Abstract
Africa’s current democratic outlook is a relic of the crowning vestige bequeathed by the colonial metropolis as a sign of the African’s attainment of political freedom. As if to suggest that at the occasion of the attainment of that freedom, the African had become human, the metropolis demanded that formerly colonised territories had to democratise. This democratisation had to be of the same hue as of the metropolis. A particular aspect of Western democracy that has been deemed problematic on the African continent is its adversarial form crystallised by open and vicious competition for power between political parties. First to reject this party-polity were the first generation of African leaders. Disastrously for them, both their theories and practices were to be discredited, and as the personae fell so did their theories. The prominent African philosopher Kwasi Wiredu has led a sustained onslaught on the party-polity. He has attempted to show that this polity has several problems including that it is a poor version of democracy as well as that its structures promote considerable harm in the form of unb ridled competition for power, which all result in exclusionary politics. In the process of arguing for a more inclusive polity, consensual democracy, Wiredu has set his sights on outlining the precise nature of how such a polity is more democratic while at the same time shunning party politics. What I seek to do here is to present an assessment of some of Wiredu’s arguments in support of consensus as a non-party polity. I wish to argue that the attempt of doing away with party politics is not very compelling. I also wish to show why those who read Wiredu’s position as a return to a one-party state should receive a sympathetic hearing.
Highlights
Modern African history is characterised by some painful episodes of Africa’s encounters with the Western world
In the process of arguing for a more inclusive polity, consensual democracy, Wiredu has set his sights on outlining the precise nature of how such a polity is more democratic while at the same time shunning party politics
Wiredu shares with the first generation of African leaders the suspicion that party politics will lead to instability and must be replaced with a polity that does not feature competition for power between political parties
Summary
Modern African history is characterised by some painful episodes of Africa’s encounters with the Western world. These leaders, sought to develop a form of polity that would be consistent with the original values of socio-economic arrangements before colonial violation (Kasanda 2015) In particular they rejected a class-based economy and a multi-party polity, suggesting that these forms of economic and political organisation would foster division and discord that would probably lead to conflict. In place of these options they sought to argue for and develop a socialist-cum-classless society and a one-party polity. This paper is divided into five parts; I start by outlining the broad reasons for the preferability of consensus, secondly I summarise reasons offered against the party system, thirdly I discuss Jacques’s critique of consensus as a non-party system, fourthly I outline Lauer’s objection to Jacques and fifthly I offer my own reason why Jacques’s initial suspicion must be taken seriously
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