STEVEN FRIEDMAN: The will of the generals prevails over the general will in Zimbabwe — and SA is not much different
Democrats need to know the difference between the general will and the will of the general — particularly when we look at events across our northern border and what they mean for our politics. More than a few voices have hailed Zimbabwe’s unofficial coup as a great step towards democracy because it ended Robert Mugabe’s presidency. This misreads what is afoot: as in SA, the reason for the error is an obsession with individual leaders rather than the realities which produce them. Zimbabwe’s generals have not removed Mugabe to establish democracy — the establishment that rules that country has decided he has outlived his usefulness to them. The military is not a neutral guardian of public safety: it has been, since independence, an important part of the ruling bloc. There is evidence that the generals, not Mugabe, have been effectively running the country for a decade. Ironically, when he wanted to step down few years ago, the generals would not let him because they needed a civilian ...
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