There have just been elections in Greece and France with changes in the political landscape resulting in both countries for pretty much the same reasons. The electorate has rejected austerity, the same type of austerity that had been foisted upon developing countries in Latin America and Africa. The major difference between these two countries and many an African country has been the ability of the electorate to effect change.

You see, democracy is not merely the presence of elections every so often. It is also the guarantee that an environment can be provided for the people to display their approval or disapproval on issues in between elections as we have seen in Greece and France over the years. Both countries have an activist population that does not hesitate to take to the streets when they are not happy about the potential negative effect of a proposed law, a scandal involving a major politician or the desecration of a grave by extremists to cite a few examples. It is this culture that makes countries strong.

A strong, independent and free thinking press usually alerts the public to some wrong doing and then carries the unrelenting voices of the people to the leadership. The people then back this by some form of action such as a mass demonstration to remind the leadership that they cannot be taken for granted until a proposed law is withdrawn, a tainted leader steps down, an appointment reversed or a perpetrator of an outrage arrested. The people are an institution!

They are an institution because their activism and intervention are not merely limited to bread and butter issues that affect them directly but include an action to protect the nation and its democratic values.

This is the kind of activism that is needed in some African countries. We need to move higher up on Maslow's hierarchy of needs, in a political sense, so that we always defend our individual countries from a strong foundation of institutionalised public values. Currently many an African is pre-occupied with survival and the political elite use this to divide, conquer and plunder. By reaching for the higher values of accountability, reinforcing and insisting on effective checks and balances, we can begin to curb the natural excesses that arise from the trappings of power. The law exists to protect man against himself. We must help to uphold it in support of a living democracy that will help our countries to grow in all aspects. "Light a candle instead of cursing the darkness."