Playing a dirty game

Thanks to Demba Moussa Dembele for starkly spelling things out in his article “Poverty Reduction or Poverty Reinforcement?” (Pambazuka News 136) It cannot get much clearer than that. All our leaders should have a copy of the article firmly stapled onto their foreheads and forced to read it. The article gives a moral tale. If you participate in a process, systems, institutions or a game, that is not of your own making, and did not contribute or influence the rule making process, your interests will not be reflected and things may be done in a way that is not consistent with your needs, core values and philosophy. Yes, there are existing world institutions and ways of doing things. But do they work for us? Not now, not 50 years down the line! Despite clear evidence from over time (enslavement, colonialism, neo-colonialism, debt payments, outright theft by foreign multinational / supra nationals, WTO) we still persist in playing in someone else's game and then wonder why the outcome is not so favourable to our needs and interests.

We were not involved in the construction of 'the framework', not involved in the creation of the rules, not involved in determining the logic behind the schemes, and not involved in the rule changes when modification is required. We participate (as if there is no other choice), become earnest members of the 'club', because we may receive aid, grants and are 'country friendly' enough to attract investment. It seems that is the bottom line. That way of thinking constantly puts us in a subordinate position, and than we are surprised at why we are not respected or taken seriously in negotiations within these institutions and their systems and processes ...
duh...

Our leaders truly, want it easy. To tap into something that exists. Some other nations institutions, systems, processes, patterns of logic, language and rationale. And than they wonder why the outcomes are not what they desire. If you play in a 'game' that you do not own, what do you truly expect? So when we ask for debt relief or get involved in the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiatives, what should we expect? We have to follow the rules laid down and produce begging documents (poverty reduction strategy papers) with contents that we know will please and be in compliance with the game that is being played.

Countries with huge debts should say "CAN'T PAY, WON'T PAY". In fact, what do we owe? We know how / why those debts came about and the injustice of the calculations of the interest payments of these debts. What do we owe? In fact, we are owed! Where are the apologies and reparations for centuries of organised theft from the continent?

Countries in debt should declare themselves bankrupt (that is not a bad thing, it gives you breathing space) and start the long slow struggle to rehabilitate our economies, rehabilitate our thinking, rehabilitate our way of doing things and set up our own structures in our image. It will be a hard slog, but in the long term the results are more enduring and sustainable. When you play someone else's game, misery eventually unfolds. In reality it is the 'over developed countries' game and we cannot win in that arena. We should set up own game, and ask them to play if they dare.

Surely we have had enough of 'disingenuous policies and initiatives' from the West's institutions and systems. Anyway, why do we constantly expect to be helped? How long do we stay labelled poor when we are not poor? Why do we get hooked in that jargon? We are rich. We are rich in natural resources, human resources and cultural heritage. We have all the resources we need on the continent. What we are poor in is;
* poor managers that cannot organise sustained growth,
* poor caretakers that allow others to loot, buy and control our resources cheaply,
* poor leaders that are political infants that criminally allow themselves and the countries they lead to accept unfavourable terms and conditions, follow an agenda and are incapable of setting an agenda that works for the continent.

We are too trusting and too reliant of Western institutions, constructs, systems and dogma. When European nations were developing and evolving their structures, political and economic logic, did they privatise their essential resources? Or was everything state owned and controlled for essential protection of health, education and water in order to allow these services to be universally provided fairly and justly to all. Why do we buy into dangerous neo liberal policy prescriptions'? If you stay in the club, what would you expect? Even 50 CENTS in his 'in da club' track, 'get rich or die trying' album, provides more cogent economic lessons than you will find in any World Bank document, and guess who we respect?