USA Africa Dialogue Series - OPINION -THE IRRATIONAL POLITICAL ACADEMIC

OPINION


The "Irrationality" of Political Academics

I am dumbfounded the extent to which so many scholars suffer from political
"irrationality" in their analysis of political issues. Paradoxically, what I am
implying in my above supposition relates to the "vexatious" nature of rational
solutions on political matters with reference to the philosophy and interests of
politicos. A few years ago, I came across a simple but powerful assertion of
Thomas Jefferson that is commonplace except for the uniqueness of the man who
invoked it in the piece that I read on the governance of a polity. He affirmed:
"SELF-INTEREST IS THE ENGINE OF GOVERNMENT." Frankly, it reminded me of the
extent to which scholars tend to have a knack for flogging a dead horse in
criticizing supposedly "bad" policies. For example, a policy that is bad for
certain groups of politicians and their economic backers might be great for
other groups of political actors and their financial lackeys based in part on
their self-and group- interest/s.

Pressed to wax philosophically, politicians globally are concerned with research
and strategies that might get them elected and reelected. In other words, they
would not "accept" political recommendations that could dislodge them from power
no matter how splendid and people-oriented such policy recommendations might be.
For instance, in my naïveté as an "irrational" political academic I have for
many years in this forum and elsewhere thrashed the Obasanjo administration for
not making available in the form of a White Paper the superb and rational
recommendations constructed by Nigerians in the Diaspora for improving good
governance in Nigeria. He probably did not implement the recommendations because
they were useless to his and party's political ambition--to my chagrin. If the
Jeffersonian concept that "self-interest is the engine of government" is true,
it goes without saying that rational solutions as to how to wipe out or at least
reduce corruption, for example, will always fall on deaf ears and remain a
will-o-the wisp as some have poignantly suggested in this forum. Why? Because
political and economic entrepreneurs who benefit from the "ogre" of corruption
would fight tooth and nail to maintain the status quo.

In African politics, the "irrational" academic might write convincingly on how
leaders of Zimbabwe and Cameroon, for the purpose of illustration, should
gracefully step down from power for a younger generation of leaders because of
their age and the "anachronism" of their policies. In this regard, arguably,
Mugabe, Biya and their political entourage who have enjoyed their positions of
privilege simply because they are in power are likely to laugh at the analysis
and suggestions of these brilliant "irrational" academics that they should give
up political authority. Indeed, they are likely to place scholars' clever advice
in the dust bin. At best, smart politicians might massage the counsel to suit
their insular interests since "self-cum-group/national interest is the engine of
government."

In sum, an "irrational" political academic is one who arguably tells the "truth"
on an issue but whose fact may be rubbished due to self- and group- interests.
Thus, as the US and a "coalition of the willing," to paraphrase President Bush,
poise for an "inevitable" action in Syria we might wish to remind ourselves of
the preceding hypothesis.

Ike Udogu

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