The Nordic countries all have governments which range from pale blue to pale pink. There are few extremes. Those societies understand and accept that alternative voices are important; that democracy demands generosity.
After half a life in Norway, I’m back in my birthplace, Cape Town — and happily so. In the coming months, South African politics is likely to be a circus, if not chaos, of competing egos, loyalties and ingrained distrust.
It’s sure to be entertaining, but not in the interests of constructive governance — that is, actually getting things done. The Nordic countries are far from perfect but have many positive qualities which I wish could be learned here.
They are often called “consensus societies”. By this is meant that people listen to each other, genuinely respect each other, and try to agree. Granted, this is easier in cultures that do not have deep-seated historical, cultural or ethnic scars. And it is easier in societies that are quite prosperous, where nearly everyone has work.
Whereas here, there are still huge divides between the mindsets, histories and aspirations of various groups. Thirty years on, for sure some of the legacy remains, but blaming present misery on the sins of apartheid is in nearly always a poor excuse for all the recent failings.
And it is not constructive.
On the other side, there is an old, deep-seated “fear” of communist-type ideology which is largely not relevant today.
Norway
Norway surprised me. I had been living in France, where we early supporters of environmental policies in the mid-1970s were seen as suspicious, radical “lefties”, and there was no way we would ever get a chance to talk with business leaders or politicians, or get an article published in mainstream media.
In Norway, I was amazed to see the civil society groups and NGOs, some of them quite radical, sitting at the table with business and government ministers, and even given financial support with State money.
Because those societies understand and accept that alternative voices are important and that democracy demands generosity.
Compare this to our own decidedly Stalinist Gwede Mantashe who sacked the civil society representative on the nuclear watchdog committee — because his was a critical voice — an authoritarian decision which was happily overturned by our courts.
A sceptical voice always asks: surely that means that the Norwegian NGOs and protesters are just compromising with the establishment all the time? No; it’s not that simple. It is a culture where people do genuinely respect each others’ views and listen.
There are two other features of that Nordic political culture which are essential. Firstly, there is not much disruption by huge egos. Trumpeting your own superiority, or showing off your wealth, is generally looked down on and disapproved of in Scandinavian culture.
Secondly, there is a genuine desire to govern efficiently. As opposed to our context of creeping decay where “public service” has come to mean “help yourself”, not help the public.
Is there corruption in the Nordic societies? Yes, for sure; but not much, and not in such huge amounts and so shamelessly as has become the case here. And the Nordic societies are more accountable. In South Africa, the mechanisms for transparency (such as in procurement contracts) and for detection of misdeeds do exist, but are either underfunded or simply ignored.
Not least: the Nordic countries all have governments which range from pale blue to pale pink. There are few extremes. The Nordic brand of social democracy is mild and inclusive; the conservative and neoliberal right wing is also moderate.
This is refreshing, given today’s very worrying trends in the world towards extremism, authoritarianism and the undermining of the rule of law. Plus a particularly rogue brand of uncaring capitalism that is being seriously questioned even by its most ardent supporters — Paul Collier’s The Future of Capitalism being one example, another being Bill Gates’ comment that he still thinks “some form of capitalism” can be the best answer.
Can South Africa’s coming regime, its GNU — government of national unity — be effective? Can its main players put aside their egos, as well as their ideological differences, and simply talk to each other, and simply govern?
Read more in Daily Maverick: Five-party pact — PA and Good join government of national unity
Political ideology
Providing roads, electricity, schoolbooks, is not about ideology, it’s about basic service delivery. Appointing competent people is not about ideology either, it’s simply about competence. (Cadre deployment aside, an old communist tactic which has rightly been adjudged unconstitutional).
The Western Cape government? Yes, it’s a shining example. But frankly, I don’t mind too much whether it is communist or Thatcherite. It is, simply, mostly honest and mostly competent, at everything from sweeping the streets to keeping accounts. This is where a GNU must forget about ideologies and just cooperate for good governance, please. Like the Nordics. And by the way, Thatcher herself said that we all have a lot to learn from Marx.
Will there be more chaos? As in the chaotic Gauteng “coalitions”? One party, the MK party, seems to have chaos as its only political programme. Any party which crosses the floor just to obtain a seat at the municipal feeding trough should be heavily punished by its voters. It’s time to respect our differences and govern, please.
How important is political ideology at all these days? Almost the entire world runs on a basically capitalist economic agenda. In the West it’s private capitalism, in China it’s State capitalism. Both pursuing the same model of industrial-economic growth.
Communism fears
In the case of the “communists” the aim is in theory more distributive, whereas in the West there’s still the belief (largely unsupported by evidence) that enabling the rich to prosper will trickle down to the poor. These days the broad macroeconomic situation influences our lives and living costs far more than political ideologies.
Many older, particularly white, South Africans still have a visceral fear of socialism or communism. But what is communism today? In South Africa, even the communism-leaning ANC is actively pursuing cooperation with private business. Because as we know from both the Soviet Union and our own SOEs, nationalised industries seldom work, and are very vulnerable to corruption.
Of course, the left’s protests about the evils of powerful global business are partly valid, but “the nasty capitalists” are quite tightly regulated in the Nordic countries, and the tax policies even of the right-wing parties do look after the interests of the poor.
Worldwide conflicts such as in Ukraine or the Middle East which help to fuel capitalist profits even as they destroy are not about ideologies but about raw geopolitical and economic power. (As well as about some terrifying egos).
Do the terms “right” and “left” have much meaning anymore? Political parties put on a show of their differences which is becoming little more than theatre for the electorate. And yes, I’m simplifying; but is there not some truth in Frank Zappa’s words: “politics is the entertainment division of the military-industrial complex”?
On the other side, many seem to be uncritical of the current capitalist order, which is increasing inequalities, concentrating more and more in the hands of very few, in addition to destroying the environmental basis of life on Earth. It needs reforming, and badly.
But there is no vision of how the powers that be, or the powers of international finance, could possibly be changed. Nationalising the Reserve Bank or the industries does nothing to change that global dynamic. In the view of many, capitalism, which was genuinely useful in a certain phase of history, is now inherently destructive, of our planet and of society.
Read more in Daily Maverick: Sorry, comrades, the South African electorate doesn’t particularly like communists
Political dinosaurs in the ANC still exhibit a loyalty to Russia. But Putin’s Russia isn’t the old Soviet Union! It’s simply a fascist dictatorship.
Nor are there economic advantages since we trade far more with the West. The only objective — which has zero benefits for South Africans — is to point two fingers at the “nasty, imperialist West”. To revive a good old phrase, what Mantashe and Co are doing is cutting off their nose to spite their face. Hey, but that’s all our noses too.
When I lived in France, every fifth adult voted communist. My professor was a lifelong communist. A humble, honest one. He was active in the trade unions, but unlike the unions here who seem to be most concerned about increasing their own already very large salaries, as a true unionist he was concerned about all those who were out of work. Could the unions here be less selfish and think about all their unemployed “comrades”?
A Nordic “consensus” type society is a long way away. So, coalition or GNU? A guy on television recently was trying to explain how the third option, a “minority government”, works. He clearly didn’t have a clue. They have been working in Scandinavia for decades, but given the political culture here they would be unlikely to work here for many years to come.
Beyond ideologies lies something more essential, namely values. The values that people share are universal, whether communist or capitalist, believer or atheist. Honesty, kindness, respect for otherness. The idea of national unity implies unity in diversity.
South Africa has this wonderful diversity, which we see in all walks of life, not least the creative variety that we see in the arts in South Africa. The Nordics by contrast, are a bit dull in that sense because there is less diversity. But they are basically honest and friendly people who respect their differences. Like most South Africans — good, friendly people, except for the power-hungry, greedy and ego-driven ones who spoil the lives of all the rest of us.
Can we build on our strengths, and get rid of the few thousand people who have been wrecking this country? We need values, yes, and a GNU should to a large extent, at least for now, forget about ideologies.
My very favourite animal in the bush is the wildebeest, in English called the gnu. It’s lovable, vulnerable, a bit comical, unpretentious, doesn’t steal, doesn’t claim to be one of the Big Five, and doesn’t argue with anybody. Here’s hoping for a good GNU. DM