The expression "Fratelli Tutti" from a Southern African Perspective (eBook)

Academic Paper from the year 2020 in the subject Theology - Practical Theology, grade: 1.0, Kwame Nkrumah University, language: English, abstract: "Fratelli Tutti" and a Better Kind of Politics: A Southern African Perspective

Abstract

Using the metaphors of “new bottles for new wine” or “new wine into fresh wineskins,” this article argues that it is time for a new kind of politics in Southern Africa, “at the service of the common good” but alas, we are still pouring new wine into old wineskins or sewing pieces of unshrunk cloth on old cloaks and we are surprised it’s not working. It must sound like a good definition of political insanity. This is particularly the case in the craft of party and tribal politics in which unelected cadres are left to rule the roost. A better kind of politics in Southern Africa will need to disavow ochlocracy or mob rule, the rule of government by a mass of unruly, uncouth and unelected imps who intimidate the citizenry. These largely illiterate party cadres do it at the behest of the head of state who is effectively the Cadre-in-Chief. His minions are left to break the law with impunity and as a reward are promoted to another office in a banana republic’s version of musical chairs. This article applies the wisdom of FT to Southern African state craft and concludes that much work needs to be done in making politics work for the common good.

Key Words
Fratelli Tutti; solidarity; social friendship; art of encounter; Covid-19; brave new world; Utopia