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By Seble Teweldebirhan
The problem is, for most people, this constant focus and obsession makes life more difficult than it is. This is because information about politics is in general messy, incomplete, twisted, subject to personal interpretation and unable to solve everyday despairs. It is true that most problems in people’s everyday life are less likely find any solution from politics.
Today, most people are obsessed with politics but fail to see personal prospect for achieving anything. Though waiting for rulers to make decisions and display of absolute loyalty to them is centuries old attitude in Ethiopia, the present situation continues to make people detached from their self-worth and potential. The dominant outlook in the public sphere is that government has all the power to improve or ruin everyone’s life.
Of course, the problem in Ethiopia is that government plays greater role in making sure people never forget politics. The fact that the state media gives more emphasis to things relevant to the ruling party and its politics, everything appears to be related to it than it might have been otherwise. Of course, the effort clearly was not designed to make people politicians, but rather to make them loyal to government and believe in the ruling party. Unfortunately, this effort has landed terribly in a wrong place.
Many have different theories as why Ethiopians throughout history defer to the needs of their leaders and hand them supremacy and power to overcome their own problems as individuals and collectively as society. Though it is possible to argue that they are fashioned by things in such as culture, it is clear that this was used against them in the past.
Yonas Abraha, a 32 years old entrepreneur thinks that Ethiopians are all about politics not because they like it. Instead, it is because other potential topics of conversation and thought are under-developed in the country. “Sport and entertainment industry has failed to compete with politics to be in people’s thought most of the time. I would say government should have focused on these alternate areas and support the people to reach a level of interest where people are committed to them. That way, not only that the pain in the hearts of many will be lessened, but also government would have done a great favor for itself by diverting people’s attention from itself,” he said.
For Meskerem Ayalew, a lawyer in Addis Ababa, it is impossible for people to be satisfied and agree if they are constantly thinking about politics. “I don’t think it is a case only in Ethiopia. Everywhere in the world, it is very hard to be happy about politics or politicians. It is always a dirty game and people one way or another will find it very disappointing. That is why I believe that, in order to build a happy and satisfied society, it is important to create less attachment with government and make people more assertive in their own lives and dependent on their neighbors and families instead of their rulers. Creating such an environment should have been a priority for the government itself.”
Meskerem also argues that, as the majority in a society becomes active in politics, there will be less trust and compromise in it. “Deep inside, I think people know what they do like spying on their neighbors and advocating things they don’t understand is wrong. It is not also comfortable to identify with others political view and things related to it. Therefore, they will be unhappy on top of all their own personal problems. In addition, politics is not something one agrees with even with one’s self at times. It is a constant battle in individuals mind. It might be ok for those who do it full time, but it is hard to deal with it when trying to live a life in other directions. I guess, that is why we witness much confusion with cadres who live near to us,” she said.
Of course, some people suggest that, the more a society is obsessed with government, the less it takes responsibility for what goes in it. Feker Alemu, a banker says the attitude nowadays is to expect solutions from the government even for minor problems. “I see that people feel powerless. It is hard to find “I can do it no matter what” attitude. Just as our fathers depended on God and left all their trouble to him, I see so many people waiting for the government’s blessing to give them whatever they want. Sometimes, I find it funny to see the similarity. Our fathers’ thought, if they go to church al the time, do everything religion requires, then they will find whatever they want. Today, you see people who believe if they are a member of the ruling party, say a few words of praise, and then they will be able to live better. I have seen people who assume the law does not apply to them because of their loyalty to the ruling party. That is a very dangerous attitude,” he says.
The attitude towards success through hard work also seems to have landed on the wrong track. In many cases, instead of highlighting achievements by individuals or society and crediting success to hard work and endurance, all the credit goes to the government and the right policy it follows. When individual achievement is rewarded, it is clear from their speech and the words they use that their success came because of their loyalty to the ruling party. In media interviews for example, successful individuals will be thankful for the government assistance they got, the policy, and other matters and always fail to elaborate their commitment and hard work. May be the culture that disapproves appreciating oneself might have a role here. However, to a large extent, the problem is the attitude committed to present the government as the almighty.
This obsession is doing a much more serious damage to the society. Since politics is highly sensitive and as a rule makes people suspicious of one another, it is damaging social life and trust within it. Ato Hannibal Chane, 57 years old high school teacher says the current government is not the only one to blame for these attitudes. “It is what the military regime did to us and of course I see this government is trying to take that culture. Derg was a selfish and immature regime that cares for nothing but its own power. It advocated hate and made people spy on their neighbors. Finally, it provided the guns to the society to kill each other. That was a very dangerous path. It was hard to trust anyone, even family members at the time. Just a rumor might have gotten you killed. I hoped that culture would die with Derg and our children will never have to walk that path again. I am not saying it is similar today. But the thought that neighbors would spy on each other and compete for political recognition for no reason makes me worried,” he said.
However, Degu Wodaje, a postgraduate student at Addis Ababa University, says it is neither the government nor the society that puts politics on the top of everyone’s head. For him, poverty takes the blame. “When people are poor, they feel helpless and look for something they think is stronger and powerful than they are. That explains our obsession with not only the government but also religion or something else that claims to have more power. As long as we live under the misery of poverty, I think we will keep looking for someone to blame or be thankful because we believe we cannot do it by our selves.”
The issue here seems a vicious circle. However, Dr. Tekle Ayalew, an independent researcher and consultant shares Degu’s opinion. “You can see developed nations that never cared about politics. However now, when their economy and basic survival is in question, they start to care. They demonstrate and raise questions like they never did before. Therefore, especially economic problems make people obsessed with politics. When you think why you are poor as an individual, it might be possible to find reasons closer to you. However, if you dare to question why we are poor as a nation, I guess it is difficult to come up with personal reasons and politics might be the only way to go. The same goes with success stories. Our economic growth is generic. It is hard to point at individuals in your neighborhood and give examples of the economic development with confidence. In stead, what we have is infrastructure like roads, buildings, dams and so many other large projects which only government takes credit for. That way, it is easier for the society to view individuals as insignificant and the state as very powerful.”
The collective attempt of course seems to make everyone a cadre of some sort. Unfortunately, politics is a complex topic that requires a certain level of maturity, education, responsibility, and skill. It is certainly not for everyone to be on top of it. However, the effort to make politics a constant focus point has involved elders, young children, and others who might not be able to deal with what comes with it.
Eyob Kebede, who works for Kebele administration as a spokesperson laughs at people’s obsession to be closer to politics and get some position if possible. “Of course as a party, EPDRF likes to have more members. However, we do not intimidate or force people to be members. Instead, they come to us and with no understanding to what they are getting into and they fill the forms. They think there is benefit if they are a member and participate actively. When we make them a member, they are usually willing to do anything and then they expect some privileges. I am telling you this honestly. EPDRF is strongly against any discrimination based on political views in administrative works. Nevertheless, the people assume that there is some benefit here. Do not forget that the same people are the ones who become officials. And they give privileges for members and give the society something to blame the ruling party.”
At this point, one might wonder, if for real Ethiopians have other issues like entertainment and sports to focus on, they would forget all about politics and have other priorities in life. Except for Degu, all the people who commented on this issue answered affirmatively to this question. The general view seems to be that, if the media gives more emphasis to sports, entertainment and the like that might make people more relaxed and optimist about life, that will generate enough energy in people to work harder against the odds. It will also give the society different topics that will not make you wish to destroy one another. Otherwise, obsession with praising the ruling party might be a waste of time – ultimately, it will end up disempowering the individual and the country.
The point of this article is not that politics has nothing to do with people’s misery. Instead, it is to emphasize that the obsession is making ordinary people powerless and less confident to turn things around for themselves, even when there are possibilities to do so. It is also making ordinary officials and cadres more powerful than they could have been which makes them stubborn and corrupt. While some of those in the ruling party expect everything from the government and only try to exploit with no value add, those on the opposite believe there is nothing they can do or change because of their opposition. The game at the end becomes lose-lose for everyone involved.
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Seble Teweldebirhan is Addis Ababa based Reporter for Ezega.com. She can be reached by sending email through this form.
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