GENERATIONAL CRISES: A REVOLUTION IN MAKING

One of the greatest literature of our time is by Robert Greene (The Laws of Human Nature 2019) who elaborates on the generational political changes which form revolutional cycles. He puts it in a fantastic way, that made me want to transpose his theory over our political history as Eswatini. He asserts that every generation has a character which is very difficult to see for those living in that generation. As one moves away from it, one begins to look back and see its character more clearly. The 60s and 70s generation as our independence or post-colonial revolutionary generation had a distinct character very different from the 80s and the 90s. We are going to look at the present generation in 2022 and try and take a bird’s eye view to see a complete picture with the few generation going back from our first colonial revolution that led us to our independence in 1968.

Greene exposes this generational journey through the eyes of the great author and philosopher Machiavelli, who was obsessed with the origins of things and he did it in the most fascinating way. Machiavelli had the belief that when all things start out, such as countries, they are new and fresh with great hope of new beginnings. However, time slowly takes away that rage for change. We will use his analogy to journey through generations of emaSwati from the revolutionary independence generation which saw the liberation of the African continent from colonialism, going through two more generations and finally at the doorstep of another revolution. Greene asserts that there are basically four generations of approximately 20 years each which would form the complete cycle from one revolution to the next.

First generation

This generation came with the revolution and was very optimistic and excited about the newfound freedom and a new dispensation. They sought to consolidate their gained order and putting in place the ethos  and structures for good governance. In our case, the 1960s and 1970s generation saw the introduction of the government and constitution which, as we all know, was later repealed and new forms of governance put in place. The Westminster Constitution did not go with their ethos. This generation knew what they wanted because they were part of the revolution. The country grew at a very high rate and most of the industries we have were establish during that time.

Second generation

This generation was born but was too young to understand the true meaning of the revolution. However, they felt they must enforce the ideals of the revolution and drifted toward the conservative right spectrum. This is the generation of the 1980s through to the 1990s where traditions and culture were at their strongest. Independence Day was celebrated with so much enthusiasm at the national stadium. Theirs was mainly to keep the old order alive and less about improving and evolving. No innovations were made towards modernisation of traditions and culture but they were strengthened at the expense of the people and democracy. A new King Mswati III was installed, and his aim was to revive the culture and traditions but not much political transformation. This generation did not know the true ethos of the revolutionary generation of King Sobhuza II but felt they had to consolidate their political power. Tinkhundla never evolved.

Third generation (crises generation)

The crises generation is the 2000s through to 2020 which has lost all knowledge and sentimental value of the freedom they had gained. Independence Day soon meant nothing to them. To identify with the present King’s Birthday celebrations above September 6 1968 felt more relevant. They had no regard for colonialism and their history of King Sobhuza II and his achievements are fuzzy at best.

Soon any unity behind nationhood and patriotism faded and factions with new ideals soon emerged and gained ground. Things began to fall apart and get disjointed and disconnected to the original truth. This generation had inherited material wealth. They spend recklessly because they don’t have the ideals of the revolution and they don’t know how this wealth was made. Within the royal family, the old tradition of royal intermarriages to preserve the royal bloodlines of Africa was soon lost. The royal family soon married commoners. Instead of the royal family marrying for duty, they soon married for love to ordinary commoners. The royal houses and chiefdoms were left in ruins. The royal families around Southern Africa are ignored. The modest life of King Sobhuza II is soon a long-lost memory. Traditional churches were soon replaced with new charismatic business focused ministries, which sprung up everywhere. These new church leaders also displayed extravagance and arrogance like never seen before. True spiritual growth is lost.

The growth of all kinds of groupings from unions, civil societies up to political parties start to mushroom and compete for the minds of this generation. Corruption became the order of the day and was institutiolised. The old order has been totally replaced by corruption and self-serving policies at the highest levels.   

Fourth revolutionary generation

In the case of the Kingdom of Eswatini the cycle was finally completed when the new revelation began with the uprising in 2021. Roger Greene says the revolutionary generation is usually led by the youth, who are born way after the old guard, and they yearn for something new and are totally disgusted by the old order which leaves them room for change. This generation does not care much for traditions and culture or know much about it. Their minds are impressionable and ready to receive anything fresh. The political parties soon make an impression on them and for the first time this generation gets them. The new ways of communication through social media are easily accessible tools to spread all kinds of propaganda including lies and half-truths. According to this analysis, the revolutionary generation is here, started in 2020 and it cannot be stopped but managed with great wisdom. In South Africa it appears to have taken the ANC 80 years but no, there was an Afrikaner/ English Revolution that had to play itself out first. The internal ANC revolution also has to finish where the ANC youth are joining the DA.

The Afrikaner youth had gotten to the crises generation and did not know why they had apartheid in the first place. They had money to spend. Liberation dictators in Africa were able to manipulate the generations for a while but eventually change had to come because the human spirit will always renew itself. Change is coming to Eswatini; let’s pray for wisdom.

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