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Wednesday, 9 August, 2000, 12:29 GMT 13:29 UK
Is Monarchy good news for Africa?
When King Mohammed the Sixth of Morocco came to the throne one year ago he called for a new era of law and human rights.
But are Kings and Chiefs the best people to work in the interests of the population? Or should all the power be with elected presidents and politicians?
This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.
Shimels Tsegaye, Ethiopia
Just because other nations have adopted democracy, it doesn't necessarily mean that the system will also work in Africa. I think what Africa needs is a political system that can blend its cultural values with people's needs. I don't believe simply inheriting other's political systems will necessarily take us out of our abysmal sufferings.
I wish to say that one only has to examine Africa's history to find political stability under the monarchical/ tribal system of government. Most Africans, when confronted with the choice associated with sheer democracy, are unsure how to handle that power. I don't advocate totalitarian government but surely we established democracies should help these fledgling ones to understand the principle.
Does it really matter? At this moment in time Africans are desperate for a system that could deliver them sound policies to help them improve their standard of living.
Africans need food, clean water and some sort of health care. It is my opinion that freedom and democracy shouldn't be handed out; people need to understand the meaning and concepts of the terms first. Africans' problems can be solved by the new generation, as long as they are given the chance to be educated. Then they will be able to choose a suitable system.
African needs leaders and forms of government with a different mission. Monarchy and other forms of dictatorship have a narrow vision of prospering their few members while patronising the wide mass for goodwill leftovers.
Why monarchy in the 21st Century? Most people know what monarchy means. It is bad for the majority and good for a handful of people.
This system of government was in Africa long before it was introduced into Europe. It had served our people well for centuries before the Europeans came and disrupted our system of government and introduced their so-called democracy. If the Europeans had left us to grow at our own pace, we won't be seeing all the corruption in our Motherland.
Chief/ kinship in my native Ghana has been more democratic and accountable than its Western parliamentary/ military counterparts.
Our system deserves to be preserved.
Teame, Eritrean in Sweden
I think it is a matter of pot luck whether an undemocratic country is run by a benevolent or malevolent leader. The benevolent ones will educate the people and allow democracy to emerge on demand. I am not sure that "instant democracy" is really a cure-all. It seems that Monarchs/ Chiefs etc do have a role in providing stability during the transition to genuine democracy. It also seems that the world is becoming far less tolerant of those leaders who are not acting in the interests of their people, whatever the political system.
Uganda can also boast of restoration of monarchs in this regime. But these are only limited to cultural and tribal influences. The monarchy has no political influence at all. Any efforts to influence politics and state governance is viewed
as "going beyond their boundaries".
On the face of it, the monarchy system seems good and possibly an option for the troubled African leadership. The problem with it is that there is an assumption that a certain group or clan is best able to rule others forever and there are no mechanisms to reverse or even modify the system.
Furthermore, there is no independent method of checks and balances where any aggrieved party can seek redress.
If one decides to be a dictator, then his/ her subjects will have to suffer in silence for as long as he/ she is in power.
Surely that is not the type of leadership Africa needs in the 21st century.
Amine, Morocco/ USA
My candid opinion is that reintroducing a monarchical system in Africa can stem the spread of ethnic conflicts that is posing a major threat to the survivability of our fragile states. I think a constitutional monarchy can be a good idea - I mean what's wrong with the British monarchy?
Is the monarchy good news for Europe?
What we Africans need is a democratically elected government, not those monarchs who claim to have been elected by God and exercise the worst form of dictatorship. Take the late Emperior of Ethiopia (Haileselasie), for example. Under his dictatorial rule, the majority of the people of Ethiopia experienced the worst form of repression as they were sold with land, which is a form of slavery never seen in other parts of the world. To add insult to injury, Haileselassie claimed on the world arena that he stood for freedom and the abolition of slavery. May God save Africa from Haileselasie type, so-called king dictators and liars.
Whether it is democracy, monarchy or something else, in the final analysis the question is, which system will deliver sound public policies, a good balance between social policies and market freedom and increase the standard of living of its citizens? The answer can only be clear in a context of time and space. For example, Morocco at the moment enjoys the combination of both. Anyone who's familiar with the socio-economic dynamics of the country would agree that this is the perfect system - for now.
The government was elected by the people and the king enjoys the support of more than 90% of the population. He is admired and loved by the whole country.
If that is not democracy what is?
In my opinion, examples have shown that a king can serve his country better than any president or elected person - especially in our Third World and developing countries.
Of course it is beyond doubt that the most representative (and therefore the most desirable) form of government is one which allows the people a free choice in free and fair elections. However, our situation is so desperate that even this has become a luxury; and an unaffordable one for that matter. It therefore should not matter what we choose to call our leaders - presidents, kings, chiefs, monarchs or even gods. What matters to me is whether s/he is able (or indeed willing) to put the well being of our suffering and helpless people before any other selfish considerations.
The question we need to ask is whether these monarchs ARE the choice of the African people. We were told that Saddam Hussein was the Iraqi choice, when in reality he massacred 50,000 Iraqis who opposed his rule.
Why should what has been good for the West be bad news for Africa?
Monarchy in the West may have been rendered less relevant by the development of the modern state, but it serves as a symbol of unity, stability and continuity of the state.
In Africa, where the modern state may not be as developed as in the West,
the monarchy will still serve as a powerful symbol of identification.
Monarchy is the worst form of dictatorship for Africa. The system exploits the majority while benefiting the few kin and friends of the king. We not only need to reject it but also to abolish it for good. What Africa needs is representative governments that are chosen by the people, not monarchs that have hundreds in their family branch to drain the scarce resources of the country. We no longer need to bleed for the sake of a few monarchs that dominated the politics and religion of the continent for centuries.
What is good for Africans is good for Africa!
We Africans do not interfere with your politics and your choice.
Whether it is democracy or monarch or chief - it is the choice of the people of Africa.
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