ARISTOTELIAN NOTION OF DEMOCRACY AND ITS REFERENCE TO

SOUTH SUDAN

CHAPTER 1

General introduction

1.1 Introduction

This paper aims to deal with the Aristotelian concept of democracy and how it is relevant

to the people of South Sudan. This paper will use the political theory of Aristotle as a practical

one in society, especially in this modern time about the viewpoint of politics in South Sudan as a

democratic country. Chapter two will focus on South Sudan. This will involve a brief historical

background, its main problem, and the concept of democracy and methods of studying it. From

the time of liberation, South Sudan has been confronted with different challenges, poverty and

drought, political instability, and unstable social-political structures which left the country in

massive suffering. Moreover, there is also a problem of ethnicity, which leads to inter-communal

conflicts among the citizens. Nonetheless, in chapter three, this paper will discuss the notion of

democracy according to Aristotle and how it can be applied to the political system of South

Sudan. Finally, at the end of this paper, I will discuss the application of the Aristotelian concept

of democracy and its relevance to the politics of South Sudan.

1.2 Background of the study

1
 Democracy is often defined as "rule by the people." In a democratic system, the power to

make decisions and govern the country is vested in the hands of the citizens.1 This typically

involves citizens exercising their right to vote in elections to choose their representatives, who

then make decisions on their behalf in legislative bodies like parliaments or congresses.

Democracy as a system of government involves the authority to make decisions and government

is derived from the consent of the governed, who are the citizens. In a democratic system,

citizens have the right to participate in the political process, often by voting in elections to select

their representatives. It is founded on the principle of popular sovereignty, which means that the

ultimate source of authority and power lies with the people. Elected officials derive their

legitimacy from the consent of the governed.

More so, Elections are a fundamental aspect of democracy, allowing citizens to choose

their leaders and representatives. These elections should be conducted freely and fairly, with

equal opportunities for all eligible citizens to participate. 2In a democratic society, there is a

commitment to the rule of law, which means that laws are applied uniformly and consistently,

and no one is above the law. This ensures the protection of individual rights and liberties. While

the majority will be respected, democracies also safeguard the rights and interests of minorities.

This helps prevent the tyranny of the majority and promotes inclusivity.

Many democratic systems have a separation of powers between different branches of

government (executive, legislative, and judicial) to prevent the concentration of power in one

body and to ensure checks and balances in the societies. In this sense, democratic societies value

freedom of speech, press, and assembly, as these rights are essential for informed citizen

1
Charles F. Bahmueller, Elements of Democracy: The Fundamental Principles, Concepts, Social
Foundations and Processes of Democracy. (California: Civil Centre for Education, 2007) page 1.

2
Ibid 12.

2
participation and accountability of the government, and often embrace diversity and pluralism,

by encouraging the existence of multiple political parties, interest groups, and a variety of

opinions and perspectives. As a result, elected officials are accountable to the people, and

transparency in government operations is important to ensure that citizens are informed about

government actions and decisions.

Consequently, most African countries have adopted democracy as a principle used for

governing their nations. Each country has its own unique political and historical context, which

influences how democracy is practiced. Some African countries have successfully transitioned to

democratic systems and have enjoyed political stability and economic growth. For example,

South Africa's transition from apartheid to democracy in 1994 is often cited as a success story,

with regular elections and peaceful transfers of power. 3African countries face significant

challenges in maintaining and consolidating democracy. These challenges include corruption,

weak institutions, political violence, and ethnic and tribal divisions. These factors can hinder the

development of a functioning democratic system. Additionally, elections are a key component of

democracy, but in some African countries, elections have been marred by irregularities, voter

suppression, and allegations of fraud. In some cases, leaders have manipulated the electoral

process to remain in power, leading to de facto authoritarianism despite the appearance of

democracy.

South Sudan is the youngest nation in the world, which gained its independence in 2011,

and became a democratic country, after several struggles against the Arabs of the northern part.

Thereafter, in two years, the country moved back for another conflict among themselves, this is

3
Jason. C. Myers, Indirect Rule in South Africa: Tradition, Modernity and the Costuming of the Political
Power. (New York: University of Rochester, 2007) page 55.

3
because of a poor system of governance. As a result, it causes human life in crisis, and also it

undergoes economic instability, insecurity, and numerous ethnic-based atrocities like rape and

other forms of gender-based violence, consequently, persuading them to lose focus on for-sight

stability and total peace. As a democratic nation, the country has not exercised its democratic

principles and constitutions; the citizens are not given the freedom to express themselves, and

there is no equality in sharing power as one of the characteristics of democracy.

South Sudan has not held elections for its bicameral National Legislature since 2010. Its

original mandate expired in 2015; that year’s peace agreement extended it to 2018. The R-

ARCSS then extended the mandate until May 2022. On the other hand, politics should be

something essential in society, it concerns the betterment of the citizens and the whole society

because it provides principles for good governance. Thus, democratic countries, South Sudan in

particular should access its citizens by providing equality in power sharing and resources, justice,

and freedom. As Aristotle stated, democrats claim that all citizens are equal partners in society.4

The civil war that began in late 2013, just two years after gaining independence, has been

the main reason for economic instability. The economy of the country has been high. The

conflict has disrupted economic activities, damaged infrastructure, and hindered the

government's ability to provide essential services, ultimately leading to ongoing economic

challenges in the region.5 Efforts to achieve lasting peace and stabilize the economy continue to

be a priority for both South Sudan and the international community. The conflict resulted in

widespread displacement of people, destruction of infrastructure, and disruption of economic

4
Jonathan, Barnes. The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle. (USA: Cambridge university, 1995.) Page 222.
5
Johnson. H. Douglas, the Root Causes of Sudan’s Civil Wars, Peace or Truce. (Kampala: Fountain
Publishers, 2011) page 143.

4
activities, particularly in agriculture, which is the primary livelihood for the majority of the

population South Sudan, has experienced a poor system of political leaders, which is changes

and struggle of political leaders among themselves. The governing body of South Sudan was

faced with dealing with rising ethnic conflict, mainly in Jonglei state between the Lou Nuer and

Murle peoples, as well as retaliatory attacks that resulted in over 1,500 deaths and thousands of

displaced people.6 Rebellion across a range of racial boundaries and varying success with

amnesty proposals. This has led to internal conflicts, factionalism, and a lack of stability in

government and its policies.7 For instance, the rivalry between the president and the vice

president.

6
Johnson. H. Douglas, the Root Causes of Sudan’s Civil Wars, Peace or Truce. (Kampala: Fountain
Publishers, 2011) page 116.

7
Rolandsen. H. Oystein, a History of South Sudan: from Slavery to Independence. (UK: Cambridge
University, 2016) page 120.

5
1.3 Statement of the problem

At the end of the day when the necessary conditions are created by the struggle, it is the people
who will freely decide their destiny in an international monitory referendum. Dr. John Garang
De Mabior. 8
In this quote, Dr. John Garang De Mabior advocates for the freedom of people to decide their

destiny through an international monitoring referendum. He believes that when peace and

stability are established through struggle or conflict, people should have the opportunity to

express their will through a democratic process like a referendum, reflecting a commitment to

self-determination and a say in their future, especially in regions with significant political and

ethnic divisions.

First of all, politics is a form of governance that is associated with decision-making.

Decisions that are necessary and more essential to the society to run the system of state or the

polis better. Thus, in the political system of South Sudan, it is said to be a democratic country.

However, this setup of governance is only on paper because when it comes to practicality, it is

very difficult for the political leaders to implement it. There is no democracy in South Sudan

because according to the transitional constitutions of Sudan, every citizen shall have the right to

take in any level of government either directly or through freely chosen representatives, and shall

have the right to nominate herself or himself for a public post or office by this constitution and

law. But in the current government of South Sudan, it is done contrary, whereby the head of the

state is the one appointing the leaders in government positions.

Nevertheless, the citizens are not given freedom to express freely their constitutional

dissatisfactions on critical matters which ironically has not taken place. The activists, social

8
Lual. A. Deng, the Power of the Creative Reasoning: The Ideas and Visions of John Garang.
(Bloomington: Iuniverse. Inc, 2013) page 180.

6
media, and common citizens cannot express themselves openly if wrong things are happening in

the country, and even if the citizens try to protest, the government will threaten them with

bullets. Consequently, this will frighten the entire citizens to raise their voices even though

things are going wrong in the country, for instance, the injustices, economic instability, and

corruption. The citizens remain mute with all these acts, that is, because they don’t have the

freedom to express themselves.

This paper will address some of those problems, as mentioned above, in the sense that,

there is a serious problem in the country, where citizens are not given their basic rights to

freedom of expression, leading to a lack of open discussion, intimidation, and failure to address

the critical issues. This situation can have detrimental effects on the well-being of the citizens in

the country.

To address this problem, this paper will concert efforts to raise awareness among the

political leaders of South Sudan. By building research capacity on the basic concepts of

democracy and how they should apply its principles. ultimately, to ensure the safety and good of

the nation. Although many researchers and journalists tried to converse about the best principles

and constitutions that are evitable to run and govern the political system of South Sudan, they

failed to identify the importance of democracy as the best element of running the political system

of the nation. Because it involves the participation of the majority and advocates the importance

of freedom of expression. In South Sudan particularly, international organizations and civil

society groups try their necessary ways to promote the open discourse of people. Thus, this paper

aims to enlighten the leaders on how to exercise politics and also to support and encourage

international organizations, and civil societies. For them to continue to ensure the good of the

country by advocating the importance of democracy to a democratic nation.

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1.4 Objectives

This paper deals with the Aristotelian understanding of democracy as a form of governance in

society. Thus, the objective of this paper is to solve the political problem of South Sudan as a

democratic country. Its political system is extremely poor with a lack of stability in government

and its policies

1.4.1 Specific objectives

1. To discuss the Aristotelian notion of democracy.

2. To discuss the problem of democracy in South Sudan.

3. To show the relevance of Aristotle’s notion of democracy to South Sudan.

1.5 Scope and limitation

This paper is not only limited to the wider society of South Sudan but also to the readers

and those who are absorbed in knowing about the understanding of democracy in that country. It

raises and points out the matters of democracy which is a bad disease in South Sudan.

On the other hand, the limitation in writing this research is only based on the analytic

methodology. It is analytic in the sense that it analyzes the political problems of South Sudan

based on one person. It does not include the experiences of others. It has no room for it to

include the views of other people. Of which it might have been interviewed to get more accurate

information through their experiences.

Finally, this work of research paper will mainly revolve around Aristotelian political

theories especially democracy and other theories which are connected to the topic. It includes

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information obtained from the primary and the secondary sources. The tools used are from

books, journals, and the internet.

1.6 Methodology

This research paper contains analytic and argumentative methods. In that, the work is

majorly the critical analysis of the works of some philosophers and will investigate the

Aristotelian concept of democracy. It is also an analytic method for analyzing and explaining the

collected data about the political system of South Sudan. Thereafter, the application of the

concept of democracy according to Aristotle to the political structure of South Sudan as a

democratic Nation, Moreover, the paper also includes my own experiences and knowledge.

1.7 Justification

In this contemporary world, especially South Sudan, the concept of democracy is very

difficult to put into practice. Therefore, this research work emphasizes primarily the important

aspect of democracy to the entire society. Its principle implies that each individual or member of

the society has the right and freedom to access all the necessary resources in the community.

Most importantly, the benefit of democracy runs the mechanisms of free speech that

create the dialogue between the government elites and the entire inhabitants, and thus, creates

transparency within the society. This study to understand the nature of democracy and call upon

the government leaders whose countries are democratic to exercise and implement the

democratic principles, with the aim of Aristotelian understanding of the true meaning of

democracy, Hence, this study aims to provoke the politicians to necessarily follow the systems

and principles of democracy positively and adhere to it, Subsequently for the good of the society

and the attainment of perfect peace and liberty.

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 Furthermore, based on the analytic method, entails the analysis of the political structure

of South Sudan. So, using this method helps us to achieve the true concept of democracy

according to Aristotle, and how its principles should be applied to democratic countries.

Moreover, analytic methods aid us in attaining the objectives of the research topics. Based on the

analytic method, it offers references for South Sudan to improve its democratic practices and

governance. These recommendations can draw from Aristotle’s insights which foster political

participation, address ethnic fragmentations through inclusive policies, and strengthen

institutions that ensure accountability and the common good.

Therefore, analyzing the political system and structure of South Sudan through the

Aristotelian political philosophy can offer the most essential framework for evaluating the

country’s democracy and generating nourishments that can be applied to democratic countries,

especially in South Sudan. It identifies the importance of promoting well-being, civil

engagement, and institutional stability in procuring the true notion of democracy as envisioned

by Aristotle.

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1.8 Literature View

The concept of democracy has been there in the history of time. Many authors have written about

this topic. Among them include the following, K. Mansour, in his work The Call of Democracy

in Sudan, viewed the ideas of Dr. John Garang De Mabior concerning democracy, whereby, he

argued that “the epicenter of democracy is the power of the citizens to choose their leaders

through competitive elections, equality and all the opportunities for the citizens to access

political offices”9

That implies that in a democratic system, the power to choose leaders through

competitive elections is indeed a fundamental aspect. Citizens are provided with the opportunity

to participate in the decision-making process and express their preferences by voting for the

candidates they believe will best represent their interests and values. According to him, equality

is another essential component of democracy. This implies that all citizens, regardless of their

background, socioeconomic status, or any other factor, should have equal rights and

opportunities to engage in the political process. This ensures that the government is

representative of the diverse population it serves, and providing citizens with access to political

offices allows for a broader range of perspectives and experiences to be represented in

government. This can lead to more informed and well-rounded decision-making, as policies are

formulated with a deeper understanding of the various concerns and needs of the citizenry.

Moreover, Munyaradzi Mawere and Tendai R. Mwanaka, who also talk of democracy as

a concept for good governance and development in Africa, revealed that over the years. There

have been debates around the world on whether there can be a meaningful discourse on a real

9
John. Garang, the call for democracy in Sudan, ed. Khalid Mansour. (London: Kegan Paul International
Press, 1992), page 170.

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understanding of the principles of democracy, basically on good governance and the

development of African countries that are democratic.

Nevertheless, Nic Cheeseman, in his book, democracy in Africa, On Success, Failure and

the Struggle for political reformation, emphasized primarily the democratization and

autocratization,10 Cheeseman's work often delves into the challenges and opportunities that

African countries have faced in their efforts to establish and sustain democratic systems. He

discusses both successful cases of democratization, where countries have transitioned from

authoritarian rule to more democratic governance, as well as instances of democratic backsliding

or autocratization, where countries that had made progress toward democracy experience

setbacks or reversals.

He examines the factors that contribute to the success or failure of democratization

processes in African countries. He considers various aspects such as political institutions, civil

society, economic development, and historical legacies that shape the trajectory of

democratization efforts. In the sense that, it explains the success and failure of the concept of

democracy in Africa. And so, it requires us to think about what facilitates political liberalization,

given the great power wielded by African political elites. Thus, it is tempting to conclude that

political reform occurs when leaders allow it into the hands of the entire people.

Finally, Nkrumah's thoughts on majority rule government were impacted by his

commitment to communism and his vision of a joined together and affluent Africa. Kwame

Nkrumah's thoughts on popular government were closely interlaced with his devotion to

communism and his vision of a united and flourishing Africa. Nkrumah, who served as the

10
Nic. Cheeseman, Democracy in Africa: Success, Failure And Struggle For Political Reform. (USA: Oxford
University Press, 2015) page 5.

12
primary President of Ghana after its freedom in 1957, accepted that vote vote-based system was

a vital apparatus for accomplishing social and financial advancement in African nations.11

Furthermore, Nkrumah's backing for a joined together Africa regularly alluded to as "pan-

Africanism," played a significant part in forming his sees on majority rule government.

Nkrumah's vision of a joined together Africa was established in law-based standards, as he

accepted that territorial participation and solidarity were basic for accomplishing maintainable

improvement and political stability

Nkrumah’s ideas and advocacy played a paramount role in motivating the other African

leaders and the journey towards greater unity and liberation of African countries. While his

vision of a united Africa has not been fully realized in the form he envisioned, the African Union

(AU), established in 2001, represents a step towards the continental unification of Africa. By

reflecting on some principles and ideas of Nkrumah, we can attain a standard and stable means

of governing society. Especially, his basic concept of Pan-Africanism, a movement that targets

the unity of African nations. He believed that Africans even though they have individual

nationalities, share a common and historical ethnicity and are destined together to overcome the

challenges they face.

11
Kiano, J. G. “Africa Must Unite by Kwame Nkrumah London, Heinemann, 1963. Pp. Xvii 229. 21s.” The
Journal of Modern African Studies 1, no. 3 (1963): 405–6. doi:10.1017/S0022278X00001877.

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 Conclusion

Based on the problem highlighted in the general introduction above, South Sudan has a

huge socio-political challenge., Although it is a democratic nation, it does not implement its

democratic principles as stated in the transitional constitution. The government leaders don't

consider the majority, their citizens are threatened, and thus, they become vulnerable. Thus,

addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach, involving efforts to strengthen

institutions, promote transparency and accountability, address ethnic and regional disparities, and

encourage civic engagement. Both domestic and international actors need to work

collaboratively to support democratic development in South Sudan, while also respecting the

country's sovereignty and unique circumstances.

Consequently, the next chapter will discuss the history of South Sudan and its political

structure. From the period of Anglo-Egyptian rule to the time of independence. It took South

Sudan several years of struggle for independence, which included the first and the second war,

which ended with the liberation of the nation in 2011. However, after two years, the country set

up for another dreadful war in 2013, This is because of a poor system of governance, which led

the country to another suffering and struggle.

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