The causes of such revolutions are typically based on social, political, and economic factors that the existing political class has proven incapable of managing.
The French Revolution culminated in the masses storming the Bastille, a mediaeval armoury fortress and political prison in the heart of Paris. It was viewed as a symbol of the monarchy’s usurpa
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According to the author, one of the factors that could lead to a revolution in South Africa is the country’s growing unemployment.
According to the author, one of the factors that could lead to a revolution in South Africa is the country’s growing unemployment.
Gallo Images/Siphiwe Sibeko
If our government continues on its current path, our private sector keeps raising prices and increasing shareholder profits, and our unions keep demanding higher wages, we are on the verge of a revolution, writes Oscar van Heerden.
Some of our world’s major revolutions have been marked by a clear schism between those who govern and those who must be governed.
The causes of such revolutions are typically based on social, political, and economic factors that the existing political class has proven incapable of managing.
The French Revolution culminated in the masses storming the Bastille, a mediaeval armoury fortress and political prison in the heart of Paris. It was viewed as a symbol of the monarchy’s usurpation of power.
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We saw a similar “storming” in Cape Town in 1990, when thousands of people gathered outside the parliamentary building to send a clear message to the government of the day that if political matters did not go their way, all hell would break loose. Fortunately, the current government saw the light and did the right thing.
The Chinese cultural revolution, the Cuban revolution, the American revolution, and the numerous post-colonial revolutions on the African continent are all signs of fundamental change being demanded and accepted.
I guess what I’m getting at is the inevitable conclusion that we are on the verge of another such revolution in South Africa, and indeed the rest of the world, because something has to give.
The current global situation is dire, particularly for the poor.
Several factors come to mind, including the impact of the Covid pandemic, the ongoing Ukraine war, and, to a lesser extent, the collapse of the capitalist system as we know it.
It’s a dog-eat-dog world.
I won’t go into detail about how the Covid pandemic decimated health systems, redefined social relations, and demonstrated firsthand that when times get tough, it quickly becomes a dog-eat-dog world. We’ve seen it with big pharma, drugs, and vaccines.
Next, we feel the effects of war, even though it is thousands of kilometres away. Oil prices, food prices, food security, migration issues, energy security, and so much more are all factors to consider. All of this contributes to a world that simply does not care about the poor. It is a capitalist system that is incapable of providing long-term solutions to extremely complex problems.
The United States simply prints more money, and no one can order it because it is the global hegemon. Subsidies are being given to citizens of wealthy countries such as Germany and others, but this is also unsustainable. At home, we are constantly discussing a basic income grant because we simply cannot generate the growth or jobs required to close the country’s growing inequality gap.
Now I am well aware that all leftist projects of the twentieth century failed. As a result, I am not advocating for a repeat. Similarly, the current system, post-communism, which Francis Fukuyama famously referred to as the “end of history,” cannot provide us with long-term solutions. Fukuyama now admits as much.
A revolution is the violent overthrow of an existing government or social order in favour of a new one. If our government continues on its current path, our private sector continues to raise prices and increase shareholder profits, and our unions continue to demand higher wages, we will undoubtedly witness a revolution, good people.
I fear that the disconnect between leaders and followers is so great that when they say, ‘let them eat cake,’ they either reflect a frivolous disregard for the hungry poor or reveal a lack of understanding of their plight.
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