Post
by Horus » 24 Dec 2019, 19:44
Selam,
I agree with you on two points.
The greatest confusion of categories in Ethiopian social practice is that which is between politics and culture. Culture is never the organizing principle of politics, the state or governance. Ethnicity however you cut it, it is a cultural category. This is precisely why TPLF hit the conceptual dead end and lost its purpose for existence. You grow and popularize culture all you want, it will never grow into a political system - democracy, freedom, justice, etc. It is precisely for this mistaken use of culture as a political principle that all ethnic parties will eventually dissipate. So, yes ethnicity is culture and it belongs to the sphere of cultural life of the people. Yes, all those who wish to organize their tribe as political community will fail and disappear.
What I don't agree with you is this. Ethnic party candidates may win local seats. But, how do they participate in the national political game? Political agendas are about political rights, economic development, etc. All of these issues are taken care of by entities like PP, EZEMA, etc . In short, local ethnic parties will never have viable unique political , economic, social, global agenda, hence lack a purpose to exist as political entities. If the revised constitution creates a lower house of representatives set aside for cultural parties, that is where they could have a clear purpose and function dealing with cultural, linguistic and such like issues.
Last edited by
Horus on 24 Dec 2019, 20:00, edited 1 time in total.