Calvinism and the socioeconomic politics of Botswana's liberal democracy

Abstract

Botswana has undergone tremendous socioeconomic and political transformation and, as a result, the country can be said to be a success story and a true model of a liberal democracy on the African continent. Given this remarkable success, it is worth exploring how religion/theology has contributed, in Botswana, to the creation of a liberal democracy. In this article, I shall attempt to show how Christian morality, and the political ethics of Calvinism in particular, support the socioeconomic and political principles of liberal democracies. I shall also attempt to show how Calvinism may have directly or indirectly impacted on Botswana’s political configuration.