Towards A New Deal for Liberia: A Post 2017 Elections

Dimension
By Dr. Amos M.D.Sirleaf (Ph.D.)
Professor/Vice CEO-Blacology Research and Development
Institute, Inc USA-Liberian Mission

As Liberians begin to energize their democratic

consciousness, as the proliferation of political, social, and
cultural avocation for the election of the best Liberian leader
comes October 2017 permeates the fabrics of the national,
international, social and global media network, It becomes
absolutely essential to point out that "it takes only one light
to illuminate the darkest night of freedom", Therefore, the
little illumination Liberia has had from 2005 to 2017 must not
be taken for granted. This is necessary because it was during
this period that some of us were able to return home in order
to impact knowledge to our people and I am praying for a
greater and propitious illumination in 2017 and beyond.

It is save to point out that the political development in

Liberia can be an essential a component of modernization as
is economic development in post 2017 Elections. Throughout
its history, specifically from April 12, 1980, Liberia's political
structure and system has done little to promote the country's
development. This situation ,which seems to be reflecting on
its post-conflict domestic policies, foreign policy, and post-
conflict external assistance for rehabilitation development or
to act as a catalyst of social mobilization and change. After
over a century of underdevelopment and 25 years of bloody
civil conflict, the ending of the civil conflict and the election of
a new government, (President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf) should
have provided a unique opportunity for the Liberian people
and their government to work out and agree on a New Deal for
the economic and social rehabilitation, recovery, and
development of Liberia. After sixteen years of President's
Sirleaf leadership, the Liberian people should have deserved
no less. In spite of the efforts made by President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf, There must be a proposal for a New Deal for Liberia
Towards 2017 and post 2017 Elections and beyond.

The 2017 Elections and a Post 2017 and beyond

proposed New Deal should be based on the following principles
and policies: (1) A Culturally Conscious Democracy; (2) The
rule of organic Laws and norms; (3) Ethics, Compliance and
Accountability of those in elective or appointive office for their
official actions and for the use of public funds; (4)
Decentralization aimed at bringing government closer to the
people and promoting popular participation in local political
and economic development; (5) Total (modernization) of
Liberia's human resources, beginning with universal,
compulsory primary education for all Liberians; (6) Food
security in the medium term, with a view to achieving national
food preservation and self-sufficiency in the long term; (7)
National self-Reliance aimed at reducing foreign dependency
through greater mobilization of the philosophy of
Liberianization Policy and Liberia's human, natural, and
financial resources, since one nation cannot be developed
through dependence on others; (8) Social Mobilization to
promote popular participation; mass literacy. Public health
and sanitation; rural and community development and national
water purification.
 As Karl Deutsch has argued that , "political mobilization must
parallel economic modernization, which in turn imposes new
burdens on national governments, as political demands for the
satisfaction of economic and social needs complicate the
administration of the economic development". Both Deutsch and
Lerner identify political modernization with access to the mass
media (and hence to elements of Western culture) and with norms
and participation in national institutions.1 . Therefore, A New Deal
for Liberia requires social mobilization as a fundamental basis for
social engineering, national integration, and social cohesion.

The concept of A New Deal for 2017 Liberian Elections and

post 2017 and beyond, Liberia must entail economic, social,
political, and technological mobilization, which must also move
parallel to decentralization and democratization of Liberian
nationalism. This implies a distinct break with past theories of
political, social, economic, and educational alienation of indigenous
population especially the women of Liberia. The uprooting or
breaking away from old settings, habits, norms, and the old boy
networks, and the induction of the mobilized Liberian populace into
some relatively stable new patterns of group membership, the love
for nation, and national commitment and obligation, should be
served as one of the important elements of the New Deal principles
this study.

1. Poverty, Illiteracy and Economic Development: A Post 2017

Elections and Beyond

People who live in poverty are often hostile or at best indifferent

to government. They are passive most of the time but when
aroused, resort to riots and demonstrations against authority
before retreating into apathy. (The Liberian Historic Reflection).
Poor and illiterate people are also gullible, often desperate and
easily swayed by unfulfilled promises of a better life. In a situation
of rising expectations characterized by society of even the most
basic food items, deep poverty can be a breeding ground for
violence and political instability. Liberia is a case in point.
There must therefore be a serious attempt to provide access to
basic education and health services and enable the poor to improve
their material conditions by actively participating in local
development and national development.
1See Deutsch, op.cit; Daniel Lerner, The Passing of Traditional Society
(Clencoe, III: The Free Press, 1958) and Towards a Communication Theory of
Modernization in L. Pye, ed., Communications and Political Development
(Princeton University Press, 1963).
2. Social Issues:
It was the immortal Aristotle who said "the price that the wise pay,
who do not want to partake in government, is to live under a
government of fools." When you teach the people, you will reap a

hundred harvests. (K'uan-Tzu, 479-551 BC). It is paradoxical, yet true

to say that the more we know the more ignorant we become. In absolute sense, for it is
only through enlightenment that we become conscious of our limitations. Precisely one
of the most gratifying results of intellectual evolution is the continuous opening up of
new and greater prospects..... Nikola Tesla.... Foot noted by Dr. Sirleaf... 2015. "If the
African educated on European lines is unable or unwilling to teach the outside world something of
the Institutions and inner feelings of his people; if, for some reason or other, he can show nothing of
his real self to those anxious to learn, and to assist him; if he cannot make his friends feel the force
of his
racial character and sympathies with his racial aspiration, then it is evident that his
education has been sadly defective, that his training by aliens has done but little for him
that his teachers have surely missed their aim and wasted their time." By Edward Wilmot
Boyden The African Society 1903
Therefore, a new education policy must be developed in Liberia
by Liberians and from the Liberians global evaluation and
experience.. This policy must strive to for ever eliminate illiteracy
and to create an educated Liberian populace. Because an
enlightened and informed public is the foundation of a democratic
society and must be embraced as part of the reconstruction
program for a 21st Century New Deal for Liberia. This implies that
during the post-2017 Elections and beyond and the continuous
reconstruction and development of Liberia, national resources and
international aid must give priority to a national survey of human
resources needs on the basis of which Liberia can plan its
educational and training system more rationally and organize its
national curriculum, primary, secondary, and university educational
strategy. Liberian history, languages, and culture should be strongly
interwoven into a new or reformed educational and training system
in post-2017 Liberian Elections and beyond.

3. National Service: Liberian Nationalism and Cultural

Consciousness.

Since the Liberian society was been traumatized by a decade of

civil conflict and bitter ethnic conflict in which a generation of
young people has been involved in or seriously affected by the
conflict, an organization like a national service shame is necessary
to provide national de-traumatization therapy discipline, unity
shared values, and cooperative behavior. Under this shame, all high
school and University graduates should serve at least twelve
months as part-time teachers in their villages or other Liberian
villages, towns, cities or districts and counties. This should be part
of their civil duty and should be made mandatory in a new
constitution. The service should come under the Ministry of
Education and be financed from taxes and private donations.
Initially, bilateral assistance for training and training of trainers will
be necessary.

4. Security Issues
After independence, every emergent African nation began to
build up an army or expand the colonial army as a symbol of the
new nation. Once an army was in existence, it became very difficult
for soldiers to maintain a passive profile politically when serious
weaknesses developed in the civilian government or when civilian
authority was threatened and weakened by corruption, factional
strife or subversion. Furthermore the armies in Africa, specifically
Liberia, apart from being unsuitable relative to our defense needs
and resources, have been idle most of the time; and it should not
have surprised anyone that they got involved in politics or civil
conflict. Considering the historic background of the Liberian
military from 1847 to 1990, one would deduce that Liberia does not
deserve an army based on the experience of the military regime
under Samuel K. Doe. It should be pointed out that the Liberian
seven-year genocidal civil conflict has been ended through an
African peacekeeping force. For various reasons, including border
security, internal security and possible participation in future
regional peacekeeping, Liberia will found it necessary to maintain a
small military. In this case, it would be necessary to retain the
military and to examine ways of keeping the Army to a reasonable
size consistent with the countrys security needs and its budget,
and involving the army as far possible in public works and national
service programs.

Towards Gender Equality in Liberia:

When the physical differences between men and women are

used to justify the "woman's place as wife, mother, homemaker, and
then to allow all of society's institutions together to keep her in that
place whatever her own choice, this is sexual oppression.2 Women
in Africa, specifically Liberia must be encouraged and supported to
vigilantly participate in the political, social, economic, education,
and developmental arenas and be part of the new political and
social order in the country. All Liberian women must be protected
2 For a detailed analysis, see Joan Ariel, Ellen Broidy, and Susan Searing,
Womens Rights in the United States, A Selective Bibliography, American
Library Association, Chicago and London, 1995.
from harassment and discrimination and must be guaranteed basic
employment and health care as constitutionally done by other
nations of the world. In the rural areas particularly, Liberian women
who produce most of the food, should by law be given access and
recognized title to land, agricultural extension services and
technology, and maternal and child care services. Measurable
indicators should also be provided for involving more Liberian girls
in school A cultural education campaign must be launched to instill
a sense of African identity and an appreciation of the richness of
Liberian and African culture and central role of women in the
various ethnic cultures that constitutes Liberian society.

Liberian Foreign PolicyLiberia U.S. Relations: A Donald Trump

Conspicuous and Introspective Perspectives:

The prospects for U.S.Liberia relations and cooperation under

President Donald Trump is obliquely obvious. This fellow is not
concerned about Black African people and at worst, Liberian people
in the context of the so-called US-Liberian historic relations. It is
therefore essential to admonish the Liberian people, our people to
be very circumspective in our political, social, and national and
international activities, specifically our political activities during the
2017 Presidential Elections and beyond. As I have and continue to
follow President Donald Trump's Foreign Policy, I have to deduce
that he is inconsistent, he does not have agenda for Black People in
general, Black African People and Liberian people in particular.
Hence, any conflict and or self inflicting violence in Liberia during
the 2017 Presidential Elections and beyond, The United States of
America under President Donald Trump Administration will not
participate. This, of course, will result to another genocidal civil
conflict. This is just an advise as heads up or hint to our people.

In the context of the proposed New Deal for Liberia , an examination

in the general context of 2017 Elections and post 2017 United
States foreign and aid policy, democracy, promotion of human
rights, African-African-Americans partnership in market oriented
development, the environment, women, and development, the
development of basic education and health services, and the
promotion of regional peace and conflict resolution through regional
organizations like the Organization of African Unity and ECOWAS
must be strengthened now than ever before. The Donald Trump
administration cannot be relied on as Liberia's ally in the 21st
century. Post 2017 Elections and Liberia's cooperation between
countries should be reviewed in light of Post-Cold War changes and
changes with Liberia and the sub-region. On the basis of this review,
a new framework of political and economic relations can be mutually
agreed. As perceived by many Liberians U.S./Liberia relations must
be put on a different track, given the new post-Cold War relations
and national interests and hopefully, the lessons learned by
Liberians during their bitter civil conflict and with President Donald
Trump in the white House, Liberia does not stand a chance in the
new US administration. Whatever form of future relations between
the United States and Liberia will take, the thing is clear, the
continuation of Post Ellen's Liberia reconstruction, developmentally,
politically, physically, and economically will be extremely difficult if
Liberians do not think smart and nationalistically about the future
of the country. Liberia, without the United States/African-Americans
leadership and involvement, and the bilateral and international
levels will not be a reasonable thinking. As observed in the
preceding section of this study on the principal elements of Post-
Conflict Policies and Programs in Liberia, President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf, and the international community and the African-American
support and leadership will be indispensable for the mobilization
and coordination of international assistance to post- 2017 Elections
and beyond. But Liberians must be responsible for Liberia survival.