Page 27 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 13

Economy

only the lucky who manage to thrive includes the necessary machinery arrangements about how to go
within the socio-economic matrix and equipment in order for society about it and within a few weeks of
make it to the top. to produce more than the minimal work, Inqaba Magazine was born...
subsistence for its members. or rather, reborn. It was the revival
2. Capitalism is externally stable, in The difference, therefore, between of a previous creation he had begun
that survival in a capitalistic advantages and disadvantages reflect and in essence, the revival of a
system requires innovation and the global problem presented by dream.
flexibility to keep up with the chang- capitalism. Disadvantages highly
es in supply and demand. Such a outnumber advantages. Dr Bhengu from his words and
system is generally prepared to deal Therefore, an economic emanci- writings, was very passionate about
with the influx of competition from pation process should begin by Afrika and the emancipation of her
external sources. acknowledging the fact that peoples people. He was an accomplished
of the Third World demand a recog- author, scholar and public figure,
3. Large populations are likely to nition that says their knowledges are having served as a Member of Par-
be diverse, which is beneficial to embedded in their ecology where liament in South Africa. These were
healthy capitalistic systems. each knowledge has its place, its not things he threw in one’s face,
claim to a cosmology, its sense as a they were - simply - extensions of
4. Large, diversified societies tend to form of life. In this sense knowl- who he was and what he believed.
gravitate towards hierarchical social edge is connected to livelihood, a
systems; capitalism easily adapts to life cycle and a lifestyle. He felt very deeply that Afrika needs
such structures (http://graphcomp. to reconnect to its ancient paths and
com/home/bfree/opinions/econo- ways of doing things and was clear
my.html. Accessed on 22 September Note from the Editor: in his thinking about how this could
2012). happen. He was able to draw the
It was shocking and painful to hear line between ancient and modern
Disadvantages of the demise of Dr Bhengu a and situate Afrika’s current needs
Well, the literature is rich when it few weeks before this issue of the precisely in the face of these two
comes to the disadvantages of capi- magazine was published. My hus- realities. His theories of Afrikonom-
talism, as the follows: band and I first had an interaction ics and his writings and teachings on
1. Capitalism develops individualism with Dr Bhengu when we reached Ubuntu serve as a map and a guide
2. Modern capitalism assumes that out to him about using one of his to those who are seeking to find
human beings are primarily articles in one of our earlier issues. routes to the positive aspects of the
economic beings. He wasted no time in given us the Afrikan past while understanding
3. It creates greed permission to go ahead with using and seeing the needs of the present.
4. It radically affects any culture that the article back then. A few weeks
is under its sway after we first interacted, he himself While brief, our interaction with Dr
5. It develops self-interest rather reached out to us and we had quite a Bhengu was deeply felt, even fiery,
than social good lengthy conversation. and it is heartbreaking to know that
6. It develops a sense of monopoly he has already crossed over.
rather than sharing He shared with us this vision that
7. It destroys local cultures and he had about having a magazine and Having said that, as it has been with
knowledge specifically wanted us to help him other custodians of the history and
8. It tends to do away with morality create the magazine. He was specific paths of Afrika, our best mourning
in economic relations. about wanting the same template of this life, perhaps, would be to
9. It is immoral and unjust that we created for Msingi Afrika glean the riches of his teachings and
10. It was never subjugated and Magazine, which also included us begin to see what can be applied to
colonised, so that its strength using the same website theme that the present. That way, his is not a
and resilience can be determined. we had used for his own. That, for loss, but another mighty seed plant-
11. It fails to reconcile wealth accu- us, was one of the first times that ed in the rich soils of our hearts.
mulation with spirituality. someone was so appreciative of
Notably, under capitalism, private what we do with our magazine that
ownership, for the most part, con- they wanted exactly the same thing
trols the means of production; that for themselves. We made quick

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