Democracy Dies When Raw Power Rules and Lawlessness is Legalized

The Parallel Between Trumpocracy and African Governance

Before Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory, observers of African democracy noticed striking parallels between his incoming administration and governance patterns on the continent. America, long considered the global standard-bearer for democracy, has seen its institutions and values erode under what the author terms “Trumpocracy.”

The Erosion of American Democratic Norms

The article paints a grim picture of democratic backsliding in the U.S., where the rule of law is being systematically dismantled. Journalists face silencing and bans, while political opponents become targets in what the author describes as “the theatre of vengeful and antagonistic politics.” The normalization of these authoritarian tendencies raises alarming questions about democracy’s future.

What Trumpocracy Means for Africa

African leaders have historically shown resistance to democratic principles, often restrained only by international pressure and economic sanctions. The article questions whether Trump’s actions – targeting opponents, packing government with loyalists, ignoring court orders, and blurring government branches – will embolden African autocrats. As the author notes: “The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush, but by a slow extinction from apathy, indifference and political undernourishment.”

The Global Implications of American Backsliding

The piece examines troubling questions: Will America lose its moral authority to criticize African leaders who jail opponents? How will Trump’s disregard for democratic norms affect conflicts like the Polisario question or West Bank settlements? The author suggests Trump’s behavior may provide cover for authoritarian leaders worldwide.

Economic Realities and Democratic Futures

While lawmakers begin pushing back against Trump’s economic policies, the article warns that Africa’s democratic gains shouldn’t be sacrificed in imitation of American flattery. The author concludes with a wry note about tariff exemptions for Sierra Leonean food staples, suggesting even in chaos, some cultural connections remain.