Political violence in Africa and the search for an ideal democracy model

Abstract

ABSTRACT What could be a more compelling model of democracy for countries in Africa if they are to work towards avoiding the vice of political violence, which has been blamed on the operations of majoritarian democracy? After showing that majoritarian democracy that has been touted as an ideal model for countries in Africa and other geopolitical centres has been associated with elections-related political violence in the conduct of political parties, Kwasi Wiredu’s idea of consensual democracy is invoked highlighting its deliberative nature and how it treats occasions of diverse and divergent views among parties. Thereafter, it is shown that despite opposition to its utility in present times, consensual democracy could overcome political violence in some countries in Africa if its opposition to intolerance and adversarial confrontation are taken seriously.