In an earlier post I showed how modern doublespeak has changed America's perception of Mandela, here's the real reason why Mandela has become a worldwide saint to the world's elite.
In an article in today's NYTimes' Business Section titled "How Mandela Shifted Views on Freedom of Markets" it explains that Mandela attended a meeting in Davos, Switzerland in 1992 with all the world's economic policy makers. Prior to this meeting Mandela and the ANC (Africa National Congress) Mandela's political party were set on nationalizing industry, banks, and mines. After this meeting Mandela changed his mind on the nationalization program and instead opened up South Africa to foreign investment and more privatization. So the shift was made from nationalizing private industry (bad Mandela prior to 1992) to increased privatization and capitalism (good Mandela after 1992). This is why the world's elites find him so appealing. It is not because he resisted apartheid and brought more democracy to South Africa. Remember he was listed as a terrorist and a communist sympathizer in the years prior to 1988. Mandela was a threat to the capitalist system when he advocated nationalization of industry to redistribute profits to the poor. Moreover, he might have set a 'bad' example to the rest of the developing world who may have done the same thing. Afterwards he became a hero because he no longer threatened capitalism and instead opened up the country even more to foreign investment.
So here are the results for South Africa's increased privatization: 53% of its citizens live below $2 a day, official unemployment rate is 25%, white households earn 6x more than black households, black men have an unemployment rate of 50%, whites hold 75% of all management jobs, inequality is huge and getting worse, HIV/AIDs is one of the worst in the world at 30% of adults according to the UN.
Just after Mandela left office, the UN crime statistics have South Africa as the worst in the world for murder and assault - 74 gun murders per 100,000 population. A 2005 survey dubbed South Africa the "rape capital" of the world, with a rate of 118.3 rapes per 100,000 population, according to South Africa's Channel 4 News. Mandela did good things such as fighting the apartheid regime, but overall his change in position regarding economic policies has not made South Africa better - yes blacks have the ability to vote, but what does that get them? This is why the world's policy elites love Mandela, the adulation for him is not for equality, democracy or a real chance at a better life - those are words on everyone's lips, but instead those words are simply a cover for his 'real' accomplishments - privatization, foreign investment, and wealth allocation for the rich.
No wonder why the world's top officials are there lionizing Mandela, but what are the poor celebrating?
Here's the articles:
NYTimes Article
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/12/09/how-mandela-shifted-views-on-freedom-of-markets/?ref=business&_r=0
S. Africa Channel 4 Article
http://www.channel4.com/news/president-legacy-nelson-mandela-achievements-in-government
Too soon, Weisback. Too soon!
ReplyDelete