The Nature of the Dominant Elite in Africa (original) (raw)

1984, India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs

We were ready for big and beautyfuI things, but what we had was our own b l x k men hugging new paunches scrambling to ask the white men to lead us out of our despair. AYI KWEI ARMAH** African cotrritries seem to be constantly groping for the distinctive political paradigni as evinced by the fact that forms of political order hase followed each other in rapid succession-the multi-party state, the one party syndrmne, the charismatic presidency, the inilitary coup d'etat and in some cases, like that of Nigeria and for a short while in Ghana, a refurn to civilian rule. Theftitwe of the Afiicmi contiiierit is thus viewed with deep rooted pessiillisill by political analysts, economists and literary writers. They prophesy in symphony that Afiican countries are catapaulting dowri the path of political mirest-econoniic disorder, suspension of humaii rigtip, a breakdown of law and order-towards instability and general anomie. In the words of the noted author Chinuah ,lchebe, in Africa "things fall apart."' Dennis Austen lrsiiig tlre title of this book for his article, writes that since their inceptioll African states hare been in a sfate offlux nroving with regularity in arid out of misfortune : Tlie treachery of political life lias been very real : arined coups, civil wars, public executions, the threat of secession, the recurrence of faniine, the fanaticism of religious beliefs, regional wars, the near genocide of entire coinmiinitits, the transitory nature of military arid party regimes and the itidebtediiess not only of corrupt dictatorsllips (as in Zaire) but also oJgovernmcnts that still struggle to pre-Scrre an efeinent of political decency in their public l i f. (as in Tanzania)? T]le keytote of the criticisms made iii this rein3 is the absence of stability atid the conseqrrent destabilization, disorganization and anarchy. However, all evidence in the Ajlican countries points to the centralization of power and authority, ~chicli can lead to a k i d of stability-i.e. ifstability is the only end of gorcninient and politics. The post-colonial state in Africa has created Dr. (Ms) Chandhoke is Lecturer Political Science' at Lady Shri Ram College,