Cut a Deal With Dictators and Dirty Your Hands
Messay Kebede’s long and thoughtful essay on forming a grand coalition with Meles Zenawi raises an important question about the moral and political dilemmas of making practical compromises with dictators. Conversation between Sancho and Chombe on such matters…
Sancho: Have you observed the increasing number of people who think that Ethiopian politics have reached a stalemate and that the realistic way out is either to work within the ruling party to change it from the inside or to form a power sharing government that leaves Meles Zenawi in power? This call is made often by very sensible people with strong partiality to liberty. I find this very odd. What does political philosophy say about this?
Chombe: Hmmm…You are asking me a very difficult question. I normally do abstract thought. We call it ideal theory. Reality is a bit complicated for me. If you insist that I answer your question, I ask you to imagine this: roving bandits control a wealthy village and start looting. The dwellers are fed up and start fighting back. But the well-organized bandits defeat them and the looting continues. Some village members then decide to join the bandits with a belief that they can be trusted by the bandits if they participate in the looting, and that such trust would give them a chance to convince the bandits that it is in their self-interest to slow down the looting because soon enough they will have nothing left to loot. What do you think of that?
Sancho: Damn, that feels wrong. They are getting into a wrongful act to slow down a wrongful act. I say no. But what has my question got to do with hypothetical roving bandits and looting?
Chombe: Just be patient with me and you will see what I am trying to achieve here. Let’s say that it is certain that these villagers will slow down the looting if they become participants to the looting and press their case that a pilllaging rampage is unsustainable for the bandits. Would that change your view?
Sancho: Hell, no. They ought not involve themselves in any wrongful act. They ought not collaborate in the commission of unjust acts. I say that Winston Churchill was right when he said: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.” That is how we ought to fight injustice.
Chombe: Will you change your view if it can be known for certain that the roving bandits cannot be defeated?
Sancho: No, this is my deepest conviction. No collaboration with people who commit injustice for the sake of achieving a political goal or value. It is just wrong.
Chombe: I would say that you are in the idealist camp of politics. There are realists who believe that in politics, when the satisfaction of some political values clash with meta-principles, we should sacrifice the meta-principles. Machiavelli said: “A man who wishes to make a profession of goodness in everything must necessarily come to grief among so many who are not good.” They say that we ought to dirty our hands to achieve our political values since the primary aim of politics is governing our collective life, which is a practical issue. Don’t get me wrong, morality is important for realists, but it is important only in an instrumental sense. Philosophers call this the “dilemma of dirty hands”.
Sancho: Sorry, but the man you quoted is wrong. Without absolute principles like that, we find ourselves on slippery slopes, being ready to commit injustice easily. Principles like that create a habit of thought.
Chombe: That is exactly what some realists say. They call them pullers. They claim that absolute principles are there not to be not broken, but to strap people to the mast. So you are basically saying the same thing.
Sancho: Don’t confuse me. I think they should be respected under all circumstances and at all times.
Chombe: Let’s imagine that the bandits are ready to go away if the village representative talks to them simply for the purpose of placating them…I mean for self-aggrandizement. Do you think the villages ought to send a representative to talk to them?
Sancho: Tricky. I think so.
Chombe: But what happens to your view that injustice ought to be fought at all times and under all circumstances?
Sancho: I know. It seems to me, though, that talking to them in that sense does not have a significant impact on the principle.
Chombe: Political philosophers call this “the salience factor”. When the impact on our principles is small, we usually pursue an important political value at the modest cost of our principles without a lot of moral qualms, and vise versa. But the difficult question arises when there is a significant cost for both our political value and the meta-principle. Realists say that we should choose the political value over the principle. Idealists say the opposite.
Sancho: What do people normally do? Is there conclusive empirical evidence as to what they do?
Chombe: No, the record is mixed. People could be idealists on Monday and realists on Tuesday.
Sancho: My head is spinning. Is there a theory that incorporates both ideas?
Chombe: Have you ever heard of a guy named Philip Tetlock?
Sancho: No, man.
Chombe: He is an American psychologist who wrote a very influential book called In that book he showed that the accuracy of prediction by experts on public policy issues is slightly better than if you make prediction based on flipping coins. A lot of social science research also shows how bad we generally are at predicting political outcomes and consequences. The outcomes of a lot of our political decisions are unpredictable.
Sancho: What is the point?
Chombe: Some philosophers think that because of this distressing situation, our political values are usually non-salient, that is, we pursue them at a high cost to our principles. So they say that we ought only start to think about sacrificing our principles when we are sure that the chances of achieving the values that we pursue are high. Remember, Mandela only made a deal with the apartheid government when he was reasonably certain that the other side was ready to abolish the apartheid state. But because we won’t have this reasonable certainty much of the time, it is better to stick to our principles.
Sancho: This is not satisfying. But I am inferring here that these philosophers would agree with me on the Meles question. After all, the chances that changing EPRDF from the inside or forming a meaningful grand coalition with Meles are very low, and pursuing that is very costly to the principle that we ought to fight injustice.
Chombe: I do ideal theory…
God Bless You Abiye!!!!! I am glad the new generation has brilliant and determined persons like you. It gives hope to the country.
I like the air of seriousness and the depth of your presentation. Professor Mesay’s article needs to be considered in the proper perspective, and you rightly did that. There is no place for appeasement and softness. The slightest misunderstanding of Prof. Mesay article can have disastrous repurcussions. This is politics, no chitchat!!!!
Expecting reasoning and change of attitude from people who have been consistently reneging their promises and usurping their power for the past 20 years, and who are past their 50′s is simply naïve and delusional (if not sinister and suspcious). This is more ridculous when the call for understanding and partnership comes from someone sympathetic or allied to the victimized group.
Abiye
After long absence, It is good to see you back. It is an extraordinary pleasure for me to see your comments / critics on Addis neger.
Man, You proved that we missed you much.
Great thanks for your kind remarks on Professor Messay’s opinion on Grand coalition. Both of the responses were wonderfully written and very engaging.
Abiye, one important thing here is there is nothing in the world as simple as talking theoretically but one has to walk the walk, and should be able to take his share or gone through the essential work regard to Ethiopian politics.
Professor Messay didn’t ask one opposition party or individuals for that matter get down on their knees and pray for EPRDF. Rather the ‘the concept of coalition’ should be in the frame work of Give and take principles.
As sane citizen let’s see the pron and cons of his idea then we can see where his idea be enriched, of course at last we will have enough blames to go around as you did.
On this regard, you are terribly wrong and masked our face not to see Messay’s article from not taking political position at least for the moment.
Let’s here your information package forwarded for future Ethiopian, and prove your words by your works Otherwise a 30 inch analysis from your lazy computer has nothing to do for us.
I was rather that surprise when I read the following comments in your piece
“….Remember, Mandela only made a deal with the apartheid government when he was reasonably certain that the other side was ready to abolish the apartheid state”
I am not entirely sure how I feel about that statement. I am pretty confused how you dare to compare the current Ethiopian political situation with the abolished apartheid government of South Africa.
I know and understand the very unpleasant political situation of Ethiopia but I wouldn’t for a second think Abiye will go to that far to willing deceive himself in such absurd way.
I’m guessing most of us have heard by now about DC Ethiopian “politicians” plot on a military struggle in Ethiopia, Basically your above statement looks like you are slapping a new coat of paint which is an extension of this sick politics we know in the diaspora community.
That is why you are fully engaged and make yourself busy in Professor Messay’s article response. ( Two responses in three days)
For me Messay’s point was good beginning…..
Is that what the say….
“….Work will win when whishy washy wishing won’t”
Teshome,
I am willing to engage your comments if you stop misrepresenting me. Mandela was mentioned to illustrate the salience factor, not to compare Ethiopia to apartheid South Africa. If you are, however, a cognitive infiltration troll, you will be banned from my blog.
Messay proposed a mechanism to get out of the quagmire woyane put Ethiopia and its people.The dictators are cooperating with covert and overt enemies of Ethiopia to destroy and undermine anything Ethiopian.Worse yet, they are hellbent to rule by any means lest they will facilitate her dismemberment into small Ethnic enclaves ( their stated manifesto). Messay`s struggle to find a workable, practical, solution to avoid bloodshed should be seen as an alternative theory. One can disagree with it.
I find it uncivilized to attack him with such fury for proposing possible solutiuons for this tragic nation. we should cultivate the habit of debating, deliberating ideas for the common good.
It is obvious that the opposition is ineffective, fractured and most are greedy powermongers, as crimianl as woyanes!.
such creative ideas, should be encouraged, revised and amended as the need may be, instead of attacking with incredible determination. It should be emphasized that , lack of institutions both with woyane and opposition is sign quo non for our failure. oppositions worhip individual cults. we should work to establish strong instituionaled opposition acivity.
Messays` philosophical thesis , should not be attacked with motivated reasoning without proposing practical solutions to avoid bloodshed seen in Yugoslavia, Rwanda etc…
Whether melese and TPLF arrived to this juncture of history by design or accidently, what we have in todays’ Ethiopia is Tigray/Ttigraians, becoming the intellectual and the capital powerhouse (looted) of Ethiopia and the rest of us the source of cheap labor and raw material to them. It is as simple as that. The inequality between us and them is so staggering, one need not to be a philosopher or an economist to see it. You only need to go Ethiopia, the encounter starts from the bole airport itself and already there it them (the privileged to be free in Ethiopia) and us (who needs their permission to be in ethiooiua). I would dare to say that we do not need to go to Ethiopia to see that, the tigirains are already flocking with their money to Europe and North America. Now a day’s every European city has a tigrai euro- millonariers. The huge disparity between us and them is not limited to income and wealth or access to resources. It also goes deep into everything including opportunity to work, and quality of education. They are already comfortable in that position so much so, they now think it is their God given right to be the master for us and prosper at the expense of us. Let alone them, those who are used as vector to subjectate us, the Hailemariam, the Abera Deressa, the Jarosso and the like of them, also think that way. There are no way our brothers north of gondor and wello will just relinquish that kind comfort easly. They for sure wouldn’t do that just because a distinguish Ethiopia Prof. wrote a philosophical essay. So my message to my good professor is please do not spend writing plea to a guy who doesn’t have an allegiance to Ethiopian and Ethiopians instead use your intellectual power to devise a strategy on how remove this scum bug from our shoulder and how to bring the right kind pressure on our northern brothers so that they return to their sense. This madness should be stopped before too late.-
Very good article, Abiy. I really liked the your presentation in this article. It was a fair treatment of different philosophies without an author bias.
I believe it is times of despair that we need to uphold our political and moral principles. We should resist the temptation of placating the powerful when it is motivated by hopelessness. Realpolitick is effective only when we have a bargaining chip anyway.
Abiy
I really like the way you presented this. It makes it very readable and presents complex philosophical concepts in a way that could be grasped by lay people. However, with all due respect, I doubt whether such deep philosophizing is what we are lacking today. The situation, for me, is rather straightforward. We have a government that came to power with military force and is staying there the same way it came. It is trying to camouflage this fact (largely for consumption of external powers) through ridiculous claims that it is democratic and developmental. In actual fact it is as you rightly said a gang of bandits which is controlling a country instead of a village. What should we do? I say the only way is to fight back in all possible ways and means. ANC defeated the apartheid regime (which was more or less the same as our current regime) because it knew when to raise arms and when to negotiate. You can only negotiate a fair deal from a position of strength. Unfortunately the Ethiopian people do not have that position of strength right now. So negotiations would take us no where even if the regime is willing to negotiate (which I very much doubt). So in my opinion the best approach is to leave all options open.
Debela
Good job of simplifying issues. I think that is how any ordinary people look at issues. The problem is all options are significantly diminished if not closed. Oppositions are in worst conditions. They are neither in a position to fight back nor strong enough to force Meles to negotiate. I do not understand why people think that Meles will be willing to compromise at this point in time, when he knew that he won the “battle”. Messay proposal grew out of frustration not out of recognition of Meles contribution. Many are frustrated as Messay did, that is why we see unholy alliances among some groups.
Abiye
you have to know there was no intention at all to induce offence at you but however if you felt that way, My sincerest apology. I am so very sorry!
From your comment I understood, how you feel so blue and I can guess the emotional pain you went through after reading my comment. I promise I wouldn’t dare and please accept my apology
Abiye
As always, excellent piece. When you mentioned the ‘salience factor’ in your piece you remind me of some opposition groups that are forming unholy alliance with Shabia to fight TPLF.
Well done Abiye ! Once again, you have given us a very lively and insightful article that fairly treats the opposing viewpoints. I think most of us (except the dictators and their cronies) would love to live in a utopia where absolute principles can be held without any compromise leading to attainment of values. Unfortunately for us we are living in the real world where pragmatism is the order of the day. So, I wouldn’t just close the door at any possibility of negotiation with the dictators that could bring a change in government structure and balance of power which, hopefully, eventually could lead to a true democracy and freedom. If we are not willing to abandon our moral absolutism, I’m afraid; we are in for a very exhausting journey that may cost us the highest value of all- our country.
Having said that, I’m convinced with your argument that this is not the right time to give in and show any sign of weakness to the dictators. As you have beautifully put it there is no reasonable certainty that the dictator is willing to negotiate and ready to compromise. In my opinion, the right thing to do right now would be to unify and strengthen the pro-democracy camp inside the country and the Diaspora, and continue the struggle against tyranny by any means necessary ( including armed struggle except terrorism), so as to threaten the regime and force their hands in to negotiation, power sharing and eventually relinquishing power.
Simply put, what I am saying is we should be ready to compromise when there is a reasonable certainty that it would lead to attainment of our values; but since we have none right now, we better stick to our principles.
Lastly,I would like to express my strong disagreement and concern with wey gud’s characterization of the tigray people.It is just as dangerous and alienating as our tyrant regime.
So funny – when you have the power you dont think twice to use it. So obvious of these opposition pretenders – when they have the power on their hand they will ban you. Just like Abiy who is planning to ban Teshome. Every one is looking for power – woyane is much better in sharing than all of the oppositions.
I dont care if you post my message – this is only meant to you.
Kaddis,
You don’t seem to realise that the duties of governments in a liberal democratic society are not necessarily the same as the duties of citizens. Citizens can have their own spaces to deliberate issues of their concern in a way that respects the rules of their forums; governments have an obligation to treat every citizen with equal respect and concern. These are subtle issues, but they are important. When you hear terms like pluralistic public sphere in the future, bear that in mind.
i agree with kaddis on this issue. Your moves makes you big talk a little bit day dream. because you yourself could practice the simplest democracy. if teshome has to be suspended, this was not time ( when he misrepresent you), he has been against many forum participant, and honestly speaking i was entertained by his views always. So my word to you is ” beteneshu yaltamene, beteleku endet yetamenal”, what you talk the big words are even difficult for you to understand let alone for us, show us simply by your deed.
Piassa,
You make what is now recognized as the Sarah Palin fallacy, that is, arguing that the liberal rules of freedom of expression(like the first amendment in the US) are constraints not just on government but on citizens as well. So if feminists start a blog on the equality of women, the Sarah Palin fallacy takes it that they are obliged to open the forum to people with chauvinistic views about women equality. That is not true. Governments are obliged to tolerate and protect bigoted speech but not voluntary citizen forums.
This is the last time I talk about the issue. I don’t want this blog to be a place for insinuation and unfair personal attacks. This is not a pilot project on how to govern people. I blog to generate useful discussions on issues of Ethiopian politics. Teshome has the whole of the interwebs for his thoughts(including other blogs on Addis Neger) but not my blog if he insists that he can’t debate here without alleging sick motives etc against me. I don’t really care if he supports or opposes my views.
They didn’t ban Teshome, but I wish they did. I have been trying to put comments in other Ethiopian blogs too. So far, AddisNeger is the most democratic and principled.
Teshome has been intentionally disrupting productive discussion and exhange of ideas, by bringig diverting issues, deliberately misinterpreting the subject matter of articles, personalizing matters and evn trying to make sinister accusations against the bloggers often attempting to creat prejudice and mistrust among the audiences. His ban from this blog is long overdue. I am surprised that he is pretending to be reasoned, polite, and respectful now. Even all this politeness and courteous approach is phony, just to get a higher moral ground and portray the owners of this blog as immoral and despotic.
I wish both of you are banned. You are the new army of woyane in the cyberspace who are working to disrupt the discussion and exchange of ideas among Ethiopians. You already did that in the country now you want to extend your suppression and intrigue to the cyberworld.
Belay
I think you need to stand corrected here. Do you know that there are two Teshome’s in this blog? You are willfully innocent to put unnecessary remark on me before knowing which Teshome you are referring at. By any standard if I am supposedly getting banned, I fully respect your decision and give you a huge hug not a cold hand shake.
Have Good day, my brother.
Thank you Kaddis, I can’t say it better. If a person is not in a position to practice democratic principle in its day to day activities how can we expect him to become democrat when he becomes powerful and emboldened. Look how Abiye responded! I am convinced since long time that if the existing opposition parties and those who claim themselves as pro democracy activists hold power, they will be worst than woyanne. Their fight is just for power! The movement they hold power they will revoke us the slightest democracy enshrined in the reign of woyanne. The good news is that thanks to God, the disarrayed opposition parties are not in a position to hold power!
My advice for everyone is that let’s practice the democratic principle in our day to day activities to build a democratic society that creates a conducive environment for the emergence of democratic political parties. That is the only solution to break the vicious circle we are in!
Woyane cronies are in some sort of organized and politically motivated mission to invade independent and freethinking websites like Addisnegeronlie.com. They cut and paste all of their propaganda and insulting opinions on these sites. Their goal is to humiliate all pro-democracy posters. They will try to dispirit, discredit, irritate, confuse, and intimidate all commenters who are opposed to woyane’s political agenda. I am glad that Abiye made the record straight. No woyane thug is allowed to spin his/her venom in this website and get away with it.
Aynu
Your frustration is not reasonable. please calm down and don’t let to expose your undemocratic sprite what my dear friends were talking about. Actually it is not unimaginable in the first place but I advice you rather being emotional distant from the so called ‘woyane thug venom idea’ face and challenge it intellectually without any absurd subtext, because that at least serves to rate who you are?
If truth is to be told, Addisneger moderators are very hypocritical when it comes to freedom of speech. They have avoided posting my comments which by any standards were very respectful expression of my strong disagreement of their views on Ethiopian politics. Anyone who denies people to respectfully express their views have no moral ground to talk about freedom of speech!