Andrew Tait looks at the state of South Africa today, nearly a quarter century since the end of apartheid rule. First published in May 2023 for volume three of The Commonweal.
Apr 12·edited Apr 12Liked by The Socialist Society
Interesting breakdown and analysis thank you. My own experience lies more with Zimbabwe but I saw some shocking and disappointing yet not surprising parallels. When I lived and reported from Zim in 1990 Black Zimbabwean friends were torn and divided between being for and against Mugabe. Older people felt loyalty to the despotic leader, younger people who protested experienced his brutality first hand.
Corruption is an enemy of the people in all systems and it seems incredibly hard to control. The greedy rise - we see this in capitalist systems clearly - but it is also true in systems that aim to be more egalitarian. If we do not somehow strive to control nepotism in all its forms then some will have more and they won't be sharing. If the system wears a democratic mask, it if is not in reality, egalitarian, then it will benefit the few at the expense of the masses. Financial capitalism will operate behind the scenes.
I have no idea how we can put systems in place to prevent this as people who are suspicious of the old regimes often see 'systems' and 'processes' as dangerously colonial or imperial but how do we create protections to ensure that, as some of my friends have seen, their old friends do not leap on the gravy train and pick up their guns to shoot down their fellows.
Interesting breakdown and analysis thank you. My own experience lies more with Zimbabwe but I saw some shocking and disappointing yet not surprising parallels. When I lived and reported from Zim in 1990 Black Zimbabwean friends were torn and divided between being for and against Mugabe. Older people felt loyalty to the despotic leader, younger people who protested experienced his brutality first hand.
Corruption is an enemy of the people in all systems and it seems incredibly hard to control. The greedy rise - we see this in capitalist systems clearly - but it is also true in systems that aim to be more egalitarian. If we do not somehow strive to control nepotism in all its forms then some will have more and they won't be sharing. If the system wears a democratic mask, it if is not in reality, egalitarian, then it will benefit the few at the expense of the masses. Financial capitalism will operate behind the scenes.
I have no idea how we can put systems in place to prevent this as people who are suspicious of the old regimes often see 'systems' and 'processes' as dangerously colonial or imperial but how do we create protections to ensure that, as some of my friends have seen, their old friends do not leap on the gravy train and pick up their guns to shoot down their fellows.
Hear, hear. Continuing to enjoy you writing on this subject sad as revisiting my mother's battles makes me feel.
Cheers.