A government has a complicated task – to satisfy the needs of the masses and stay in power while at the same time allowing the economy of the country to grow.
What makes this so difficult? A factor that is often underestimated but plays a massive part in a democratic government’s success is the general education of the public. I am not referring to engineers, accountants, etc. I am talking about that section of the population that makes up most of a country’s citizens. When the general public understands the different factors that influence the health of a country’s economy, government’s decisions are positively affected. Otherwise the demand grows for the government to focus on areas that can be detrimental to the economy’s overall health. Wrong choices will impact those government entities that government prioritises and then propagate to all other areas of the economy.
Wrong choices lead to the following outcomes:
• Government institutions fail
• The economy fails
• Citizens become militant
• Lawlessness prevails.
It is terrible when a government cannot see that its policies are failing and drives its policies harder. It is like Russia trying to invade Ukraine, losing equipment, being banned from the world stage and having resources confiscated; and their decision: let’s try harder.
South Africa needs to get serious about the education of its citizens – all of them. Racial discrimination, lowering of standards, adding 5% to scores, etc., are not practices that are preparing our citizens for a new industrial revolution. When train drivers, doctors, nurses, accountants, bank tellers, and all other career choices vanish or are dramatically changed, South Africa will have to be prepared or become a welfare state.
Automation is here to stay, whether South Africa joins in or not. Automation has no consideration for government policies, union actions or business preferences. Those industries that do not automate will slowly die because they can no longer compete in the world market.
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