NEWSFLASHES
Interview Patick Chabal: Suffering and Smiling |
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In his latest book ‘Africa: the politics of Suffering and Smiling’ Patrick Chabal talks about the perspective of the hopeless classes.
In his previous book ‘Africa Works’ Chabal gave a new vision on Africa. His opinion is that the instability of the continent is mainly due to the African (informal) political culture, which makes the path of modernization of Afrika not at all obvious. Earlier this year his new book: ‘Africa: the politics of Suffering and Smiling’ was published.
What did you have to supplement to your ‘Africa Works’?
"I wanted to see whether the thinking about Africa had changed in recent years. Moreover, Africa Works mainly talks about the role of the state, not that of the citizens. In ‘The politics of Suffering and Smiling’, the main subject is the human existence that has developed itself in Africa.”
Doesn’t there already exist attention for this subject? Notions such as: ownership, participation, voice and accountability are generally accepted in the world of development cooperation. There is attention for the individual person.
“The individual in the Western sense is completely different than the individual in the African sense. We must above all look to the individual in the group process. The daily fight to survive has consequences for the participation rate of the poor Africans in the society. They have no time for ideas or political discussions. What they do, is following religions, networks, people who can help them. If these people appeal to a minister, they don’t make him part of their concerns. Instead, they refer to his relatives who are buried in that province. The appeal to the informal relationship between the minister and the poor is more effective than the blocking of roads. This informal accountability is more important than the western form of democracy."
Then you must criticize the promotion of ‘good governance’, which is one of the priorities in the development policy in recent years.
"I prefer to talk about effective governance, good governance is too normative. For an effective governance, you need three things: a competent government, a clear vision and a strong policy that is aimed at sustainable economic development."
Sounds a bit like the Asian model. Can we compare these 2 continents? Are the Asian Tigers an example for Africa?
"Most governments in Asia suffice the three conditions for effective governance, although they are usually very corrupt and not democratic. These countries have a strong vision on the future and translate that vision into effective action. Thus, the investments in infrastructure and agriculture in Asia are very large, while in Africa the agricultural sector is completely neglected. "
You don’t want to give direct policy advice, but still I ask you: What should change?
"General budget support is a bad idea to make the African endurable. It keeps up a system that is not sustainable. We can only support those states that are successful, not those who fail. Perhaps it is better to give the money directly to the bottom of society by a gigantic system of microcredit. But the elite will never allow this, because then they can’t control the money. "
Withdraw support to weak or failing states, that means a lot of misery.
"Unfortunately some people see me as an afro pessimist, which I am not. But I name things as they are. Half of the states in Africa will break down without support. That is the ultimate consequence. But we must always remember that Africans have always been able to survive."
LEX only posted an abridged version of the article.
Text: Joop Hazenberg
Source: IS
Date of publication: The 5th of August 2009
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