How economics drives our politics

Editorial Comment
THE ECONOMIC crisis which affected the country saw the economy being reduced to the pre-federation period in the 50s

THE ECONOMIC crisis which affected the country between the year 2000 to around 2010 which saw the economy being reduced to the pre-federation period in the 50s also had a profound effect on the quality of political leadership that emerged during this period. DUMISANI NKOMO

The primary motivation for participation in politics and civics became money and survival.

This period also saw the decimation of the middle class which traditionally drives and influences the nature and direction of political activity.

New socioeconomic groups created because of the economic crisis, emerged during this time and occupied spaces which the traditional middle class occupied.

We had the “newly” rich osiphatheleni (money changers)amakorokoza (illegal gold miners) and flea market owners among others emerging as new “economic groups”.

In cities such as Bulawayo, Harare, Gweru and smaller towns such as Kadoma and Chegutu industrial activity drastically declined thus decimating the country’s labour force.

Labour was the traditional stronghold of the then new opposition MDC which was led by a combination of middle class academics, lawyers, students activists and labour leaders with solid support from workers.

The interesting paradox is that the initial economic meltdown of the late 90s gave rise to opposition labour driven politics, but post-2010 politics has seen the virtual erosion of labour as an organised political force due to the economic crisis which caused the informalisation of the economy and the emergence of new socioeconomic groups such as the informal sector, artisanal mining communities and resettled farmers.

This is aptly noted by leading Zimbabwean scholar and activist Brian Raftopolus who argues that the opposition failed to make inroads into these new socio-economic groups.

It is thus interesting that while the economic crisis gave rise to protest politics and with it the rise of MDC, the 2007-2008 economic meltdown resulted in deindustrialisation, informalisation of the economy and erosion of the power of organised labour which was the backbone of the MDC.

The new political economy architecture resulted in the newly rich who were a minority and the poor who became a majority.

The poor included large segments of the former middle class including civil servants, former workers and pensioners who saw their life savings eroded literally overnight.

The economic crisis also gave prominence and preeminence to the socioeconomic marginalisation of Matabeleland which not only lost 10 years of economic development in the first 10 years of independence, but lost another decade between 2000-2010 with massive deindustrialisation and unemployment coupled by lack of government prioritisation of infrastructural development of the region.

Political parties and pressure groups were thus created as a result of this marginalisation with many pressure groups calling for an equal slice of the national cake.

It was no longer just about Gukurahun di which had dire economic consequences, but a new form of Gukurahundi which resulted in economic exclusion and marginalisation.

The narrative of “Matabeleland politics is thus enshrined in issues of distribution of power and resources as well as identity.

Dominant, however, is the motif of economics which drives citizens to question the underlying political model or infrastructure that is responsible for the distribution and allocation of resources.

According to Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs the basic motivation of human beings is that of having their physiological needs met, ie food, shelter.

After that other needs that follow are safety/security needs including protection of rights, then social, emotional needs (love, friendship), self esteem needs and finally self actualisation based on talent and fulfillment.

Unfortunately many of the political leaders that have emerged are driven purely by a desire to have their physiological needs met.

For them politics is not about meeting the basic needs of people, but about having their basic needs met by politics. This has seriously compromised the quality of leadership at a political level.

Tragically the best of our minds and leaders are also caught up in the battle for survival with teachers, lawyers, doctors and other professionals literally living to meet their basic needs such as school fees, rent, food etc.

While a scientist in China the United States or Canada is thinking on better ways to go to space our best scientists may be thinking of how to get fuel to get to town and where they will get money to pay rent at the end of the month.

The country needs leaders in every field including politics who are motivated by self actualisation and a sense of fulfillment to provide leadership.

We cannot have a country of Zimbabwe’s potential being led by followers who have the courage to lead, but without the capacity to take the country to the next level.

The reality, however, is that economics will continue to drive politics in this country and whichever political party devises a strategy of addressing the people’s economic fundamentals “and shows capacity to deliver people’s basic needs” will triumph in the next elections.

Mayibuye!

 Dumisani Nkomo is an activist and opinion leader