Monday Morning Reckoning
News of violent unrest in Paris, amid protests against immigration, brings home a question that is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: are governments failing their people across the world?
Immigration has become a major political issue throughout Europe, including Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom. The United States has its own problems.
In South Africa citizens took to the streets this year to protest against illegal immigration, forcing foreign nationals out of their communities. How successful these efforts have been is difficult to establish, particularly when reliable statistics are lacking.
But immigration is only one symptom of a much bigger problem. What has happened to governments?
In the United States, military action against another country has sent oil prices soaring, leaving ordinary citizens around the world to pay the price.
In South Africa, healthcare, education, social services and infrastructure are all under pressure. Corruption and the apparent inability to manage basic public services have become persistent features of the national life.
Governments are supposed to serve their citizens. People pay taxes and expect safe streets, functioning schools, accessible healthcare and reliable infrastructure. These are not unreasonable demands. They are the basic obligations of government.
Then there are the countries from which people flee in search of better lives. What has gone badly wrong in their own countries that they are prepared to leave everything behind? Or is the immigration orchestrated? The resulting migration places pressure on the countries receiving them, creating another set of problems for governments ill-equipped to deal with them.
The question is whether systems of government are still fit for purpose. Democracy has its shortcomings, not least politicians who appear more interested in retaining power than solving problems. But what is the alternative?
There seems no obvious replacement for government as the organising principle of society. The challenge is to make governments more accountable, competent and responsive to the people they serve.
Good news to end on
An old friend sent me an article about The Citizen newspaper, which is performing strongly and growing younger readers. This is encouraging news in an industry where newspapers are collapsing around the world.
The irony is that The Citizen was once a detested publication. Yet The Citizen has thrived. The leftist liberal publications that condemned it have disappeared long ago. The Citizen retains an editorial balance, offers objective reporting and commentary, and is an entertaining read. That last quality matters more than newspaper executives realise. The Citizen offers a reminder of good things that just get better.
Editorial Disclosure & Disclaimer
Financial News Daily is an independent business news syndicate and a wholly owned subsidiary of Idea Accelerator. We publish financial, environmental and corporate commentary for digital platforms, media outlets and organisations. Nothing published here constitutes investment, legal or financial advice. All opinions are editorial commentary on matters of public and economic interest.
