An
account is told in the Book of Genesis of a man called Joseph who was the son
of Jacob.
Joseph
was sold into slavery by his brothers and eventually rose to become the second
in command in Egypt after correctly interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams.
The
dreams predicted seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.
With
Pharaoh’s support, Joseph devised a plan to store surplus grain during the
years of plenty to prepare for the impending famine.
When
the famine came, Joseph consolidated even more power for Pharaoh, first by
selling the stored grain to the people, and then by buying up all the land and
livestock.
By the end of the famine, Pharaoh owned nearly
all the land in Egypt.
The
state’s power expanded permanently, and the people continued to work on
Pharaoh’s land and give him a portion of their harvests.
The
pre-famine autonomy of landowners was gone, and Pharaoh’s centralized control
had become the new norm.
While
the storing of grain and buying up of all the land and livestock on many
accounts is preached as a prudent step in preparation for the looming famine,
it also marked the beginning of a state-managed, centralized control over
resources and people’s liberties.
Joseph
finally made the population essentially serfs to Pharaoh. They gave up their
freedom in exchange for sustenance.
This
expansion of state power is known as the ratchet effect.
It is a process by which governments or political elites
expand their powers during times of crisis or uncertainty.
Once
the power is increased to deal with the crisis, it rarely retracts to its
original state once the emergency passes.
Instead,
the newly expanded powers become institutionalized, resulting in a permanent
shift in the political structure.
The
ratchet effect is crucial for understanding how crises, whether natural
disasters, global pandemics, security threats or political instability are
often used by the ruling elites to justify an expansion of their power or
authority.
Most
governments often respond to crises by increasing their control over certain
aspects of society.
This
might involve expanding their executive powers, enacting unfavourable
legislation, increasing surveillance, or curtailing civil liberties.
In these moments, the argument for those in
favour is typically framed around necessity: extraordinary times require
extraordinary measures.
These
actions are often deemed necessary to restore order or protect national
security and are generally accepted by the public in times of high stress or
fear.
The
potential impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dominated headlines
and become the centre of conversations on social media, local pubs and marketplaces.
The
calls for his impeachment stem from allegations of corruption, mismanagement,
abuse of office and tribalism.
These
allegations, while serious in and of themselves, have also been viewed by other
factions as being weaponized for political gain.
The
impeachment process, while constitutionally valid, is increasingly being viewed
as a political manoeuvre to weaken the position Riggy G holds constitutionally
and politically, with the aim of solidifying alternative centres of power
within the political architecture.
In
this context, the ratchet effect is at play.
Impeachment, particularly of a deputy
president, is not merely a legal mechanism. It is a tool that once used,
expands the power of those driving it.
If
successful, it will set a precedent for future political actors to use impeachment
as a way to either tame or remove political rivalry.
It expands the power of the executive through
the parliament to shape the country’s leadership devoid of the people’s direct
say in the matter.
Once
impeachment becomes normalized as a political weapon, it will lead to greater
political instability and power centralization among those who can effectively
wield the impeachment process.
Once
this immediate crisis of an alleged ‘rogue’ deputy president passes, the
expanded powers will not fully revert to their original limits.
They
will become integrated into the formal and informal practices of the state.
Laws
may be introduced under the rationale that they provide tools to prevent future
crisis or maintain stability.
As
a matter of fact, it has been reported that parliament is working to seal
loopholes that could be exploited to challenge impeachment proceedings against
Riggy G in anticipation of a bitter legal battle ahead.
The
politicos, having tasted their expanded powers, are often reluctant to give
them up.
On
the other hand, the citizens having adjusted to the new normal during the
crisis, develop apathy and do not demand the rollback of those powers,
especially if the crisis evokes post-traumatic stress disorder of past
occurrences or fear of future threats.
This begs the question; Why should Riggy G’s impeachment matter to you?
Is
it because you are a son of the mountain? Or is it because you were not a
supporter of the current ruling coalition?
I
submit that it should not be about Riggy G, your origin, or your political
affiliation. The ratchet effect leads to a long-term and permanent shift in the
power dynamics between the state and the citizens.
It
can lead to greater consolidation and centralization of power in the executive
branch, the erosion of civil liberties and reduced political accountability.
It
contributes to democratic backsliding. As the power expands, the checks and
balances weaken, which ultimately leads to a more authoritarian style of
governance.
Understanding
the ratchet effect allows us to recognize how crises, whether they are real, imagined,
perceived, or manufactured, can lead to the consolidation of power by elites,
often at the expense of long-term democratic and institutional stability.
Finally,
my unsolicited advice is to the Members of Parliament. The axe forgets, but the
tree remembers.
This
highlights the imbalance between the one who wields power to cause harm and those
who suffer or bear the consequences.
The
electorates are watching. Like the tree, once damaged, it will carry the
scars for a long time, if not forever, while the axe moves on to its next tree.
And the rumbling in the mountain has begun, while murmurs in other parts of the
country are fermenting.
Impeachment,
like the consolidation of power, may seem necessary in the short term, especially
if it serves political convenience or factional interests.
However,
as seen through the lens of the ratchet effect, once power is expanded and
political actions are justified by crisis or expediency, it rarely retracts to
its original state.
Like
Joseph’s actions during the famine, what seems prudent now may leave behind a
lasting scar on the political and social fabric of the nation. And just as the axe forgets, the tree will
remember in three years’ time.
Crisis is the rallying cry of the
tyrant - James Madison
