Partyocracy: a thin line between oligarchy and demagoguery

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The shutdown protests by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in South Africa have brought to the fore the issues of plutocracy and partyocracy in the country’s governance. 

Plutocracy — a government by, of, and for the wealthy —  represents the decay of liberal democracy. In contrast, partyocracy — a government by party elites who have appropriated state power —  represents the decay of social democracy. These two forms of government have blurred the lines between oligarchy and demagoguery, creating a toxic mix of elite control and populism, damaging the country’s political and economic systems.

The EFF’s protest is a symptom of the deep-seated problems in South Africa’s political landscape. 

The country is facing a leadership crisis, with the ruling ANC and opposition parties failing to address the urgent needs of the people. The EFF’s leader, Julius Malema, is a classic example of a demagogue, appealing to people’s emotions, prejudices and ignorance to gain power and popularity. He uses false claims and inflammatory language and exploits people’s fears and insecurities to create divisions between different groups of people and scapegoat minorities or outsiders for problems in society.

While the right to protest is enshrined in the Constitution, it should not be used to harass, intimidate or threaten anyone else. The president’s warning that the rights of people to go to work, travel for leisure and conduct business will be protected is a welcome statement, but the deployment of more than 3 400 soldiers to maintain law and order is a worrying sign of the state of the country’s security forces.

The ANC’s statement raising the alarm about the protest and questioning whether it advanced democratic principles is a weak response to the country’s deep-seated issues.

The governing party’s failure to address issues of unemployment, higher education, water and electricity in communities, crime and gender-based violence and corruption has created a leadership vacuum filled by demagogues like Malema.

The success claimed by Malema’s party in shutting down the country to protest against the president’s incumbency and the energy crises in the country is a dangerous precedent. 

While the temporary suspension of load-shedding was due to a decrease in demand, not the success of the protest, Malema’s claim that the shutdown was the most successful in the history of struggle in South Africa is a worrying sign of the growing influence of demagogues in the country’s political landscape.

The solution to South Africa’s problems lies in returning to the principles of democracy and the rule of law. The country needs leaders committed to addressing the urgent needs of the people, not demagogues who use populism to gain power and popularity.

And especially not oligarchs hinged on power claiming to uphold the people’s constitutional rights. This group often uses their wealth or influence to manipulate the political process and maintain their grip on power. 

In the context of South Africa’s political landscape, oligarchies have emerged as a result of a particular interpretation of the Constitution.

Adopted in 1996, the Constitution aimed to establish a democratic system based on the principles of equality and social justice. However, over the years, certain interpretations of the constitution have allowed for the consolidation of power within a small group of individuals who belong to the ruling elite.

One example is the rise of plutocracy, where the government is increasingly being run by, and for, the wealthy. This represents a decay of liberal democracy, as the interests of the few are being prioritised over the needs of the many. The wealthy elite exerted their influence by controlling the economy, media and political institutions, enabling them to maintain their hold on power.

Another example is the emergence of partyocracy, where the government is run by party elites who have appropriated state power. This represents a decay of social democracy, as the interests of the party are being prioritised over the needs of the people. This has led to a situation where party elites use their control over the political process to enrich themselves and their allies rather than address the country’s underlying issues.

Both of these forms of oligarchy have contributed to the erosion of democracy in South Africa. Instead of a system based on the principles of equality and social justice, the country is increasingly being governed by a small group of individuals who are more interested in maintaining their power than in serving the needs of the people.

Gogo Matshiqi — who makes a reference to the George Floyd protests which led to protests, including looting and property damage —. suggests that while people focus on property damage, they are not addressing the underlying reasons for the protests. He goes on to criticise the response of Boris Johnson, the UK Prime Minister, to the toppling of a statue of a slave trader. He argues that Johnson was only concerned with the vandalism of the statue rather than the reasons why it was targeted.

Matshiqi then shifts to the topic of crime in South Africa, suggesting that the deployment of security forces is primarily motivated by a desire to defend the interests of capital rather than to address the concerns of ordinary citizens affected by crime, poverty, inequality and underdevelopment. 

He criticises the deployment of security forces as a wasteful expenditure, arguing that it is not intended to address the underlying issues but to demonise those protesting. That the deployment will remain in place until the following month implies that it is designed to defend the interests of wealth rather than address ordinary citizens’ concerns.

It is clear that South Africa is at a crossroads, with the dangers of these dangerous regime types threatening the country’s political and economic systems. 

The government needs to address the urgent needs of the people and restore faith in the political system while also protecting the country’s democracy. Failure to do so risks further decay of the country’s political and economic systems and the rise of demagogues and oligarchs who exploit people’s fears and insecurities for their gain.

Zimkhitha Manyana lectures international relations at Wits University and is pursuing his PhD in political science at the University of Johannesburg.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Mail & Guardian.