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ZAIRE.   Term Paper ID:28536 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: History of country during regime of Mobutu Seki Sese; his objectives, revenue needs, corruption, damange to economic development.... More...

5 Pages / 1125 Words 6 sources, 9 Citations, MLA Format $20.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: History of country during regime of Mobutu Seki Sese; his objectives, revenue needs, corruption, damange to economic development. Paper Introduction: The nations of the West have long promoted democracy and democratic reforms throughout the world and have taken considerable pride in the downfall of the Soviet Union and the potential for more democratic regimes in the former Eastern bloc states. Yet, the West has also often been quite willing to ignore the way some regimes have behaved in the past so long as they were not communist, and one example of this realpolitik approach can be seen in the history of Zaire during the regime of Mobutu Seko Sese, about which a reporter for Reuters could write, "The word 'kleptocracy'meaning a bureaucracy in which corruption is endemicwas coined with Zaire in mind" ("Mobutu, Textbook Strongman"). The reporter further notes that in spite of human rights abuses and the use of his position to enrich himself at the expense of his people, "Mobutu became the darling Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Much of this spending was untraceable, according to foreign technocrats brought in to salvage the economy as its crisis deepened ("Patrimonial Politics and Corruption").All this spending brought the state to the point of collapse in the 197 s.Even as these issues became known, Washington relied on Zaire as a supplyroute for the U.S.-backed National Union for the Total Independence ofAngola (UNITA) rebel movement fighting a 17-year guerrilla war against theMarxist government of neighboring Angola. Mobutu's usefulness toWashington faded as Soviet influence declined in Africa and Sovietcommunism finally collapsed, though. At the time,he had further isolated himself from his people aboard a luxury yacht thencruising the Zaire River (Morrow). The reporter further notes thatin spite of human rights abuses and the use of his position to enrichhimself at the expense of his people, "Mobutu became the darling of theUnited States and others in the West as a buffer against the communistbloc" ("Mobutu, Textbook Strongman"). Mobutu sought to bring economic activity within his tightcontrol, giving particular attention to the mining activity in thesecessionist Shaba and Kasai regions. State Department Country Studies. Throughout Zaire, corruption seemed to be the norm. has felt it necessary to drive this point publicly home (O'Loughlin). Government administration developed weak, inefficient, and infamously corrupt financial structures; the revenue collection system, in particular, was little more than an open invitation for personal enrichment by favored administrators. Mobutu's primary objective was theconsolidation of presidential authority and spending ability, and tofinance the state goals he had in mind, Mobutu had to acquire major newfinancial resources for development projects and for slush money. Yet, the West has also often been quitewilling to ignore the way some regimes have behaved in the past so long asthey were not communist, and one example of this realpolitik approach canbe seen in the history of Zaire during the regime of Mobutu Seko Sese,about which a reporter for Reuters could write, "The word 'kleptocracy'--meaning a bureaucracy in which corruption is endemic--was coined with Zairein mind" ("Mobutu, Textbook Strongman"). The Westcertainly knew about the problem. As noted, Western governments put up with the looting of Zaire formany years: "They preferred to support Mobutu as a bulwark against what wasseen as the threat posed by the former Marxist regime in neighboringAngola" ("West Turns a Blind Eye to Looting of Zaire"). The system also could not promote sustaineddevelopment. Mobutu, as the patron of patrons, demonstrated a voracious desire for more revenue to spend as he saw fit. This meansthat the revenue needs of the state intersected the need of the regime tofinance its patrimonial processes to maintain power: These needs and ambitions led to a continuing financial crisis. As his political fortunes turned against him, Mobutu found that hecould no longer count on the West for the support he had once enjoyed: U.S. Mobutu began a major state expansion andconsolidation, and key to this process was the notion of economicsovereignty. Access to high office was the only way theZairian elite or would-be-elite could attain, or maintain, a decentstandard of living. Critics believe that the real issue now is whatto do about it: What should be done to ensure that kleptocrats--thieving rulers- -surrender their ill-gotten gains? "Africa: The Scramble for Survival." Time (7 Sept 1992), 4 .O'Loughlin, Ed. Works Cited"Mobutu, Textbook Strongman, Master of Power Game." Reuters (4 May 1997), 13A.Morrow, Lance. This corruption was economically dysfunctional--it did notserve to grease the wheels of the economic machine by creating jobs orother forms of expansion. Access to highoffice was controlled by the president, and because no one could be sure ofremaining in office for very long, the incentive was to profit as quicklyand as much as possible. Thisshowed the mind set of the government at all levels: These are the actions of a government with grave doubts about its electoral survival at the next general election in February 2 . Erwin Blumenthal, a senior official atthe Bundesbank who became director of Zaire's central bank, pointed out theissue in 1979 and again in 1982, and he made reports to the IMF showingthat corruption was the central feature of life in Zaire and that thepresident was directly to blame. Members of Parliament, who should and are expected to act as the soul and conscience of the nation, have also been muzzled by the dollar sign ("A Policy of Spoils and Avarice").Zaire was not the only African nation facing this sort of problem over thelast few years, but in 1992 it was reported that President Mobutu Sese Sekohad a personal fortune estimated at from $4 billion to $6 billion, whichwas not far below the level of the country's external debt. So what better way to prepare for the future than to peg salaries so extravagantly as to guarantee fat pensions and benefits at the appointed hour? Once in power, Mobutu sought to centralize state power in order topenetrate all aspects, but in the economic realm, these efforts met withcatastrophic results. As the government was winding down last year, the old habits wereseen as hard to break. "It's Time to Go, Western Allies Tell Mobutu." Independent (11 April 1997), 19."A Policy of Spoils and Avarice." Africa News Service (24 Aug 1999)."West Turns a Blind Eye to Looting of Zaire." Minneapolis Star Tribune (14 May 1997), 13A."Zaire: Patrimonial Politics and Corruption." U.S. This system further guaranteed that top functionarieswould serve the president as their ultimate source of their livelihood andnot the nation. The nations of the West have long promoted democracy and democraticreforms throughout the world and have taken considerable pride in thedownfall of the Soviet Union and the potential for more democratic regimesin the former Eastern bloc states. However, the system did work well to enrich the president andto keep him in control, so it was also unlikely that Mobutu would abandonit even under heavy internal and external pressures such as he faced in theearly 199 s ("Patrimonial Politics and Corruption"). http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ query/D?cstdy:26:./temp/~frd_UUlc::. The localpractice of patrimonialism meant that the president and his associates hadfree rein to enrich themselves in government and other spheres. Zaire is not the only kleptocracy in the world or even in Africa, butit was noted as such early and has been monitored closely by critics of theregime. Still, the IMF continued to lend to Zaireat an accelerating pace. The wealth they have stolen and hidden abroad belongs to the citizens they have exploited; yet when their regimes are overthrown it is often extremely hard to reclaim the money ("West Turns a Blind Eye to Looting of Zaire").In addition, of course, the damage to the economic development of thecountry is already done and will not be undone by returning the funds,though that might be a good beginning. But with Mr. Mobutu now abandoning even the pretense of civilian government, the U.S. Mobutu honed the art of stripping the country to a fine art,making use of the patrimonial system for his own benefit. diplomats have long privately acknowledged that, with the Cold War over, America no longer has any need to shore up Mr. Mobutu's brutal and staggeringly corrupt regime. Zaire announced increases in the pay and allowancesof the presidency, cabinet ministers, and resident and deputy ministers,showing that the government believed it was time to share the spoils. TheMobutu government thus became increasingly preoccupied throughout the 197 swith raising revenue in order to finance grandiose projects. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.