Hannah Asomaning
Even though there are some cardinal differences between liberalism and socialism, there is not much difference in the two systems in developing countries, Mr Kwesi Jonah, a Political Scientist at the University of Ghana said in an interview on Joy FM, a radio station in Ghana.
He stressed that there is not much difference between liberal and social democrats in the African political setting since developing countries are not entirely independent in deciding the approaches to their economies.
Mr Jonah explained that economic programmes in developing countries are handed down from Bretton Woods' institutions, and this makes it extremely difficult for political ideologies to triumph, thereby eroding the impact of political ideology of governments in developing countries within their peculiar environmental circumstances.
Governance in Africa is not determined by those elected to rule based on their ideologies and programmes, but by external forces that control virtually the financial resources of developing countries. Where the money comes from determines the type of system to operate, and this often times derails the fundamental principles of such democratic tenets as liberalism.
How do you determine your system and ideology of governance when you have no money to take the leadership challenge? How do you choose to be a socialist or a liberal when there is no money to implement the policies you want to promote as a liberal or socialist? How then does a developing country like Ghana practice true liberalism to achieve the desired results even though the ruling NPP government professes to be proponent of liberal democracy when her hands are tight up?
These are the questions that make me wonder if liberal democracy works or will ever work in Africa. For instance the ruling government [in Ghana] believes in “property owning democracy”, they preach capitalism, believes in the rule of law and fundamental human rights. As a traditionally liberal party it believes in the private sector as the engine of growth, where government business is to create the environment for the individuals to develop their God-given talent and wealth. The governing party is also a firm proponent of a small but strong state within a large and much stronger civil society. Yet, many of such ideologies and beliefs are still in the dream land for lack of resources to build the institutions and structure to make such liberal ideals benefit the ordinary citizens.
As a result, the import of liberalism has still not been made to manifest due to the mechanizations by the affluent countries and their financial institutions that virtually operate a parallel system to the liberal ideals that the government promises her people.
One fundamental principle of liberalism is the ability of local communities to determine what is in their best interests and equally participate in its development and delivery through empowerment, fairness, rule of law, transparency and responsibility. Yet this ideal is as elusive as any thing one can think of due to the persistent interest in the governance of Africa by external forces that have the money and economic power.
It is obvious that liberalism is under threat because its fundamental principles continue to be swept under the carpet by another system of governance that is underpinned by ‘money power’. So are you surprised about how Africa is always under mortgage after mortgage during negotiations on issues affecting Africa? Don’t be!
Many negotiations and discussions on Africa between African leaders and their western counterparts are always centered on monetary gains either to fill the pockets of the corrupt African leadership or to take away African resources to develop the western societies; with no efforts in developing the systems and institutions of the continent to work along the lines of humane democracy where liberalism is the corner stone.
No wonder that Ms Maria Martens, a member of the European Parliament in Brussels remarked that African leaders have no capacity to negotiate with their European counterparts.
Maria Martens made the remark when African members of the "The Third Chamber," a Netherlands based NGO, that advocates strengthened political support for international cooperation and sustainable development visited the European Parliament to have first hand knowledge about the work of the European Commission.
It is very ironic that after many years of ‘putting Africa on the track of development’ by the G8, IMF and the World Bank, services that is needed most to open up developing countries are more expensive than that in the developed world. For instance one does not need up to a thousand dollars or even half to travel from Europe or United Kingdom to America but when one is traveling from Africa to any European country, the United Kingdom or America you certainly need more even though the distance may be the same.
What an irony, a person purported to be from a developing country, a poor country paying more for a service while the rich man pays less. Internet services in Ghana are comparatively expensive as compared to that in the developed world. Telephone facilities are really nothing to write home about. For example in Ghana one needs about £5 to call UK for only 25 minutes, whereas one can talk for more than one hour when calling Ghana from London with the same amount.
It is obvious that liberalism works perfectly well in societies that have the money to determine what institution to build and to develop, but in Africa which is constantly under remote control and external power I’m very much concerned about the success of liberal democracy, even though I strongly believe the continent future is dependent on how we mainstream liberal democracy.
Hannah Asomaning is a professional Journalist who is creative and enthusiastic with an effective
Communication skills and the ability to use own initiative to achieve organizational goals.
A result oriented professional, very versatile with the ability to learn new tasks/skills quickly.
The Ghana News Agency is the first news agency (wire service) in sub-Saharan Africa aimed at providing truthful unbiased news.
organization webpage: www.ghananewsagency.org.
my email address: hans57ty@yahoo.com
The article is about the need for African countries to develop an independent stands towards liberalism knowing it could be the solution to the continent's economic independence