We thank madman Trump: He has opened the eyes of many

Over the many years of being a journalist, classmates and colleagues from the West have asked a question I could not answer with finality.

It was something like this, with some spice added, of course, to sweeten the tale: How is it possible that in Africa, six drunk soldiers could seize the government radio, announce a coup, and everyone — including often the police and the army — would just be cowed and let them set up a dictatorship?

Or how can a patently incompetent president steal an election, change the constitution to become life leader, make his brother and children ministers, run down education and health, yet millions of people will continue every year to turn up and cheer, declaring that he is “the only one” and a gift from God?

It is a sight most familiar to us: in Nairobi thieves will roam the streets or traffic jams stealing side mirrors, and even reaching into cars to grab phones and handbags, and most people will only lock the doors and pull up windows, hoping the lights turn green or the traffic policeman waves them on so they can escape.

A single soldier high on bhang, with a rusty gun, will roam a village or small town, robbing shops, grabbing nyama choma, stealing beers, and shaking down passers-by and all that the community will do is raise the alarm so everyone can flee.

Like many others have done, we have wrestled with this. Public ownership is shallow, the citizens in poor countries are alienated from the State, the peasants are powerless in the face of modern instruments of power.

CULTURE OF LAWFULNESS

It is all about the economy, when per capita income reaches $6,000 democracy takes and the culture of lawfulness takes root, we opined. It is tribalism, the suspicion of the other tribes means we ascribe too much evil to them and demobilise ourselves with the animosity.

On the other hand, the West had deeply entrenched democratic and accountability institutions. Citizens feel empowered. There is a pact between the rulers and the ruled and once they stop providing public goods and services, they are thrown out in elections, so that keeps them honest.

Then along comes the presumptive nominee for the US Republican Party, Donald Trump. If Trump were an African politician, the international community would be threatening him with the International Criminal Court. The national integrity commission would be investigating him for hate speech.

But in the US, the leader of the free world, he has cowed many. Some people, even very rich ones, are afraid of him and speak of the real estate tycoon anonymously.

You read a story about him and most people saying nasty things about him do not want to be identified for “fear of incurring Trump’s wrath”.

And he has millions of passionate followers, and smart analysts in America are saying it is possible he can win.

From what we have seen, a president Trump can change the constitution to remove term limits, steal elections, and get away with it.

Many people say if he became president, strong institutions would keep him in check. Maybe not.

The idea that institutions in developed countries work to prevent dictators from abusing power and becoming dictators might be a lie.

Trump is beginning to suggest to us that what we see in the West is not so much institutions at work, but the acquiescence of the public.

A president Trump can bundle up all the millions and drive them into the Atlantic, and America might not revolt against him.

Secondly, perhaps Western democracy has been largely safe, because no — or rather few — maniacal men have tried to take power. But where they have done so, they have succeeded. Remember Adolf Hitler in Germany, or more recently our man, Silvio Berlusconi, in Italy.

Our societies are all the same. Whether rich or poor, only a few men and women are brave enough to stand up to a murderous and corrupt ruler.

And if you have money to go with it, you can never be so horrible a politician that no one will follow you. There will always be thousands, if not millions, who leave everything else and come to be in your service.

It is probably a depressing thought, but it seems democracy everywhere is still dependent on a few good fellas.
Which is why we must never underestimate what difference a little individual courage can make.

The author is editor of Mail & Guardian Africa. Twitter: @cobbo3