The worst form of government
n the preface to his book The Children of Light and the Children of Darkness, the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr wrote, "Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary." Watching the coverage of the elections in Zimbabwe brings home the real meaning of his words.
Millions of people travelled to a drastically reduced number of polling stations in order to cast their vote over the extended weekend. Queues of voters trailed over the horizon.
People waited for hours, even days to play their part. Thousands were disenfranchised, turned away, frustrated and intimidated. Many went without food, some without sleep. And yet they persevered, determined to have their say in the way their country was run and determined to get rid of Robert Mugabe.
And Robert Mugabe was determined to stay. A sustained campaign of electoral manipulation, from the vilification of the opposition party to the detainment, beating, torture and murder of opposition supporters brought him international condemnation and the prospect of a bloody, invalid victory. This is why democracy is necessary.
Winston Churchill was right when he said in 1947, "democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." A system which prioritises immediate electoral congratulation over long-term strategic thinking is flawed. One which allows party donations to buy ministerial favour or attention is even more so.
But we need only look at Robert Mugabe or remember Archbishop Tutu's emotive declaration during South Africa's first free elections - "It's like falling in love" - to see how much better than the alternatives democracy really is.
Paul is clear when writing to the Roman Christians that they should obey the authorities but he is also clear that those authorities should govern diligently, serve God and not terrorise those who do right. Democracy subverts such despotism.
Around nine months ago, 59% of the UK adult population voted in the general election. The other 15 million people couldn't be bothered. The Labour party was returned to government when just 24% of the population had voted for it. Voting never changed anything, the disenchanted public intoned.
Only the naïve would claim that democracy is the panacea for all human ills. But those who think it doesn't change a thing should take a trip to Zimbabwe.
Nick Spencer
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