Tuesday, July 3, 2007

DESMOND TUTU: AN AFRICAN LEADERSHIP ROLE MODEL (Part IV)

TUTU’S VISION OF THE GOOD LIFE

By Mathieu Ndomba Ngoma

i. – Characteristics of Tutu’s vision of the good life

In sufficiently general terms, affirms John Kenneth Galbraith, “the essence of the good society can be easily stated. It is that every member, regardless of gender, race or ethnic origin, should have access to a rewarding life.”[1] If the rewarding life meant a flourishing life and a life free from injustices, then Galbraith’s vision of the good society would be close to Tutu’s vision of the good life. One thing makes the difference, though, between Galbraith and Tutu. Life should be rewarding not only at the individual level as Galbraith implies, but also at the community level.

A society divided into classes, for instance, may experience a rewarding life at the individual level but may not at the community level since they will not be living in a community. The dimension of community is important for Tutu in his vision of the good life. His ubuntu anthropological conviction led him to conceive the good life from both individual and communitarian perspectives. For, as Smit explains it, Ubuntu “has to do with solidarity, with mutual responsibility, with taking care of every member of the group, with respect, equal dignity, social concern – in short : with involving and sharing.”[2] These basic elements of Ubuntu are also the main characteristics of Tutu’s vision of the good life.

Tutu affirms that the summum bonum, that is, the greatest good, is “communal harmony that enhances the humanity and personhood of all in the community.”[3] The greatest good for him is harmony which is possible only in a community where the humanity and personhood of the members are promoted and guaranteed. South Africa as well as the whole world has to become a classless community with members enjoying a rewarding life.

Tutu also understands the good life in terms of God’s shalom. For him, “God’s shalom, peace, involves inevitable righteousness, justice, wholesomeness, fullness of life, participation in decision making, goodness, laughter, joy, compassion, sharing, and reconciliation.”[4]

ii. - Basic aspects of Tutu’s vision of the good life

The characteristics of Tutu’s vision of the good life show that this vision has two principal aspects: an attitude and a virtue. Contrary to the principles of apartheid which defined the value and dignity of a human being from the color of his or her skin, the attitude behind Tutu’s vision of the good life is that every human being counts as a human person. This is an attitude where the humanity of others is recognized, counted and respected. Such attitude denies that contingencies are the sole basis for the definition of human dignity and humanity. It means that the color of skin, the social status and other contingencies should not constitute exclusive hermeneutical tools to understand humanity. For Tutu, “That is contrary – totally contrary - to the Scriptures, which say our value is because we are created in the image of God.’”[5]

The second aspect of Tutu’s vision of the good life is a virtue: the virtue of reconciliation. The concept of reconciliation is what, for Tutu, will help to achieve the good life in South Africa. This conviction dominated the Truth and Reconciliation Commission he run at the beginning of the democratic era in South Africa in order to heal the wounds of apartheid. He used the concept of reconciliation as a hermeneutical tool for the type of justice South Africa needed in order to become a community and bring a rewarding life to all South Africans. South Africa needed justice in terms of reconciliation for its transition from the apartheid era to the democratic era. This type of justice included amnesty for those who publicly confessed gross human rights violations but also retribution and forgiveness.

Tutu’s model of justice is a successful story to the extent that South Africa is a strong example of how oppressors and oppressed can build a political community and live in harmony and peace.


[1] John Kenneth Galbraith, The Good Society: The Humane Agenda (Boston, New York: Houton Mifflin Company, 1996), p. 23.
[2] J.H. Smit, “Ubuntu for Africa…” p. 13.
[3] Tutu, No Justice Without Forgiveness, p. 35.
[4] Naomi Tutu, The Words of Desmond Tutu, p. 47.
[5] Michael Battle, Reconciliation: The Ubuntu Theology of Desmond Tutu (Cleveland, Ohio: The Pilgrim Press, 1997), p. 8.