Em minha busca de respostas para a pergunta da vida, senti-me exatamente como um homem perdido em uma floresta.
( Leon Tolstoi )
quinta-feira, 2 de setembro de 2010
Do Elections Guarantee Democratic Development?
Do elections guarantee democratic development?
Eduardo Felisberto Buanaissa
In 2009 national elections took place in South Africa (April) and Germany (October) with the African National Congress (ANC) with Jacob Zuma and a coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (Christlich Demokratische Union, CDU) and the Liberal Party (Freiheitlich Demokratische Partei, FDP) winning respectively. The coincidence of national elections in these countries allows for a comparative analysis of the role of elections for their democratic development. We are going to analyze three facts: The German and South African voting systems, the position of the president in the two political systems, and the crucial factors in Germany and Africa for the choice of the leading figures. To finish we are going to extend our analyses to include the case of Mozambique, another country where elections took place in 2009 (October), to allow for some general observations in whether elections guarantee democratic development.
1. The voting system in South Africa and Germany. Strengths and weakness
In General the voting system of both country are democratically acceptable. However, the South African has long way to got. if in Germany we can observe how democracy is Strength, it wouldn’t be truth to say the same of South Africa. while the problems of South Africa system are reelected with a small number of strong political parties where we can see only ANC as the omnipotent party and Democratic Alliance trying to reduce this omnipotence, moreover there is a weak democracy inside the parties, where the leaders become uncontested authorities on the basis of their fight for the liberty of the country (from apartheid specifically), and also the illiteracy of many people, that prevents them from voting with all information at hand, the situation is different in Germany. Maybe it is because Germany has a long democratic history comparing to South Africa. Since Weimer Republic until today we could see lots of changes in the voting system of Germany.
Even in Germany we find some aspects that could be considered as weakness of voting system, we are talking about a very complicated electoral system with 2 votes, one for a direct candidate in the constituency, one for the party list within a federal state. The system is constitutionally challenged as it may favor the party with fewer votes under certain circumstances. Also many political decisions require the approval of the chamber of states (Bundesrat), which often has contrary majorities to the Bundestag. Decisions are therefore often consensual but also follow the smallest common denominator. Besides, there is unclear division of competencies between the European, the federal and the state level making it difficult to identify the responsible party. This causes frustrations with the electorate, as their votes don’t visibly change policy.
2. The position of the president in the political system of Germany and South Africa
While the President of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under constitutions, the president of Germany is the head of state but not of government and also he works preponderantly in representing Germany in and outside the country. In bout country the Presidents are elected by members of the National Assembly.
The most fundamental difference between their positions is that South African president accumulates “all power” in his hands (he leads the Cabinet, appoints ministers and members to the Cabinet, awards and confers the National Orders of the State, appoints the Chief Justices of the State and also is the commander-in-chief of the South African National Defence force, just to mention some examples).
3. The crucial factors in Germany and Africa for the choice of leading figures
In Africa there are different crucial factors for this kind of choice. We can divide these factors in two blocs: the north of Africa and the South of Africa. While in general the factors in the north of Africa are reelected with religions and cultural identifications (“problems with tribes”), in the South of Africa the choice of leading figures depends on the extent of his history within the fight for liberty his country against the colonialism, nevertheless, people of Africa in Generally vote for individuals and not for “party programs”. For example, in South Africa, Mandela, Mbeki and Zuma took place in the history of their Liberace form Apartheid. The same happened in Mozambique, with Joaquim Chissano and Armando Guebusa winning the elections after the civil war, “proclaiming” their participations in the liberty of Mozambique. Also, we can see the same in Zimbabwe, Tanzania and some other countries.
In Germany it depends on the leader’s support network in the party. The general public can only approve the party choice! Since governments are coalition governments, it is unclear who will be the next head of government as this is part of the negotiations.
The causes of these differences are cultural and historical events. Besides, since the antiquity in Africa, it is very normal to trust in persons as saviors of groups and not vice-versa, and also the persons who are recognized has the leader of African fights against the colonialism have high consideration by the people. On the contrary in Germany, they give priority to groups to drive the people and not necessarily persons.
4. The case of Mozambique
In Mozambique, democratic elections were held in October 2009 for the 4th time since the end of civil war. The big problem is that in Mozambique, FRELIMO (Frente de Libertação de Moçambique), the most important party in the country is becoming more omnipotent than ANC, for example, in the last elections they gained 191 seats against 51 seats for RENAMO (Resistência Nacional de Moçambique), the second most important party of Mozambique and 8 for MDM (Movimento Democrático de Moçambique), a new party which is considered by political scientists as an alternative to the week opposition of Mozambique.
The well functioning of the South African democracy lies somewhere in between the situation in Mozambique and that in Germany. The question is: Is South Africa driving its democratic development towards Mozambique or it is going to the way of Germany? If it is going to become as in Mozambique, isn’t it the “killing” of democracy? If it is going to become as in Germany, it is probably the opportunity to review the economic, social and educational development. It means, behind the progress comes the challenges to think about the future we need. To think about the bright future for the next generations.
Eduardo Felisberto Buanaissa
In 2009 national elections took place in South Africa (April) and Germany (October) with the African National Congress (ANC) with Jacob Zuma and a coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (Christlich Demokratische Union, CDU) and the Liberal Party (Freiheitlich Demokratische Partei, FDP) winning respectively. The coincidence of national elections in these countries allows for a comparative analysis of the role of elections for their democratic development. We are going to analyze three facts: The German and South African voting systems, the position of the president in the two political systems, and the crucial factors in Germany and Africa for the choice of the leading figures. To finish we are going to extend our analyses to include the case of Mozambique, another country where elections took place in 2009 (October), to allow for some general observations in whether elections guarantee democratic development.
1. The voting system in South Africa and Germany. Strengths and weakness
In General the voting system of both country are democratically acceptable. However, the South African has long way to got. if in Germany we can observe how democracy is Strength, it wouldn’t be truth to say the same of South Africa. while the problems of South Africa system are reelected with a small number of strong political parties where we can see only ANC as the omnipotent party and Democratic Alliance trying to reduce this omnipotence, moreover there is a weak democracy inside the parties, where the leaders become uncontested authorities on the basis of their fight for the liberty of the country (from apartheid specifically), and also the illiteracy of many people, that prevents them from voting with all information at hand, the situation is different in Germany. Maybe it is because Germany has a long democratic history comparing to South Africa. Since Weimer Republic until today we could see lots of changes in the voting system of Germany.
Even in Germany we find some aspects that could be considered as weakness of voting system, we are talking about a very complicated electoral system with 2 votes, one for a direct candidate in the constituency, one for the party list within a federal state. The system is constitutionally challenged as it may favor the party with fewer votes under certain circumstances. Also many political decisions require the approval of the chamber of states (Bundesrat), which often has contrary majorities to the Bundestag. Decisions are therefore often consensual but also follow the smallest common denominator. Besides, there is unclear division of competencies between the European, the federal and the state level making it difficult to identify the responsible party. This causes frustrations with the electorate, as their votes don’t visibly change policy.
2. The position of the president in the political system of Germany and South Africa
While the President of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under constitutions, the president of Germany is the head of state but not of government and also he works preponderantly in representing Germany in and outside the country. In bout country the Presidents are elected by members of the National Assembly.
The most fundamental difference between their positions is that South African president accumulates “all power” in his hands (he leads the Cabinet, appoints ministers and members to the Cabinet, awards and confers the National Orders of the State, appoints the Chief Justices of the State and also is the commander-in-chief of the South African National Defence force, just to mention some examples).
3. The crucial factors in Germany and Africa for the choice of leading figures
In Africa there are different crucial factors for this kind of choice. We can divide these factors in two blocs: the north of Africa and the South of Africa. While in general the factors in the north of Africa are reelected with religions and cultural identifications (“problems with tribes”), in the South of Africa the choice of leading figures depends on the extent of his history within the fight for liberty his country against the colonialism, nevertheless, people of Africa in Generally vote for individuals and not for “party programs”. For example, in South Africa, Mandela, Mbeki and Zuma took place in the history of their Liberace form Apartheid. The same happened in Mozambique, with Joaquim Chissano and Armando Guebusa winning the elections after the civil war, “proclaiming” their participations in the liberty of Mozambique. Also, we can see the same in Zimbabwe, Tanzania and some other countries.
In Germany it depends on the leader’s support network in the party. The general public can only approve the party choice! Since governments are coalition governments, it is unclear who will be the next head of government as this is part of the negotiations.
The causes of these differences are cultural and historical events. Besides, since the antiquity in Africa, it is very normal to trust in persons as saviors of groups and not vice-versa, and also the persons who are recognized has the leader of African fights against the colonialism have high consideration by the people. On the contrary in Germany, they give priority to groups to drive the people and not necessarily persons.
4. The case of Mozambique
In Mozambique, democratic elections were held in October 2009 for the 4th time since the end of civil war. The big problem is that in Mozambique, FRELIMO (Frente de Libertação de Moçambique), the most important party in the country is becoming more omnipotent than ANC, for example, in the last elections they gained 191 seats against 51 seats for RENAMO (Resistência Nacional de Moçambique), the second most important party of Mozambique and 8 for MDM (Movimento Democrático de Moçambique), a new party which is considered by political scientists as an alternative to the week opposition of Mozambique.
The well functioning of the South African democracy lies somewhere in between the situation in Mozambique and that in Germany. The question is: Is South Africa driving its democratic development towards Mozambique or it is going to the way of Germany? If it is going to become as in Mozambique, isn’t it the “killing” of democracy? If it is going to become as in Germany, it is probably the opportunity to review the economic, social and educational development. It means, behind the progress comes the challenges to think about the future we need. To think about the bright future for the next generations.
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