracy Now! - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Rock This Democracy To Hold Next Street Protest, Rally On May Day - The Newtown Bee - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Opinion: We shouldnt forget those who helped democracy come into being - Anchorage Daily News - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- The Trump Administration Is Not Just Erasing History, They're Rewriting the Future and Attacking Democracy | Opinion - Newsweek - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- The New Far-Right Coalition Thats Out to Destroy American Democracy - The New Republic - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Thailands fragile democracy takes another hit with arrest of US academic - The Conversation - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- An existential threat to democracy: the US judge facing a challenge to her election victory - The Guardian - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Is Trump about to end democracy in the USA? - Funding the Future - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- President Trump Is Not the Only Threat to Our Democracy - The Regulatory Review - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Key Federal Elections Agency Moving Forward With Trumps Anti-Voting Order - Democracy Docket - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Simple hope alone wont protect democracy and the rule of law - Colorado Newsline - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Op-ed: Why we need human factors to save democracy - The Tufts Daily - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Bad for democracy: North Carolina could throw out valid ballots in tight election - The Guardian - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Debt, development, and democracy: Prospects for meeting the SDGs in Africa - Brookings - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- SIUs Paul Simon Institute hosts Kettering Foundation CEO to discuss future of democracy - WSIU NEWS - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Introducing The Expand Democracy 5 - The Fulcrum - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Your womens, gender and sexuality studies degree isnt useless its essential to maintaining democracy - The Tufts Daily - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- New political party seeking expanded democracy and a return to the center launches in New Mexico - Source New Mexico - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- In Promising News for Riggs, North Carolina Cuts Number of Ballots at Risk of Rejection - Democracy Docket - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- American Revolution: Paul Revere rides again, this time in a democracy coming apart - The Baltimore Banner - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- There is No Democracy Without Direct Democracy - resilience.org - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- When the Fight for Democracy Is Personal - The Atlantic - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Churches to ring bells for democracy: 6 p.m., April 18, commemorate ride of Paul Revere - PenBay Pilot - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Ukraines Democracy Still Works Without Elections - Foreign Policy - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Social Democracy isnt Going to Save the West - Counterpunch - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Trumps not hurting democracy. Hes blowing up their oligarchy, which is why theyre so mad - The Hill - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- New Fund Seeks $20 Million to Aid Nonprofits Standing Up to Democracy Threats - The Chronicle of Philanthropy - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Sinister SAVE Act will do the opposite for democracy | Letter - centralmaine.com - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- We've reached a critical turning point in our democracy - Columbia Missourian - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- A Democracy of Convenience Is No Democracy at All: A Letter from Mahmoud Khalil on His Ongoing Detention - Left Voice - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- DOJ Sues Maine for Refusing to Comply with Anti-Trans Order - Democracy Now! - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]
- Riggs Will Fight as Long as it Takes to Ensure Votes Are Counted in North Carolina - Democracy Docket - April 18th, 2025 [April 18th, 2025]