u Speaker says African
By HENRI CAPIN GALLY SANTOS
News Writer
The difficulties in the economic development of African countries appear to be correlated with the deteriorating relationships among the members of society, according to Goran Hyden. The highly regarded African discussed the turbulent social and economic scenario faced by Tanzania since the 1960s.
During the 1960s the pride of independence ran high among the people, Tanzania faced a promising outlook. During the following two decades, however, corrupt leaders used their privileged position for their own interests, Hyden said. People of different social classes reacted in contrasting fashions to the government's abuse.
"Those who feel to have a mission for development are the commercial farmers," contrasting with rural farmers who "have lost confidence in the government, which never served them, became a corrupt institution at the expense of the farmer," said Hyden.
The meltdown of trust among village farmers, or social capital, presents a serious problem, according to Hyden, because cooperation among the people fosters the healthy development of society. Tanzania's economic orientation has fluctuated between Marxism and Capitalism. According to Hyden they now have "the worst of both systems."
Hyden proposed a very original solution although his outlook of Tanzania's future seemed pessimistic.
"If there were to be a social movement, it would come from women. In the 1995's election, the women in the ruling party implanted a women's council, now that they were moving across a multiparty council," he said.
When destroyed, social capital may be difficult to rebuild.
Hyden's ambiguous speech and gloomy view of Tanzania's future sparked the critics in the audience. A spectator, who had lived in Mozambique during the 1960's, said that Hyden's view about the depletion of trust in African society was exaggerated. Another audience member complained about the ambiguous definitions of the terms used by Hyden.
The speaker answered that Africa was indeed a "high trusting" society, but that he viewed a different situation while conducting his studies during the `90s.
An ideological division on development amongst different social groups seems to arise. Common farmers can be thought of as "entrepreneurs," said Hyden.
"Village farmers have lost confidence in the government, which never served them, it became a corrupt institution at the expense of the farmers. There is very little trust, it must be reestablished," said Hyden.
All News Stories for Friday, February 11, 2000
