Democracy is dying, but not with a bang—it’s being suffocated by a slow, silent poison. And Uganda’s story is the chilling proof. Mahmood Mamdani’s latest book, Neither Settler nor Native: The Making and Unmaking of Permanent Minorities, arrives at a moment when the world is waking up to the subtle ways authoritarianism creeps into our lives. Published in October 2024, as global debates about democratic erosion reach a fever pitch, Mamdani’s work is more than a scholarly analysis—it’s a wake-up call.
But here’s where it gets controversial: Mamdani, a towering figure in postcolonial studies, argues that tyranny doesn’t always march in with boots and guns. Instead, it can seep in like a slow-acting poison, disguised as stability and progress. His central thesis is a stark warning: authoritarianism isn’t just born in moments of chaos; it’s nurtured through the gradual normalization of control. And this is the part most people miss—how the erosion of democracy often goes unnoticed until it’s too late.
Using Uganda’s tumultuous history as his lens, Mamdani contrasts the overt brutality of Idi Amin’s regime (1971–1979), marked by coups, purges, and an estimated 300,000 deaths, with the more insidious, long-term authoritarianism of Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled since 1986. Amin, in Mamdani’s view, is the ‘obvious catastrophe’—a military dictator whose erratic rule plunged the country into chaos. Museveni, however, is a different beast: a ‘long-acting toxin’ that erodes political freedoms and social cohesion over decades, leaving behind a fragile, inequitable state.
But is Museveni’s Uganda really that different from Amin’s? Mamdani says yes—and no. While Amin’s regime was a spectacle of violence, Museveni’s is a masterclass in ‘thin’ authoritarianism. It’s a regime that maintains the illusion of democracy through elections while systematically dismantling institutions. Opposition leaders are harassed under anti-terrorism laws, media outlets are silenced through regulatory reforms, and elections are manipulated through gerrymandering and voter suppression. Corruption isn’t an exception; it’s the rule, with patronage networks siphoning public resources into private coffers.
And this isn’t just Uganda’s problem. From Hungary to India, ‘illiberal democracies’ are on the rise, and Mamdani’s analysis is a global warning. He argues that societies themselves are complicit when they prioritize ‘effectiveness’ over justice or cheer ‘development’ that masks elite capture. Are we guilty of turning a blind eye to these slow erosions? Mamdani thinks so—and he’s not afraid to say it.
What makes Neither Settler nor Native truly groundbreaking is its scope. Mamdani traces the roots of authoritarian ‘minorities’ back to the colonial origins of 1492, urging us to rethink politics beyond nation-state binaries. But the book also has a deeply personal resonance. Mamdani’s son, Zohran Mamdani, a New York State Assembly member and democratic socialist, is putting his father’s theories into practice, fighting for tenant rights, Palestinian solidarity, and anti-corruption measures. It’s a powerful father-son duo—one pens the manifestos, the other wields them in the trenches.
Mamdani’s life story mirrors the intellectual rigor of his work. Born in 1946 in Bombay (now Mumbai) to Indian Muslim parents, he grew up in Uganda under British colonial rule, witnessed the birth of independence, and was exiled during Amin’s regime. Today, as Herbert Lehman Professor of Government at Columbia University, he’s authored over a dozen books that dissect the underbelly of power, from Citizen and Subject (1996) to When Victims Become Killers (2001). His work spans anthropology, political theory, and history, blending Marxist insights with postcolonial critique.
But here’s the question Mamdani leaves us with: Can we recognize the slow poison before it’s too late? Uganda’s story is a cautionary tale for every fragile democracy. Ignore the gradual erosion, and the state you build today may become the cage you inherit tomorrow. For scholars, activists, and anyone concerned about democratic backsliding, this book is essential reading—a blueprint for vigilance in an age of creeping shadows.
So, what do you think? Is Mamdani’s critique of gradual authoritarianism spot on, or does he overlook the complexities of governance? Let’s debate—because in a world where democracy is under siege, silence is no longer an option.
