The (surprisingly political) cost of a goat in Burundi | African Arguments
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Critics say state-backed farming cooperatives have become a tool for recruiting people into the ruling party and are sowing division. Members of the Sangwe cooperative of Rugazi Hill, Burundi,
  • overflow@lemmy.mlM
    1·
    3 years ago

    I can’t even put into words how seeing something as simple as a goat could be abused by a government to shore up political support and enrich a chosen few makes me feel

    • MwalimuOP
      2·
      3 years ago

      Poverty is the worst form of violence. The cocktail of a weak state + pesudo-capitalism + poverty leads to this kind of shame.

      • overflow@lemmy.mlM
        1·
        3 years ago

        how is this an example of a weak state and pseudo-capitalism when it’s the state using a cooperative to enrich itself

        • MwalimuOP
          1·
          3 years ago

          weak state – a state eroded by corruption and competing with other sources of authority like the church and the local elders. pesudo-capitalism – they claim it is a cooperative but when you dig deeper, it is a semi-cooperative to create goods for a capital market.

          • overflow@lemmy.mlM
            0·
            3 years ago

            having corruption and other sources of authority doesn’t make a state weak it specifically refers to one that cannot levy taxes/provide security etc. and a capital market refers to a place to trade financial instruments used by individuals and governments for fundraising such as stocks, bonds, etfs etc.

            • MwalimuOP
              1·
              3 years ago

              My bad on the definitions. I was giving a general observation not precise definitions. My point about pseudo-capitalism is this - these cooperatives are largely about production, not distribution.