Kirisitiana Uluwai 
Rumours of coups always accompany democratic elections because of Fiji’s history of coups.
This was highlighted by renowned political sociologist Professor Steven Ratuva during the National Federation Party’s 60th anniversary over the weekend.
Ratuva says the four coups have developed a particular culture of political consciousness where coups are seen as a potential alternative to political change rather than encouraging democratic elections.
This consciousness which is also common in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile shifts the effectiveness of elections over coups.
“Now I suppose in the case of Fiji, since 1987, we’ve simply copied from what others were doing. My response to the media was because of the consciousness that is built in us which has been there, it is deep. That whenever there is an election people start feeling the consciousness about the potential of a coup. That is why one of the responses would be how we could drill deeper into our consciousness into the way we think and feel about politics and then begin to remove some of that consciousness that coups are an alternative to democracy.”
Professor Ratuva says a coalition form of governance is a great political arrangement to have in a multi-ethnic country like Fiji.
It allows for different ethnic groups and diverse political opinions to come together.
Fiji’s political governance is currently a coalition between three parties: the People’s Alliance, SODELPA, and the National Federation Party.
Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
