Criticism in a healthy democracy

Barry Vosloo

 

One of the local DA councillors recently accused the writer of this report of “attempts to undermine” the DA. Moreover, he said that these efforts “only serve to strengthen the ANC.”

It is difficult to understand how on earth mild criticism of the Kouga DA for not effectively communicating with its supporters, can destabilise their opposition of the local ANC.

Perhaps the councillor should to take note of what Prof. Brian Martin of the University of Wollongong, Australia, has to say about protest/criticism in a liberal democracy: “Groups have various ways to limit the effectiveness of challengers, including promoting a narrow conception of 'acceptable protest'. Far from destabilising democracy, protest has been instrumental in forcing the introduction of most of the freedoms that now exist in liberal democracies.” Click here to read more.

To coin a phrase, therefore, criticism/protest is the lifeblood of a healthy democracy. The councillor and his cohort appear to be caught in a time warp. Their mind-set is disturbingly similar to that which prevailed in the bad old days of National Party rule. Remember when dissenters were demonized, harassed by the security police, thrown into jail or worse?