Article 15 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (original) (raw)
Article 15 or article quinze (French pronunciation: [aʁ.ti.klə.kɛ̃z]) is a humorous French idiom in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which is used to justify an action taken on an individual's initiative. Originating during the Congo Crisis and popularised under the Zairean regime, it references a fictional provision of the 14-article constitution of the secessionist state of South Kasai which was said to read, in French, débrouillez-vous ! (literally, "get on with it", "figure it out yourself", "deal with it yourself", or "do what you need to do").
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| dbo:abstract | Article 15 or article quinze (French pronunciation: [aʁ.ti.klə.kɛ̃z]) is a humorous French idiom in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which is used to justify an action taken on an individual's initiative. Originating during the Congo Crisis and popularised under the Zairean regime, it references a fictional provision of the 14-article constitution of the secessionist state of South Kasai which was said to read, in French, débrouillez-vous ! (literally, "get on with it", "figure it out yourself", "deal with it yourself", or "do what you need to do"). A popular idiom, the phrase is used to mean that individuals cannot expect help from the state and must use their own initiative to muddle through. It is sometimes used to justify unlawful conduct. Since the fall of Mobutu, the article is invoked to justify or explain corruption and petty theft in the country. Article 15 plays a prominent role in Congolese popular culture, such as the Congolese rumba song "Article 15, oyebi yango" (1963) or "Article 15 Beta Libanga" (1985). (en) |
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| dbp:quote | "Whether you're young or old, we all face the same reality: the difficult life (en) "Do what you must to live" (en) In Kinshasa." (en) The daily nightmare. (en) What to do? If nothing else, refer to Article 15: (en) |
| dbp:source | "Article 15 Beta Libanga", 1985 song, by Pépé Kallé. Translation by Gary Stewart. (en) |
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| dcterms:subject | dbc:1960s_neologisms dbc:French_language_in_Africa dbc:Corruption_in_Africa dbc:Crime_in_the_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo dbc:Fictional_laws dbc:French_slang dbc:Informal_economy_in_Africa |
| rdfs:comment | Article 15 or article quinze (French pronunciation: [aʁ.ti.klə.kɛ̃z]) is a humorous French idiom in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which is used to justify an action taken on an individual's initiative. Originating during the Congo Crisis and popularised under the Zairean regime, it references a fictional provision of the 14-article constitution of the secessionist state of South Kasai which was said to read, in French, débrouillez-vous ! (literally, "get on with it", "figure it out yourself", "deal with it yourself", or "do what you need to do"). (en) |
| rdfs:label | Article 15 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (en) |
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