By Alemayehu G. Mariam | 29 June 2009
Doublethink, Doublespeak
George Orwell may have understated the situation in the Big Brother totalitarian state of Nineteen Eighty-Four: “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” He would be amused to learn that in the police state of Two Thousand and Nine Ethiopia, Big Brother has been unceremoniously replaced by THE P-R-O-C-E-S-S!
Jason McClure of Bloomberg News reported last week the capo dictator in Ethiopia had declared that “there is ‘zero’ chance that opposition leader Birtukan Mideksa will be released from prison in time to compete in the elections scheduled for next May. He also said Birtukan’s jailing is not a pretext to eliminate political opposition… The prime minister also defended local elections last year, in which opposition candidates won just three of 3.6 million seats, saying that ‘democracy is about process, it’s not about outcome…If the process is clean and you get zero, tough luck.’” (Italics added.)
Aha! “It’s About Process, Not Outcome!”
It is about process, not outcome. In other words, it is about smoke and mirrors, window dressing. It’s about putting on a show, going through the motions. Democratic elections have nothing to do with the outcome of legitimately elected leaders. They are about the process of putting on a three-ring elections circus so that people can go through the motions of voting for “leaders” who have already been pre-selected and elected for them. By the same token, courts are not about the outcome of impartial administration of justice. They are about manipulating the legal process to serve Just Us. Trials have nothing to do with the outcome of due process, which is truth-finding based on established legal principles, vindicating the innocent and convicting the guilty, or serving the ends of justice. They are about the process of putting on a kangaroo court show to convict the innocent, exonerate the guilty and exalt criminals. Governance is not about the outcome of informed decision-making, practicing the rule of law, effective delivery of public services, accountability, transparency, legitimacy and the rest of it. It is about the exquisite process of clinging to power like blood-sucking ticks on a cow.
A constitution is not about the outcome of establishing and permanently securing the rule of law so that citizens are protected from arbitrary and abusive use of government power. It is about the process of ensuring the rule of an outlaw who trashes every known human rights law. Parliaments are not about the outcome of formulating sound laws and public policies in a deliberative legislative forum. They are about the process of rubberstamping the delusions and fantasies of a dictator. Federalism is not about the outcome of a clear division of constitutional power between a national government and constituent political units. It is about setting up a fictitious process called “ethnic federalism” for the purpose of creating deep ethnic, cultural, linguistic and regional cleavages to facilitate dictatorial rule.
It is all about The P-R-O-C-E-S-S, stupid! If you haven’t got it by now “tough luck!”
From Doublethink, Doublespeak to Zerothink, Zerospeak
The age of Big Brother and the dark Orwellian future has been replaced in the brave new Ethiopia of the 21st Century by the age of the Big Processor who communicates through zerothink and zerospeak. It is no longer that “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” For zerothinkers and zerospeakers, the outcome of war that people die or suffer and entire communities are laid to waste is unimportant. What is important is the process of using war to extort economic and military aid from donors to cling to power indefinitely (in zerothink, that would be “forever and ever”). In zerothink, it is not about freedom or slavery. It is certainly not about the outcome of human freedom, which is free thought, free expression, free association, free press, free elections and so on. It is about the process of using the idea of freedom to justify tyranny and brutality, and to hoodwink the rest of the world into believing that dictatorship is the only path to freedom. In zerothink, it is not that ignorance is strength; it is about the planned process of creating and maintaining a nation of ignoramuses by denying them free expression, sound education and a forum for a free exchange of ideas. It is about keeping the population weak, confused, divided and domesticated. It is about the process of locking up the population in the proverbial Tower of Babel where no one speaks the same language or understands each other. In the brave new Ethiopia of zerothink and zero speak, it is all about processing: Central processing of lies; micro-processing of corruption, digital processing of propaganda; physical processing of opponents into torture chambers; network processing among nouveau riche supporters; co-processing of fear and loathing and re-processing of rigged and stolen elections. It is all about using The P-R-O-C-E-S-S to control, pacify and subjugate the population.
But one day, it will all be about service of process!
Zerothink and the Zero Sum Game Process
In the social sciences, scholars use “game theory” to understand the behavior of individuals in strategic situations in which one individual’s success in making choices depends on the choices and actions of others. In a zero-sum game, one person will lose and one person will win. The win (+1) added to the loss (-1) equals zero.
The capo dictator’s statement on the primacy of process over outcome provides a unique window into a particular zero sum game player mindset. The game strategy for the dictators is to ensure that opposition or rival elements always lose while they always win. The dictators have been playing such a zero sum political game in Ethiopia for nearly two decades. As the dictator glibly quipped, “democracy is about process, it’s not about outcome…If the process is clean and you get zero, tough luck.” For two decades, the people of Ethiopia have been forced to play a zero sum game of “process democracy” (or make-believe democracy) and have accumulated a grand total score of zero. The winning formula for the zero sum “elections process” has been finely tuned: Announce a date for “elections” with great fanfare. Set up a process for make- believe elections. Hand select and pre-elect your candidates. Scandalize and demonize your political opponents and rivals. Let people think their votes count. Declare victory before the votes are counted. Announce to the world that “opposition candidates won just three of 3.6 million seats.”
There is a better way. It is a non zero sum game based on a “win-win” strategy in which each side can gain and minimize losses through a process of bargaining, negotiation, compromise and conciliation. The dictators seem to be incapable of understanding or playing a non zero sum game. That is because they perceive the larger society as their enemy while sitting and fretting in their echo chamber of intrigue. They see any one else winning in any matter small or big (political or economic) as a devastating loss to them. They have a mindset of losers. So the real problem is the zero-sum mindset of the dictators. They must undergo a change in mindset and overcome the belief and conviction deeply ingrained in their collective psyche that political opponents committed to democratic principles are not mortal enemies, merely competitors for votes.
In a real democracy, winning and losing for political parties and candidates is the natural order of things. You win some, you lose some. The winners and losers are determined by the people who cast their votes freely, without intimidation, extortion, threats, vote rigging or other fraudulent electoral practices. Losing an election the old fashioned way (through free and fair elections) is not the end of the world in a real democracy; it is merely the stepping stone to the next round of electoral contests. The fact remains that as long as the dictators remain prisoners in their echo chambers of intrigue chained to a zero sum mindset of fear and loathing, there can be no real political change; only missed opportunities. It is conceivable that a few in the dictator’s inner circle understand that the only way they can find the peace of mind and accord with others that has eluded them for nearly two decades is by embracing a multi-party democratic system where rivals are not perceived as enemies but potential partners in a dynamically evolving and shifting competitive political process.
On the other hand, even the most skilled strategic zero sum game players expect perpetual losers to win one day, and win big. What happens then? What happens when the tables are turned and the dictators find themselves on the receiving end? (Admittedly, this question sounds silly to anyone sitting in an invincible echo chamber fortress, but suppose that were so, for the sake of argument.) Indeed, in a zero sum game, the short-term loser may be the winner in the long term by learning to develop skills useful in creating “win-win” situations where through compromise, negotiation and conciliation higher level political and social objectives could be attained. Real democracy is not a zero sum game process. It is a political outcome based on a non zero sum game model. It is not necessary for all to lose and one party to win all the time. It is possible to pursue strategies that produce “win-win” results for everyone. But that is the strategy of the hero.
Hero vs. Zero
We are told there is “zero” chance that our heroine, Birtukan Mideksa, “will be released from prison in time to compete in the elections scheduled for next May.” (Translation in zerospeak: “Birtukan is enjoying herself at the exotic, all-inclusive vacation club known as the Kality Resorts, and is unavailable for the mundane business of running for office.” But the fact of the matter is that Birtukan is not interested in participating in an election P-R-O-C-E-S-S. She is not interested in an election process in which the outcome is predetermined now, a year before it is held. She wants no part of an election process where 3 (three) opposition candidates win from among 3.6 million candidates fielded by the dictator’s party. She would rather tough it out with her “tough luck”. Our hero does not want to be part of a zero-sum election process. Truth be told, even in a zero sum game, zero plus zeros equal to zero, not hero!
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The writer, Alemayehu G. Mariam, is a professor of political science at California State University, San Bernardino, and an attorney based in Los Angeles. He can be reached at almariam@gmail.com
June 29th, 2009 at 3:49 am
good writeup professor. that is true. go and sure you will see one important result in your life.
cheers,
June 29th, 2009 at 3:59 am
Hi. I am a long time reader. I wanted to say that I like your blog and the layout.
Peter Quinn
June 29th, 2009 at 5:38 am
Truth is Meles is scared of the majority Ethiopian people. And the way he is trying to be “friends” with the majority Ethiopians is, it seems, by fabricating lies after lies and hoping that we believe him. I don’t see this working for him. It is only making the situation go from bad to worse.
The unjust re-imprisonment of Birtukan Mideksa is nothing but such a fabrication of lies after lies. The lie is so obvious that even some TPLF supporters are don’t feel confortable with it.
The fabrication of lies will no longer continue to be a tool for dictators to cling to power. Ethiopians must start working together as one because there is no other way to defeat tyranny. It may take long but tyranny will be defeated.
If you really really really are AGAINST the evil reasoning of Meles to put Birtukan Mideksa in a 2m by 2m cell for the rest of her life so he can stay on power, then let your voice be heard. That is the LEAST you can do as a fellow human being. If you DO NOT act, where is your humanity?
Visit www.freeBirtukan.org and act now!
June 29th, 2009 at 7:49 am
What do Ethiopains expect from the ethnofascists other than famine, crushing poverty, imprisonments and killings. The imprisonment and suffering of Birtukan is part of the fate of persons living under ethnofascism. Where ethnofascism rules, such violations and maltreatments of citizens is normal and one in a routine manner. We can only end this tragic development trough our concerted effort and struggle to eliminate ethnofascism and build a fair system in the country.
Let us join Ginbot7 and move on to remove ethnofascism and take back our freedom and rights.
June 29th, 2009 at 7:49 am
Thank you proffesor for making the dictotor bare and naked.We are half way through for our freedom, democracyand the rule of law as so many determind fighters and men and women of wisdom have emerged to send the dictotor and his cohort to the grave.
June 29th, 2009 at 8:07 am
The ethnofascists are organizing their fraudulent elections to recrown their divine ethnic leader, deceive their donors and gain legitimacy for their brutal hold on power. The so called opposition in the country have been good partners in this show of the ethnofascists and dancing and escorting Meles Zenawi. Especially those opposition forces organized along ethnic lines and the surrogate of the ethnofascists EDP, have become the most reliable instruments of the ethnofascist, Meles Zenawi by taking part in his charade and sitting in his rubber stamp parliament. These groups have not done anything even to the ethnic groups they claim to represent and stand for. As the collaborators and servants of Ethnofascism, they have brought disgarce and shame onto themselves and every body in Ethiopia. I think Ethiopians have every justification to call them bandas or hodams since these forces have not accomplished anything other than stuffing their bellies with the crumbs the ethnofascist throws to them as a reward to their services. We should support Ginbot7 and other genuine opposition forces who see beyond their personal benefits and stand for democracy, freedom and justice.
June 29th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Your are our hero.
u are stand for free Eth—
Long life for u and your famliy.
Thanks.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10213
http://www.eastafro.com/Amharic/
Victory for Ethiopia
unity with our brothers Eritrean
June 29th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
hope hope hope EPPF
June 29th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Too much negativism and too much complain in this propaganda article.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
New ethiopia comes when weyane goes
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10213
June 29th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Capo professor:
I think it is time you recognize that you are simply ‘hot air’.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
I am one of your funs and I really like what you always write, but in the time like this we need people like you to come out and mobilize our people to shout for those who cannot. I think it is time for you to come out of blogging and become a real hero. The time has come for action. please come out and join one of the opposition parties so that we can all follow you and concentrate our force into one. a person like you can be a great help to ethiopia in a time like this.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
My Fellow compatriots,
In the name of the God father almighty peace be upon all Ethiopians in the name of Jesus, giver of life and destroyer of death & In the name of our mother the holy virgin Mary Queen of Zion who is called also Ethiopia.
For all Ethiopians who are in exile (that includes me) & who claims to love your nation, now it has become apparent that we need to go back and confront the evil force encompassing our nation,the more we stay afar the suffering continues to our people.forgive me if I seem a little bit naive but I totally don’t agree on relying on other government powers by just shouting for them help us! help us! we need God’s involvement on this one rather than relying on mortal beings.
the new Pharao of Ethiopia will not let go of his tight grip on the people unless there is a strong leader like moses who can deliver the message of God to this guy by saying “God is saying, Let go of my people”.
It is the time for you the long awaited person to show yourself and confront the evil force in that nation with the divine wisdom, the exodus should start now not when the blood of the poor is flowing on the streets of Ethiopia.the rich can flee but what about that poor farmer who make us learn by his regular taxation, we have debt over our people.
remember my fellow countrymen, when the news of the Israelites marching towards their promised land was heard to the near by lands, they were shaken and freightend, now we can repeat the same scenario for the evil force surrounding our promised land.trust me Ato Meles & the whole evil force now don’t know what they are doing they are putting everybody to jail because they can’t differentiate who is enemy or friend, I said again & again that, he is tormented by a dream within a dream.
The spirit of God is with us, their guarding spirit is leaving them exposed, God is working but we need to stand firm and march towards the end goal, having faith that God and only God will deliver us & grant us what we deserve.
The hour of Jubilee is at the door, God will release everything which bear the name tag for our beloved country & its people.
please brothers & sisters, this is the perfect time to start the exodus now, we can’t calculate until he is gone, NO NO NO! the time is just now.
our loving God, please illuminate the hearts of all us Ethiopians,lighten the darkness of our heart, & kindle the fire of Thy most holy love in us, give us true faith, perfect charity & virtue. Make us to have strong faith so that we may face towards our promised land.
To all in Exile, I say unto you now is the time for exodus, we will march by the power of the most high.
All Ethiopians pray & fast, the time is nearing that God will release us from the bondage of Evil.
Birtukan, Let God give u the strength and faith to hold on.
Ethiopia! Ethiopia! Ethiopia! strech your hand Arise! Lord God who create the Heavens & Earth.Eternal of Eternals! Arise that our enemies be destroyed.
With God only we do great Things. He will bring them under our feet.
We are great! our hearts!
God bless our beloved country.
I Love you so much my fellow countrymen please pray & fast.the time is just now
June 29th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
You are not bluffing us if you think the strategy that UDJP and/or Medrek is following is a non zero sum game in which you talk about, negitiation, compromise and reconcilliation. What is to compromise? the 7-point preconditions?, Freedom of individuals? Unity of Ethiopia under federated States vs Ethnic fedralism and secessionism?Yes it is a zero sum game for either side? The question is which side UDJP and/or Medrek is with its loyalist opposition parties and udjp as its would be teletafi parties to Tigrai Harena an alter ego to to TPLF/eprdf. That is whole set permutation of the political models today? What is core base idea/politcal model from which you are talking about double talk and zero sum game and non zero sum game idea, when the actul political models that shaping and organizing tell us otherwise? UDJP and/or Medrek there to operate under a limited political space by way of sustaining the status quo. Nothing more, nothing less, but that political space is narrowing down for them so they can not get out of the coninment of TPLF/eprdf.
June 29th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Mr. Asefa,
You are on the money this guy always talk negative, the good thing is we are not buying it no more.
June 29th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
AS ALWAYS, YOU DID IT AL.
Of course Meles is no intellectual and he does not desire to be one. As long as his lackeys steal the money from international aid and channel it into EFFORT and TPLF money machines and bank accounts in London and NY, he would not care. A person with such a narrow and un-lofty intellect would remain a ZERO and never will become a hero.
Meles would have been my hero is I were getting a cut or if I have an undeserved benefit from his system that I would not have got fairly and competently. Heroism is for those who share and brave with humility when they are voted out not for those who swindle and steal.
June 30th, 2009 at 5:05 am
Thx professor Al a genuine and respected ethiopian intellectual i dont think these zero woyannes understans your message they are only qualified for looting cheating killing and know no shame and above all lies
June 30th, 2009 at 7:53 am
………no one captured victory by Propaganda only, beside propaganda can not be substitution for intellectual quality.
June 30th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Mr.Ahmed,
Pro Al Mariam knows deep down, the only way he will be a champion is only if he plays in paraolympic by convincing the undereducated like mr. Ahmed, instead of where the actual olympic and the real challange is. Beside i did read 1984 by George Orwel long time ago when i was in my college years, trust me the book and the way pro al mariam misrepresent misused to score and do political attack, the book is writen as a form of contemporary expose of the communist system not in the form of ideological but mostly based on juxtaposition writing style, by taking only one sided absolute format.
Go read the book, it is available in your local library. The book is well known and famous in the WEST since its reflective and affirimative of the WESTERN system, but its intellectual quality has no significant higher standard nor universal value.
Of course there are few qutations in the book may give weigh to the book, but the more you read you will find out its distorted.
June 30th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
professor Al a genuine and respected ethiopian intellectual i dont think these zero woyannes understans your message
Yes, if we join Eritreans, Woyannes have no where to hide! We will squeese them from every corner and grab them!
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10213
http://www.eastafro.com/Post/2008/10/20/amharic-music
June 30th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
The dictators have been playing such a zero sum political game in Ethiopia for nearly two decades
Yes, if we join Eritreans, Woyannes have no where to hide! We will squeese them from every corner and grab them!
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10213
http://www.eastafro.com/Amharic/
June 30th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
MAY GOD BLESS ETHIOPIA if we join Eritreans, Woyannes have no where to hide! We will squeese them from every corner and grab them!
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10213
http://www.eastafro.com/Amharic/
June 30th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
http://www.eppfonline.org/
July 1st, 2009 at 9:48 pm
gulto, Martha, Lettamo, Michael, aklilu, Bube, Haku, rahel you are tigrain under cover. you are here to confuse ethiopian.
we are comming after you soon.
promise
weyane TPLF will be put to death soon for next 200000 years
http://www.eppfonline.org/
http://www.eastafro.com/
http://www.eastafro.com/Amharic/