No matter the region or the country, unemployment is always a source of discontent, particularly among the younger population.
Generally, people tend to complain that the government is not doing enough for them, and should be creating enough wellpaid jobs, so that everyone — especially the young, the educated, or the talented — can make a good living. It is the responsibility of the government, some state, to ensure that the unemployment rate does not only remain low, but that the available jobs are reasonably well-paid, of a high standard, and that the rights of employees are safeguarded and protected.
Conversely, the argument goes, if there are not enough jobs, the government is to blame. Then there are those of the opposite few. They tend to reject the idea that the government should do more, and will stress that people should be more proactive, more entrepreneurial, and try to find ways of creating jobs for themselves, rather than waiting for their government to do it for them.
Instead of ‘playing the blame game’, and laying the blame on the government, they will often argue, one should ‘take responsibility for one’s life’, and take matters in one’s own hands.
Complaints like “the government is not doing enough for us” are merely a sign of laziness, complacency, and a lack of entrepreneurship. Most of us, of course, hold views that are somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.
But this juxtaposition clearly shows why it is that unemployment, and especially youth unempl -oyment, is always a bone of contention, particularly during election time; unemployment figures are often disputed by the opposition, and claims of governments ‘massaging the figures’ during election campaigns, to gain favor with a frustrated or even hostile electorate, abound in every region of the world.
In the context of Ethiopia, lack of jobs was, indeed, one of the chief complains and causes of the social unrest of the last three years. Young people started attacking factories they seemed to perceive as a culprit of their misery, and obviously a symbol of the government’s failing policies.
Here, it is interesting to note, as is so often the case with emotional protests carried out by frustrated youths, easily influenced and incited by content from social media networks, that they were rather lacking in concrete, but more crucially, constructive, suggestions.
The youths tended to simply aggressively demand jobs from the government and heaping blame on it. But what exactly it was that the government should be doing, and what precisely they were criticizing, was often not well articulated, or — cynics might add — not thought through or analyzed in the least.
Now, some will observe that it may be worth making a more general argument. After all, it is the case all too often that criticism is voiced, demands made, and blame apportioned. Usually, people, especially younger, susceptible people, are quick to ‘jump on the bandwagon’, and join the ‘dissatisfied chorus of voices’. A somewhat more detailed, in-depth analysis, however, will almost certainly reveal that, while criticism, demands and blame may be — at least in part — justified, it would be much more beneficial to approach the matter in hand more constructively.
Current examples from the political discourse in Ethiopia illustrate the point. Let us, for instance, briefly consider the debate about federalism.
Many, from young, self-styled ‘activists’ to seasoned politicians, have been calling for the federal structure to be abolished, maintaining, for example, that this division along ethno-linguistic lines ‘divides’ the society, or that it has only served to turn the ethnic groups against each other.
One may argue that it is easy to see how people have reached this conclusion. But surely, it cannot be denied that it simply is not enough. For while the criticism is heard loudly and increasingly, the constructive suggestions have been, if anything, vague at best. The government’s policies regarding the regulation of the market are another example.
Many have been opposed to, say, the government exercising any sort of control over prices. They will often state that this is a ‘sign of the old dictatorship’, and, thus, must be done away with, as part of the ongoing reforms.
However, constructive sugg -estions as to how to prevent, or at least mitigate, rising prices, and basic goods and services becoming increasingly unaffordable for the middle class that has been growing over the last decade, have been rather thin on the ground. Indeed, one could make a wider point, and argue that, in fact, this phenomenon can be observed constantly in the current drive to reform.
Young people tend to be susceptible, quick to criticize, to make aggressive demands, to resort to violence, to denounce, and to expect too much from the government. This is understandable, normal, almost natural, one might say, the causes are easily identified.
But it is beside the point here. The bottom line is that it would be much more beneficial for the whole society if young people were more willing to investigate, to analyze carefully, to make constructive suggestions, to see solutions instead of problems, and to be more entrepreneurial.
Instead of waiting — and demanding — the government to create jobs for them, a more entrepreneurial mindset would not only benefit them, but would be a great value to the whole society. Considering this, we would certainly do well to appreciate the role of the entrepreneurs in the Ethiopian society.
Whether taxi drivers, restaurant owners, tailors, or owners of small businesses — they deserve to be recognized and acknowledged. Under-valued, under-appr -eciated, and usually badly under-paid, they really should be considered as role models, and the youths should be looking to them for inspiration, rather than thinking about making quick money or how to get out of the country.
It is precisely this entrep -reneurial mindset, on display for all of us to see day by day, combined with analytical skills and the ability to criticize constructively, that can bring the society sustainable development, peace and security, for generations to come.
The Ethiopian Herald April 12, 2019
BY KALYPSO SCHULMEISTER
