Ancient wisdom is no help against monsters

There is a tale about the late Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, known as the Caudillo or military leader, bouncing a grandson on his lap.

The little chap asked his grandpa if, when he grew up, he too could be the Caudillo. Franco snorted: "There is room for only one Caudillo at a time, so it is out of the question."

Dictators who seize or inherit power tend to rule for long periods and have no desire to contemplate life without them being around to dictate affairs, so to speak. Often they become messianic, convincing themselves that only they can care properly for the state and its people. Debate is not encouraged in dictatorships, while defiance is simply not tolerated and is suppressed by ruthless methods, providing erring parties with painful departures.

This approach fits with the famous quote from Voltaire's Candide: "In this country it is good to kill an admiral from time to time, to encourage the others." That is, to encourage the others to toe the line.

Another trait of dictatorial rule is to seek to ensure family succession over the generations in much the same way as monarchies survived down the ages. Opposed to dictatorship is the ancient concept of democracy, dating from 600BC. Pericles was attributed in the eulogy delivered at his funeral by Thucydides with the birth of democracy, the Athenian system of rule: "Its administration favours the many instead of the few; this is why it is called a democracy. If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences; if no social standing, advancement in public life falls to reputation for capacity, class considerations not being allowed to interfere with merit; nor again does poverty bar the way, if a man is able to serve the state, he is not hindered by the obscurity of his condition. The freedom which we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life."

With such ancient wisdom to guide us, it is puzzling that history has time and again thrown up monsters to rule us.

Of course, ancient tribal lore dominated in Africa long before those from the north landed on our shores with their codes of Christianity, equality before the law and freedom of choice, movement and association. Now it is all very well to maintain that such a philosophy is superior to that of the tribal populations it sought to proselytise. However, all relationships are founded on the need, or at least the perceived need, to survive.

Thus when we contemplate a figure as alien to Western mores as Jacob Zuma, it is easy to fall into the trap of condescension. Here is a man of no learning, wedded, if one may, to ancient tribal traditions such as polygamy (obviously aimed at the survival of the tribe) and to the concept of tribute which a conqueror expects from the conquered or the state coffers.

Now we have, here in the 21st century, the spectacle of Zuma building, at the expense of the taxpayers, a metropolis, albeit a small one, surrounding his tribal home.

We see him indulging in massively expensive private jet aircraft in which to flit about the globe with one or more of his wives and concubines. Meanwhile, his British counterpart flies commercial on state business and on cut-rate carriers for his personal needs.

Zuma is a throwback. It is not his fault he believes that as the first among all chiefs he is owed tribute. This is in his bones. He is beyond any sense of embarrassment when members of his family become involved in vast state projects to reap juicy benefits simply because they are members of the ruling family. He giggles and asks why his children and other relatives shouldn't be in business. He answers his question by asking it.