Rwanda is still the model for African democracy

2 Comments

• 
  Sue August 21, 2010 at 1:56 pm

  Each nation has its own distinct circumstance and different reasons to apply democracy. But , all of them have similarities-and those cause other problems now Rwanda has and we are concerned:

  1) Anyhow, they want democracy and its structure (or appearance?) is that of western countries. Developing coutnries usually ‘import’ democracy and think all set.
  2) A great leader ended up the chaos in the past has the highest possibility to be a great dictator bringing up another chaos.

  Nevertheless, still there’s hope:

  1)The problems caused by applying democracy in developing countries seem typical. so, we don’t need to be so pessimistic on Rwanda’s case. I mean we can’t say that Rwanda could have avoided those issues-the side effects of ‘importing’ democracy. Like other developing coutnries desired democracy, Rwanda also has to go through and should solve those problems by themselves.

  2) In the past, in the case of South Kore and Singapore, they never thought about the side effects of importing western democracy. However, the current developing countries have awared of the importance to consider why and how they has to build up the particular type of democracy for themselves. I think it’s the advanvement in the whole democracy history. So, Rwanda could be different from others.

  My argument seems so arstract and something everybody already knows. but, if I can suggest one solution, that is ‘new generation’. Encouraging the rise of young generation and embracing them to take the censorship of the current political power is the most significant, because it’s natural that old generation wants status-quo and young generation tries to make something new as a solution, regardless of the results, though. Plus, here, I think the role of education and media is vital.If Rwanda never forgets the role of young generation, Paul Kagame’s nation will be a model for African democracy.
• 
  Barak August 21, 2010 at 6:10 pm

  I agree with Sue. Rwanda’s a tough case and Kagame makes a good argument about how democracy destabilized Rwanda prior to the 1994 genocide in the article. While I think he could govern with a lighter touch than he suggests, history matters.