Why Liberians Voted for Charles Taylor
In 1997, Liberia held elections after seven years of devastating civil war.
The result shocked the world. Charles Taylor, the rebel leader whose forces had helped plunge the country into conflict, won an overwhelming 75% of the vote.
How could that happen?
Was it fear? Intimidation? A desire for revenge? Or something else, something more complicated?
In this episode, Dr Aaron Weah explores one of the most debated questions in modern Liberian history. Drawing on decades of research, his own experience growing up during the war, and insights from political science, anthropology and Liberian culture, he argues that the answer cannot be understood through Western political assumptions alone.
Together, Gerry Naughton and Aaron Weah examine:
* Why many Liberians believed only Taylor could prevent another war.
* The famous campaign slogan: “He killed my ma, he killed my pa... but I’ll vote for him.”
* The difference between fear, coercion and strategic choice.
* The idea of Liberia’s civic and primordial public - as a concept and an important factor in understanding 1997.
* Why Taylor’s election represented both hope and a profound missed opportunity.
By the end of the episode, Taylor has been given one of the strongest democratic mandates in Liberian history.
The question is: what did he do with it? That’s in our next episode…
TranscriptHello and welcome to LRTF
Last time, Liberia finally emerged from seven years of civil war. Under the interim leadership of Ruth Perry, the country held elections that many hoped would mark a new beginning.
But the result stunned the world.
Charles Taylor – the man whose rebellion had helped plunge Liberia into war – won a landslide victory.
So why did people make that choice?
In this episode, Aaron Weah argues that the answer lies far deeper than fear or intimidation. To understand the election of 1997, we have to understand how Liberians were trying to rebuild a shattered society.
Charles Taylor won three-quarters of the 1997 vote.
He controlled the presidency, the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The war was over. The country desperately wanted peace.
And hundreds of thousands of Liberians had made what they believed was the only choice ... that could finally end the conflict.
The question now was simple.
What would Charles Taylor do with that extraordinary opportunity?
That’s next time on Liberia Remembering the Future.
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