ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½

Good Morning

This weekend there have been protests in Zimbabwe against the planned issuing of bond notes designed to inject more cash into its deflating economy. That Zimbabwe needs to do something was painfully obvious last month when I witnessed, first hand, people sleeping on the streets in queues for the bank; empty shelves in the shops devoid of many staple products; and the state of the US dollar bills that are in circulation – so dirty that they handle like cloth. Something needs to be done, but for many the issuing of bond notes that will only be valid in Zimbabwe risks hyperinflation and the withdrawal of foreign investment. As I got onto the plane in Johannesburg to fly to Harare my driver joked, ‘Make sure you don’t get stuck with any of those bond notes.’

The acuteness of Zimbabwe’s present situation and the recent political history of the country evidenced by derelict ranches along the sides of the roads are a stark reminder of the responsibility of governments everywhere for economic stability, and of the urgency for the kind of leadership that responds to the needs of ordinary people but does not simply follow populist demands that can be tribally divisive and ultimately self-defeating.

Looking around the world, however, polarisation into ‘us’ and ‘them’ seems to be the order of the day. On Saturday, as Pope Francis appointed 17 new cardinals, broadening the traditional base to include representatives from the Central African Republic, Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea, he warned against an ‘epidemic of animosity’ against people of other races and religions that is hurting the weakest in society, and urged caution against the rise of populist nationalism.

The Pope’s warning comes as Christians around the world mark the feast of Christ the King – a festival that focuses attention, not on a tribal god who favours people like us, but on the universal God who, in becoming human chose solidarity with the whole human race. The feast is a reminder that in the kingdom of God there is no ‘us’ and ‘them’; rather the ethic is one of a radical loyalty to the lasting interest of all people in which power is used, not for domination, but for service; not to build up a power base through popular appeal, but to govern for the genuine benefit of everyone.

The language of the common good is easily spoken; and it can be easy for political leaders to assume they know what that is. But if politics is to be depolarised then it needs make room for the views and fears of those who are ‘not like us’. And whether we are politicians or voters there are challenges for us here. As Zimbabwe tries to rebuild its economy, as Donald Trump seeks to build an administration, and as the UK awaits the autumn budget statement later this week, it may be natural for us to filter any news first through our own concerns, but good government must encompass a wider vision than this.

Show less