Emergent Political Class in Africa - RL Vol IX No XII, CXXIII, MMXVII

Emergent Political Class in Africa

The Voiceless Majority, the Rise of Ethnicist Sectional élite rule & challenges to fostering Democratic Rules & Institutions

Public Lecture - RL Vol IX No XII, CXXIII, MMXVII

Costantinos Berhutesfa Costantinos, PhD

Professor of Public Policy, School of Graduate Studies,

College of Business and Economics, AAU

Abstract

           Gaetano Mosca in his work The Ruling Class (1896) developed the theory that claims that in all societies an organised minority will dominate and rule over the disorganised majority. Mosca claims that there are only two classes in society, the governing (the organised minority) and the governed (the disorganised majority). He claims that the organised nature of such a minority makes it irresistible to any individual of a disorganised community. Africa’s political class is depicted by more than 21 parties who have been in power since they oversaw decolonisation in Africa. Moreover, Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gambia (until last month), Sudan and Zimbabwe have been ruled by the same person for over two decades, albeit using democratic elections except Eritrea. The African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance emphasises the significance of democracy, good governance, peace, security, popular participation, rule of law, human rights and the right to development. These are phrases that fall on deaf ears in the political class. The paper recommends development of political culture, building democratic rules and institutions, public policy transformation, alternatives framework for economic management, public diplomacy & martial action, certification of natural resources to stem resource plunder and leadership training and mentoring/ apprenticeship...

Key words: political class, ‘elected dictatorships’, democratic rules and institutions

See article here or  https://www.academia.edu/32381170/Emergent_Political_Class_in_Africa_The_Voiceless_Majority_the_Rise_of_Ethnicist_Sectional_%C3%A9lite_rule_and_challenges_to_fostering_Democratic_Rules_and_Institutions_-RL_Vol_IX_No_XII_CXXIII_MMXVII