In a historic display of democratic might, three Global South democracies – India, Mexico, and South Africa – have spoken loud and clear: justice and equality are their people’s top priorities circa 2024. The numbers are staggering. Approximately 737 million voters cast their ballots in these countries, demanding a new era of egalitarianism and fairness. This is a wake-up call for the world to acknowledge the Global South not just for its rising influence but also for the commitment of its people to justice. The fact that this comes at a time when the electoral influence of the Right in Europe and the United States is growing.
I teach three frameworks in my AI, Global Digital Policies and Ethics classes in the University of Sussex which may be helpful to illustrate this further.
First, Amartya Sen’s flute parable teaches us that egalitarianism must come before libertarianism or utilitarianism. The people have spoken: no more crony capitalism or oligarchic interests. It’s time to redefine property rights, prioritizing the many over the few. India’s farmers, who protested against farm laws that favoured corporate interests, are a testament to this struggle. Similarly, Brazil’s landless workers’ movement has been fighting for agrarian reform and equal access to land.
Second, the Dunning-Kruger effect, where ignorance masquerades as expertise, must be replaced by a thirst for real knowledge and humility. Alvin Toffler’s wisdom rings true: “The illiterate of the future are not those who can’t read or write but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” Global South democracies must embrace this wisdom to avoid the pitfalls of pseudo-expertise and purge their Peter Navarros from key economic policy making positions. Mexico’s newfound commitment to science-driven policy making is a step in the right direction, especially with its new and first female President in 200 years. In Argentina, the grassroots movement “Ni Una Menos” (Not One Less) has been instrumental in shaping policy on gender-based violence and gender empowerment is also a key message from the recently concluded elections.
The third framework I allude to in my lectures is the Trolley problem, often framed as ‘would you kill one person to save five?’ India’s demonetisation, farm laws, and pandemic lockdowns showed us the dangers of prioritizing the few over the many. South Africa’s struggles against inequality and discrimination serve as a reminder that justice delayed is justice denied. In Colombia, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has been working to address the legacy of violence and impunity.
The electoral mandates in India, Mexico, and South Africa offer a chance to recalibrate global public policy in the post-pandemic world. It’s time to rethink climate change, agriculture, digitisation, healthcare, innovation, banking, and finance, and infrastructure development through the lens of egalitarianism. The Global South must lead the way in prioritising people over profits. In Indonesia, the peasant movement has been fighting for land rights and sustainable agriculture practices.
The world is watching as these democracies chart a new course. Will they heed the call for justice, empathy, and expertise-driven policy making? If they do, the 2024 elections will be remembered as a turning point in the Global South’s march towards a more just and equitable world.
The implications are far-reaching. A Global South that prioritises justice and equality will challenge the status quo of neoliberalism and authoritarianism. It will redefine the global economic order, prioritising people over corporate interests. It will challenge the dominance of the Global North, demanding a more equitable distribution of resources and knowledge. In Senegal, the grassroots movement “Y’en a Marre (we’re fed up)” has been instrumental in shaping policy on good governance and accountability and the recent elections in India, South Africa or Mexico show that many are fed up, and not just in Senegal.
From the streets of Buenos Aires to the townships of Johannesburg, from the farms of India to the markets of Mexico City, the Global South has spoken out loud in the 2024 elections. The 737 million votes cast are a reminder that democracy and justice are the foundations for a progressive future for our children. It is here, let’s make it flourish.
Chirantan Chatterjee is professor of development economics, innovation and global health at the University of Sussex and holds visiting positions at the Max Planck Institute of Innovation and Competition and at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.
This piece was first published on The India Cable – a premium newsletter from The Wire & Galileo Ideas – and has been updated and republished here. To subscribe to The India Cable, click here.
