Short post, this one. And mainly in response to a curious trend which occurred in the comments sections of Zille calls for Zuma debate and then Zuma: No need for Zille debate : apparently, according to some commenters, debates are American, or they are only used in American politics.
Well, no, they are not. Although the US Presidential debates are perhaps the most televised, debates are held in many countries around the world, most of which have excellent political systems. Examples include the United Kingdom, France and most other European countries. They are also held in Ghana (to a degree), Nigeria, and a number of other African countries.
Wikipedia states that "Debate is a method of interactive and representational argument." This means that a political side or school of thought is represented by one individual - that individual goes up against other representatives to determine whose beliefs or policies are most sound according to public opinion, and logic.
In fact, debate is used Buddhist training "to help you develop decisive awareness", and it is used in schools to:- Increase the educational experience- Stimulate creative thinking and field-test ideas- Assess how much of a subject is understood.
In South Africa…We really need debate. In fact, it has been missing from the political sphere for a very, very long time, and will help our leaders justify their decisions. At the very least, it will help us to get to know them better, and will help you make more informed decisions.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyNews24 have been independently written by members of News24's community. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
