Liberal Democracy PW 19 June - A Reply to Commentators

20 June 2023

I was delighted to receive a number of thoughtful and critical responses to my article in PW 19 June entitled "The fight for liberal democracy, here and abroad." Here is my response.

First to remind you that I'm not writing as a guru who knows the answers to the challenges of human existence, either here on the Southern tip of Africa or anywhere else. Neither am I writing to confirm, massage or assuage your prejudices (let's call them 'priors' to be more kind) or fears or dashed hopes and aspirations. Indeed, I probably share many of them.

But here we are, cast adrift on rough seas without a helmsman or map or clear destination. There is no-one to help - except the other souls on board with us on the boat which we struggle to keep afloat with whatever is at hand. None of us is perfect, and we're fighting for our own survival with whatever mental or physical tools we have at hand. We fight amongst ourselves and threaten to sink the boat on which we depend.

Yes, it's as bad as that. We have learnt a lot over the long time we have struggled on the boat, and improved many things. Nevertheless, as our numbers increase and the boat becomes increasing complex and unequal, the squabbling and risks continue and even increase. We ourselves have become the major threat to our own survival.

But we need to keep talking and trying to regulate our fighting so we don't sink the boat which we keep building and tweaking as best we can. What I'm trying to do is to work towards a larger picture rather than to fight to the bitter end over the quarters we occupy on the boat.

This is an incredibly difficult task. We need to take care of ourselves in the here and now but at the same time we need to get a wider perspective. As De Ruyter said in his fascinating book "Truth to Power": the Stone Age didn't end because we ran out of stones. It ended because we found new ways of doing things and constructing our mental and material reality. Which has caused us new problems.

Liberal democracy didn't rise because humans stopped being greedy or tyrannical or tribal   or plain dumb. It stopped because conditions changed and there were people around who could articulate a new way of organising our political and economic lives.

In other words, liberalism is an emergent product of the global system within which we are an important component. And, as always, an advance bought new problems to be confronted hopefully at a higher level than before.

So to be absolutely clear: I'm not here to serve as shill for liberal democracy at all times and all circumstances. There is no preset choreography whereby a full-fledged, functional liberal; democracy will emerge like a Phoenix from the South African ashes. It will be achieved, if at all, step by messy step. Nor, if and when it is achieved, will we have attained Utopia.

Life will still be abrasive and uncertain. Global tsunamis will assail us. It will lead to its own excesses as it is currently doing in important parts of the Western world. Geopolitics, backed by ever more fearsome weapons, will continue to haunt us with the possibility of mutual extinction. Etc. Etc. Etc.

So do I have any practical suggestions? Yes, here are a few:

1. Hold our Government accountable within the broad frame of our Constitution. By that I mean: protect the rule of law, expose and fight corruption of all kinds, resist the re-imposition of a racialised politics and a new majoritarian tyranny. Resist affirmative action and quotas while vigorously promoting a level playing field and encouraging personal enterprise.

2. Even while vigorously opposing do not demonise your political enemies, and especially not in racial; terms. Those who continue to deploy racial stereotyping, openly or by a wink and a nudge, are not allies but part of the problem in South Africa. We have to oppose this from whatever quarter it springs.

3. Build wherever and however you can. Build trust, build businesses, build values and respect for excellence and commitment. Build family and social bonds between and within communities. Build both social solidarity and respect for merit.

4. Support in every way you can the parties and initiatives which reflect these values. Don't sit on the sidelines moaning. Get involved.

5. Don't be a sucker for tribal and conspiratorial politics!! Yes, people do conspire and plan but much of the time the truth is a lot more messy than neat political plotlines would have you believe. Persuasion is better than force and people and systems can change. History is a testament to that.

Now to some specifics from the comments to date.

@https://disqus.com/by/business-live-e5e22eb4e8241b7e626c12abe59e1c35/ "However, we will have to endure first the total collapse of the current order to achieve a rebirth of a more just, equitable and incorruptible society." Partly agree with the points you make but overstated and Utopian. That makes it dangerous and non-productive.

@ Geoff Coles. " It needs to be underpinned by economic success, one way or other." Yes!

@ Jimmy Miller. " What we need in SA is a return to a more conservative Liberalism, which is founded on Judeo/Christian values. A not “anything goes” Liberalism that incidentally caters for a multitude of cultures in a federal/confederal dispensation" Not sure what you mean but I oppose the new authoritarian progressivism both ideologically and pragmatically.

@ Time Bester " The future lies in the elimination of any centralist ideology and the reversion to a devolved confederation that recognizes the diverse communities that constitute the southern tip of Africa." Yes quite possibly. Not sure how this will happen and politics must remain the art of the practical.

@ Rob Charlton "The counter to this otherwise unending saga of underachievement, failure and worse is education." Yes and yes. Proper education that goes along with values: traditional values but not as a straitjacket.

@ Jon Quirk. We agree on the basics! That's nice.

@ Syd Kaye "... you slip at the last fence into platitudes, clichés and Maimane-speak" Hmm. Yes and no. I don't like the Maimane bit but happy to say a mea culpa to the rest. "The answer (if any) lies not in political philosophy but in economic success which requires the right policies, governance and leadership. Even then, except for the 10 minutes following a sports success, there can never be an inclusive South African identity, nor can divisions be overcome." Yes and no. Never say never. And Syd, there are problems in being too linear and polemical. You win the battle but lose the war.

@ Ernst Marais "It has a proven track record in the Western Cape: build on that (we deliver) instead of trying to sell higher order concepts such as liberalism to the masses." Yes but I don't like the words "instead...". Don't underestimate the power of ideas.

@ Pier_Crew "I take that this article goal is to win back some respect for Liberalism thinking and concept. By grouping Liberal and democracy as a concept in an African concept, can not exist." Sorry Pier Yes/No and No. The goal of my article was to propose that the core values of liberalism can become the foundations of a South African political renaissance. I took care NOT to specify the details of the possible forms it could take which would need to be worked out along the way. And a big NO to the second sentence. As for the example you use. True but where are you going with it? You need to accept that people and cultures change with time and changing circumstances. If you won't accept that you condemn yourself to irrelevance. But thanks for engaging in debate.

I won't do this every time but it was fun engaging on an individual basis.

Mike Berger