Africa: How we killed our dreams of freedom

The Statesman ^ | April 3, 2007 | William Gumede

[SunkenCiv]

Across the continent, liberation movements that fought against colonial rule proved unable to sustain democratic governance. We cannot keep blaming the past... In the inner sanctum of South Africa's ruling African National Congress they have coined a word for it: Z"anufication"... A senior national executive member of the ANC, Blade Nzim ande, warned recently: "We must study closely what is happening in Zimbabwe, because if we don't, we may find features in our situation pointing to a similar development." ...The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has complained to the South African Broadcasting Corporation, the public broadcaster, over its failure to cover the Zimbabwean meltdown. Although the ANC in South Africa and Zanu-PF are light years apart, the spectre of "Zanufication" haunts South Africa, raising the question: "Is there something inherent in the political culture of liberation movements that makes it difficult for them to sustain democratic platforms?"

[SunkenCiv]

Gee, y'think?!?

[PzLdr]

As to the last question in the article: Yeah, two things. The tribalism you never grew out of, and the Marxism you were stupid enough to buy into.

[Bigg Red]

The tribalism you never grew out of, and the Marxism you were stupid enough to buy into.

&&
Spot on.

[SunkenCiv]

"Is there something inherent in the political culture of liberation movements that makes it difficult for them to sustain democratic platforms?"

[ClaireSolt]

I’ll add that blaming all problems on colonialism is a form of denial that keeps them from solving them.

[denydenydeny]

"Is there something inherent in the political culture of liberation movements that makes it difficult for them to sustain democratic platforms?"

DUH. That's a rhetorical question, right?

[freedomfiter2]

“Is there something inherent in the political culture of liberation movements that makes it difficult for them to sustain democratic platforms?”

It’s kinda hard to build a democratic platform on a base of necklacing.

[SunkenCiv]

Whoops. Previous reply.

[SunkenCiv]

Did I say previous reply? I meant, "next reply". ;') [blush]

I came across this quote on Former Dodger's profile. It's apropos.

Theodore Dalrymple, in a recent interview:

"Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself. One's standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to."

[tcrlaf]

bump

[nopardons]

One word.......................YES. :-(

[nopardons]

Exactly so.

[Porterville]

“As to the last question in the article: Yeah, two things. The tribalism you never grew out of, and the Marxism you were stupid enough to buy into.”

Are you talking about briton or france? They are both full of cowards and stupid.

[fella]

Theodore Dalrymple, in a recent interview:"Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself. One's standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to."

This should be taught in the schools of all free people.

[Lurker]

“In our country, the lie has become not just a moral category but a pillar of the State”

Alexander Solzhenitsyn

L

[derllak]

“As to the last question in the article: Yeah, two things. The tribalism you never grew out of, and the Marxism you were stupid enough to buy into.”

What great insight! This perfectly sums up what happened to the formerly great country of Rhodesia.

Are you talking about briton or france? They are both full of cowards and stupid.

I don't understand this response at all. I must be stupid.

[Porterville]

tribalism and adoption of marxism... that sounds not only like Africa but the whole of western europe

[Lancey Howard]

Excellent!

Clearly, it is the weakest of people (ie., American liberals) who are most prone to the propaganda of political correctness. The same weakness of mind and intellect that compels liberals to demand utterly meaningless "apologies" and other admissions of "mistakes" etc., from those who are strong is the same weakness that makes them vulnerable to the propaganda of guilt and self-hatred. They are incapable of understanding that such apologies, if they came, would accomplish absolutely nothing. Yet, they need them for reasons that nobody - - not even they - - could ever rationally explain.

That clown David Gregory is the perfect case in point.

[freedomfiter2]

This should be taught in the schools of all free people.

But this is already a favorite tool of the government schools here in the US.

[Bigg Red]

Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small.

&&
Wow!Excellent analysis.