GALLOWAY: WESTERN DEMOCRACY A FAILURE

Whenever the West preaches about ‘democracy’, it often leaves one question unanswered: Democracy for whom? In this video clip from Beijing, George Galloway rips the mask off. The former UK Member of Parliament argues the differences between Western political parties are mostly aesthetic, as 'both sides' band together to further Western interests, when it comes down to it. The reality is no political party has done much to improve the lives of their citizens.

China has been demonised in the West as being an ‘autocratic’ state. However, the country is responsible for perhaps the biggest improvement in living conditions for humanity. From 1979 to 2019, China lifted about 800 million people out of poverty, equivalent to more than 10 times Kenya’s population. Its home ownership rate is more than 90 per cent. While the United States was bombing West Asia and Africa, and jailing journalists who dared expose their crimes, China has been building high-speed rail and investing in technologies of the future, such as artificial intelligence and robotics.

As Africa kicks development into high gear, pressure to emulate the West has been unrelenting. For example, we saw the French-backed Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sanction and threaten to invade Niger after a Western darling was ousted last year. Meanwhile, the new military governments of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso seem to be part of a very small club, advancing their people’s interests.

Are Africans comfortable with Western-style leadership or is there a need to reconvene and strategise? Let us know in the comments.