Democracy and Political Economics: Embracing an Optimistic Vision

By Dr. Ibrahima Diallo, Maryland, USA

Citizens, concerned friends and nations are all bracing in anticipation the direction of current uncertainties from the election results, as the supreme court of the nation unfold facts to reveal its verdict on the question of alleged fraudulent election charges brought forth by some presidential candidates. At this pinnacle moment of democracy, many emotions emits from varying groups some worried, concerned, and disgusted; some happy, and eager; others guarded, wary and fearful of the unknowns and uncertainties from the anticipated supreme court verdict; hoping for a fair, and independent judgment that reflects “fair” interpretation of the rule of law, guidelines of the electoral commission and the recent adopted constitution of the land to instill confidence, solidarity, unity and calm during the second round of the presidential election. The concern is that the Supreme Court act judiciously and independently to ascertain facts that are materially significant to rule rightly and justly such that citizens and political leaders will embrace the decision and allow the country to move forward.

To appreciate the great vision is to understand that the election is a step to transforming the old dictatorial and authoritarian rule post colonialism, a collectivist, and corrupted system for a modern representative democracy with independent institutions that balances power, roles, responsibilities, rights, and privileges for effective rebuilding of the nation. As a country rich in natural and human resources with an untapped work force capacity, it begs for a leadership with vision to rebrand the country, align its resources for strategic and competitive positioning to attract direct foreign investment through a market based economy. While global and multinational corporations and organizations may seek investment opportunities into the country, safeguards enshrined in a representative democracy with a leadership that is open to foreign direct investment, policies that promote economic freedoms and individualism, a fulcrum for free and fair competition between private producers, regulation against market monopoly, promotion of research and development for adoption of efficient political, legal, and economic institutions and processes will be key to realizing a vibrant and productive economy.

To transform from dictatorial and authoritarian government to a modern democratic state and enjoy economic freedoms with a comparable gross national income and gross domestic product means we must fully take advantages of our geography, weather, human and natural resources, leveraged on innovation, friendly economic policies to promote an entrepreneurial spirit, with a stable and effective political systems. Therefore, we must view this election as a transition to democratic governance and realize the significance in making the transition toward adopting democratic principles and processes, denouncing xenophobic attitudes of ethnocentric, sectarian and regional politics. As such, a system whereby authority, roles, responsibilities, and goals are clear and aligned, with independent judiciary, legislative and media that checks the executive will allow for effective governance. Thus, our role now is to assure security, and support the judiciary with the ultimate authority by virtue of the constitution to adjudicate in the matter of election result fraud, rightly and judiciously with mandate.

According to the Freedom House Report, political Right Score of 7 and Civil liberties Score of 6 for Guinea, in a 1-7 score index suggests a “Not-Free” status with a significant history of election manipulation both in the Sekou Toure and Lansana Conte regimes marked with blatant reports of corruption, restrictive law and media censorship. The 2009 Human development Index from the U.N demonstrated a low score of 170 in human development indices, among 182 countries with an adult literacy gross enrollment ratio of 49.3%, 29.5% adult literacy, a purchasing power parity of $ 1140.00, a 57.3 years of average life expectancy and a 40% probability to not survive to age forty; signify grave production and economic development concerns, should the trend continue in this direction. Reports on economic Freedoms listed Guinea as 134 in the world, with a score of 51.8 on economic freedom, and 27 among the 46 Sub Saharan African countries, with government spending at 93.5%, and a high tax rate of 40.0%, contributing only 13.5% to the Gross Domestic Product revenue of the country, inhibits economic growth and development. Consequentially, a country of 9.8 million with a 2.2% growth rate, $ 11.8 billion GDP (PPP), 4.3% Growth rate, and a 1.304 billion in World Bank cumulative loan and interest debt, with an economy based on mining and agriculture that boast 30% of total world bauxite reserves,
diamond, gold, metals and iron ore has not much to show for economically. Presently, the total World Bank investments, amounts to $ 224 million on projects ranging from infrastructure development, education, transport, rural electrification, Health, HIV/AIDs, and Water basin management is at risk if the political landscape does not change to reflect democracy. It is therefore, in evident that the country must look at the grater vision of representative democracy government to restore rule of law, and an individualize society with market economy driven by sound policies to attract foreign direct investment, promote strong education policies, technological innovation, independent judiciary, with guaranteed property and intellectual property rights to attract global companies with high paying employment in industry, mining, agriculture and services to alleviate poverty.

Therefore, the present imbalance of feelings and trust at all levels and camps including the executive, judiciary, political groups, electoral commission that ranges from disapproval, optimism, contempt must be resolved to the greater vision of realizing a democratic state, accept the ruling of the supreme court in order to move the country forward, thus transforming the political architecture to a democratic landscape that allows for rebuilding of institutions and processes to ensue. As such, regardless of the decision, we must accept a vision to unify and start the transition to democracy; denounce dictatorship and authoritarian rulings which has stagnated the country and its economic potential for too long with a greater atmosphere of pessimism. Should unified, democratic governance be accomplished with independent judiciary, legislative, executive branches and independent media, the country will then begin the process to enjoy the economic benefits of national and globalized economies both in scale and scope. As a representative democracy, a market economy is most likely to be realized with efficient banking and trade systems instituted to bring about jobs, savings and investment mechanisms for growth and development. Therefore, the political economic future thus far can be optimistic should the nation embrace the election verdict by an independent judiciary to move forward democratically, rather than emphasizing voter disenfranchisement, ultimately realize the greater vision of a democratic state with
roles, responsibilities, and rights that are aligned with development of economic and political institutions, policies and processes.

Dr. Ibrahima Diallo, Maryland, USA