IT COMES NATURALLY

I’ve been looking at the following 3 maps with great interest and they have taught me some important things about the current crisis in Cameroon. The maps are numbered 1, 2 and 3.

1. In map 1, Parliamentary democracies are shown in red, orange and green.

 

2. In map 2, Francophonie countries are shown in brown.

 

3. In map 3, Federal countries are shown in green.

PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY (MAP 1)

A parliamentary democracy is a form of government where voters elect the parliament, which then forms the government. Usually, the leader of the party with the most representatives becomes Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, who remains MP, picks a cabinet from amongst the MPs. As such, the government is a direct emanation of the electorate.

FEDERAL REPUBLIC (MAP 3)

A federal republic is a form of government in which citizens elect officials to run the government according to laws that restrict the power of the central government and vest regional units with a degree of autonomy. As such, people directly elect officials that are responsible for day-to-day and proximity issues. National security, foreign policy, monetary policy and the macro economy remain the preserve of central government.

FRANCOPHONIE (MAP 2)

Of course, Francophonie is not a form of government. But what you’ll notice just by looking at the maps is that with the exception of Canada (and we know why), Francophonie countries are neither Federal Republics nor Parliamentary Democracies

ALSO NOTE that with the exception of France and China (China being a special case), ALL the major economies of the world as well as most of the major English speaking countries in the world are either Federal Republics or Parliamentary Democracies.

THE SUGGESTION…

1. There is something about Francophonie countries that causes them to SYSTEMATICALLY distance themselves from those systems of government that ensure direct local accountability. What I see from the maps is so overwhelming that such distancing SEEMS TO COME NATURALLY TO THEM.
2. The fact that Anglophones pay a keen attention to the legitimacy of people who are said to represent them (usually referred to as “ELITE”) should not be surprising. IT COMES NATURALLY TO THEM.
3. The fact that Anglophones consider a system of government wherein officials are a direct emanation of them or where elected officials manage affairs and are accountable at close range is neither any kind of manipulation nor is it something that is machinated from anywhere… IT JUST COMES NATURALLY TO THEM.
4. The fact that Anglophones joined La République in 1961 under the terms of a federation shouldn’t be surprising… IT CAME NATURALLY TO THEM.
5. Looking at the pattern of forms of government in Francophone countries and the trend in English speaking countries, the fact that the Anglophone representatives in Foumban sought to protect the federation through the inclusion of article 47 seems normal… IT MUST HAVE COME NATURALLY TO THEM.
6. When, in 1972, a move was made by the government of Cameroon led by a majority largely with a francophone tradition, to put an end to federalism and return to a centralised system of government, IT MUST HAVE COME NATURALLY TO THEM.

So when Anglophones look around:

Federation… Gone,

Article 47… Gone,

Accountable/proximity government… Gone,

all they’re asking for, is to live a way of life THAT COMES NATURALLY TO THEM.

First made public on
3rd February 2017