As hard as it might be to imagine as a resident of the United States, political instability is still commonplace on our planet. And by political instability, I don’t mean figures like Michele Bachmann claiming that Obama’s Affordable Care Act “literally kills” innocents; I mean coups.
The Central African Republic, a nation about the size of Texas, sports a chaotic history 50 years after gaining independence from France. Most recently, the underdeveloped country has seen a rebel coalition known as Séléka oust President François Bozizé, who came into power through a similar anti-government uprising.
Born on March 27, 972, Robert II was called “the Pious” by his French subjects. That was because of his devout Catholic tendencies. Robert made his palace a holy place, and he was also a musician and poet.
However, Robert’s supposed piety was questioned even in his own time. Some speculated that the monarch’s faith stemmed from his particularly cruel treatment of Jews, vouching for mob violence against those who would not convert to Christianity.
Additionally, Robert’s reign coincided with several wars. Not just did Robert invade the Duchy of Burgundy in an attempt to increase his meager territory, but three of Robert’s sons declared war against him, in hopes of more land and authority.
The Central African Republic is no stranger to political instability. Since its independence, the government has been plagued with rebellions. The latest coup, which just caused Bozizé to flee to the neighboring nation of Cameroon on March 24, is part of a long legacy of discontent.
It’s a shame that this is still an issue in the modern era, but it’s no surprise. The Central African Republic has some of the lowest life expectancies, education levels and incomes in the world. About half of all adults are illiterate and nearly 5 percent of all adults ages 15-49 are HIV positive (also, the availability of antiretroviral drugs is much lower in the Central African Republic than it is in nearby countries).
So, what can we learn from these nations? People should learn to play nice. That might simplify Robert’s 10th-century family feud, and it might ignore many of the negative factors influencing the continuing problems in the Central African Republic a millennium later, but everyone needs to fight human pettiness and be civil.
And yes, Bachmann, that means you, too. Remember, what would they think of you in Bangui?
Moriah Krawec is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University and a columnist for The Post. Should governments learn to play nice? Email Moriah at mk141811@ohiou.edu.
