THE EDITOR, Sir:
A COUPLE of weeks ago Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa, made a very profound and thought-provoking statement that resonated throughout the world. He stated: "Where poverty exists there can be no freedom."
This statement has certainly caused many of us to take stock of what the term 'freedom' really means. In our so-called democratic societies it is not too much to say that most people seem to think of freedom in narrow, low-level political terms. Freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and freedom to elect a governing body are the most commonly talked about freedoms. Very few people seem to think of freedom in terms of self-determination: the ability to make choices that determine one's aspiration. And yet the power of self-determination is the very epitome of freedom.
MANIPULATION OF THE POOR
But how can an impoverished person who is constantly faced with daily starvation ever hope to rise above basic survival needs? How can a poverty-stricken person be motivated to aspire towards the level of self-determination when starvation poses a constant threat to his/her survival? There is no doubt that the conditions under which the poor live and work always seem to militate against the concept of freedom.
Indeed, the poor and down-trodden cannot even exercise their basic freedoms, such as the freedom of expression and the freedom to vote for the candidate of their choice.
As a youngster in Jamaica during the 1940s, '50s and '60s, I can vividly recall how the big plantation owners and their henchmen manipulated the landless peasantry during election time. The landless peasants were always at the mercy of the plantation overlords. For the land on which the poor peasants lived belonged to these unscrupulous lanowners who also controlled the peasants' means of livelihood.
POLITICAL COERCION
It goes without saying that the landless poor could not express political views that were contrary to that of the landlords. The eyes and ears of the landlords' henchmen were everywhere during election time. Although voting was by secret ballot, the landowners and their trusted informers had clandestine means of monitoring every single vote in a particular neighbourhood. The poor people were literally coerced into voting for the candidate that the plantation owners endorsed.
By all accounts, this type of political coercion (or variations of it) by the rich and powerful over the poor and unfortunate populace is still prevalent in Jamaica and many Third World countries today.
FREEDOMS RESTRICTED
Thus, for the poverty-stricken, freedom of choice is an illusion. They are not free to choose what they eat or drink. They are not free to choose where they live or work. They are not free to choose the type of clothes they would like to wear. They are not free to choose basic health care services. They are not free to choose the type of education that they and their children deserve. They are not free to choose their governing body. And the list goes on and on.
Nelson Mandela has struck a resonant chord which I hope will continue to re-echo, especially in the ears of well meaning government leaders around the world. For poverty and freedom are totally incompatible.
I am, etc.,
RUPERT JOHNSON
r.b.johnson@sympatico.ca
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
