Desconstrução e democracia em Jacques Derrida: Uma reflexão política após as independências da África Subsaariana

Abstract

The central aim of this thesis is to examine the concept of democracy in Jacques Derrida, through an analysis of deconstruction in the African political context, particularly after the independence of Sub-Saharan Africa. The choice of this specific region not only delimits the scope of the research but also highlights that this part of the African continent was particularly affected by the exploitation of natural resources and the imposition of the colonial democratic regime. After Africans gained independence between 1957 and 1960, they were compelled by the colonizers to abandon their former regimes in favor of multiparty systems. This imposition frames the underlying perspective of our thesis, which argues that democracy in modern Africa has never truly been an African democracy, but rather a European imposition. We acknowledge, however, that other models of democracy already existed in Africa, exemplified by ancient Egypt, tribal regimes, and socialist systems. The core object of our investigation focuses on the democracy to come, which critiques not only the Western model of democracy but also its manifestations in Africa and the African leaders who allowed themselves to be corrupted by Western interests. In this context, this thesis deconstructs the preconceived notion of some Africans who view Western democracy as the ideal form of government. Western democracy, according to our analysis, operates in a contradictory manner, as a regime that ensures the protection of human life while simultaneously permitting laws that can result in death. In the framework of this analysis, we employ Derridean concepts such as writing, specters, and difference to highlight the limitations of the democratic regime in African society, demonstrating that democracy must be understood as a promise or event in constant evolution. Its nature is not rigidly defined and does not confine itself to fixed structures, reinforcing the idea that understanding democracy in African society requires a flexible approach open to the nuances of its development.