Ukuhlolisisa Uhulumeni

Ingxenye 2—Amakhosi, Njengezinkanyezi, Ayaphakama Futhi Awe

Umbuso Wamakhosi: uhulumeni obuswa inkosi yozalo ephethe indawo, njengenkosi noma umbusi (“emperor”); Umbuso (“Kingdom”): uhlobo lukahulumeni obuswa inkosi noma indlovukazi; Umbuso (“Empire”): indawo enkulu ngokuvamile ebuswa umbusi (“emperor”) enamaqembu ezizwe, amazwe, noma abantu abalawulwa amandla enkosi eyodwa.

“KWATHI emihleni ka-Amrafeli inkosi yaseShineyari.” Lapha, njengoba uGenesise isahluko 14 siqala, iBhayibheli lisebenzisa igama elithi “inkosi” ngokokuqala ngqá. Ukuthi uAmrafeli, njengoba abanye besho, kwakungelinye igama leNkosi edumile yaseBabiloni uHammurabi, asazi. Esikwaziyo ukuthi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi wayengubani, umqondo wamakhosi angabantu awusungulwanga uAmrafeli. Eminyakeni engamakhulu ambalwa ngaphambili, uNimrodi, nakuba engabizwa ngokuthi inkosi, ngokusobala wayeyiyo. Eqinisweni, wayeyinkosi yokuqala engumuntu emlandweni.—Genesise 10:8-12.

Yiqiniso, asinazo izinto zasendulo ezibhekisela eNkosini uNimrodi noma iNkosi uAmrafeli. INew Encyclopædia Britannica ithi, “uEnmebaragesi inkosi yaseAkhishi, ungumbusi waseMesopotamiya wakudala kakhulu okunemibhalo eqoshiwe eneqiniso ngaye.” EAkhishi, okuyidolobha lakudala laseMesopotamiya, kwavela igama lesiSumeria lombusi, elisho “indoda enkulu.” Ukubalwa kwesikhathi sokubusa kukaEnmebaragesi, nakuba kuhluka ekubaleni izikhathi kweBhayibheli, nokho kulinganisela inkathi yesikhathi evunyelwa iBhayibheli, futhi okubaluleke kakhulu, kubeka imvelaphi yokubusa komuntu engxenyeni yomhlaba iBhayibheli eliyibeka kuyo.

Ubunye Ngeningi Lomuntu Oyedwa

Uhlu lwamakhosi ozalo akwaShang, noma Yin eShayina, ngokuvamile kucatshangwa ukuthi lwaqala esikhathini esithile phakathi kwamakhulu eminyaka e-18 ne-16 B.C.E., nakuba lesikhathi singaqinisekile. Noma kunjalo, imibuso yamakhosi iwuhlobo oludala kakhulu lukahulumeni wabantu. Futhi igcwele kuyo yonke indawo.

Igama lesiNgisi elithi “monarch” livela emagameni esiGreki elithi moʹnos, okusho ukuthi “wedwa,” nelithi ar·kheʹ, okusho ukuthi “busa.” Ngokuvumelana nalokho, umbusi wamakhosi unikeza igunya eliphakeme kumuntu oyedwa okhonza njengomholi wombuso ngelungelo lohlu lozalo. Embusweni ophethwe inkosi ngokuphelele, izwi lenkosi liwumthetho. Kunjengokungathi, yenza iningi lomuntu oyedwa.

Ngaso sonke isikhathi imibuso yamakhosi ibibhekwa njengewusizo ekugcineni izizwe zindawonye. UJohn H. Mundy, ofundisa umlando waseEurope yangenkathi ephakathi, uchaza ukuthi ezikhathini zenkathi ephakathi, imfundiso yezombangazwe “yayithi ngenxa yokuthi yayedlula amaqembu athile, ukumiswa kombuso wamakhosi kwakufanele izindawo ezinkulu ezinezithakazelo ezingefani zezifunda.” Lezindawo ezinkulu “ezinezithakazelo ezingefani zezifunda” zazivame ukuba umphumela wokunqoba kwempi, njengoba amakhosi ayengabaholi bempi ngokungaguquki. Eqinisweni, isazi-mlando uW. L. Warren sithi ukunqoba empini “ngokuvamile kwakubhekwa njengendinganiso yokuqala yobukhosi obunempumelelo.”

Ngaleyondlela, uhlobo lukahulumeni wamakhosi lwaba nengxenye ekumisweni kwemibuso yezwe enjengoMbuso WamaGreki ngaphansi kukaAlexander oMkhulu, uMbuso WamaRoma ngaphansi koKhesari, futhi muva nje, uMbuso WaseBrithani. Umbuso waseBrithani, ekudlondlobaleni kwawo ekhulwini lama-20 leminyaka, wahlanganisela ngaphansi kombusi oyedwa ingxenye eyodwa kwezine zabantu abasemhlabeni nengxenye yesine yendawo yezwe lawo.

Ubukhosi Bembathiswe Izingubo Zenkolo

Amakhosi amaningi esendulo ayezisholo ukuthi angonkulunkulu. Njengoba isazi-mlando uGeorge Sabine saphawula: “Kusukela kuAlexander, amakhosi aseGrisi ayesohlwini futhi lonkulunkulu bamadolobha aseGrisi. Inkosi eyenziwe yaba unkulunkulu yaba inqubo yakulo lonke elaseMpumalanga futhi ekugcineni kwadingeka ukuba ilandelwe ababusi baseRoma.” Sithi lenkolelo yokuba kwamakhosi awasezulwini yaphikelela e-Europe “ngezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene, kwehla kwaze kwaba sezikhathini zethu.”

EMelika ePhakathi neseNingizimu, izifunda zama-Aztec namaInca zazibhekwa njengemibuso ezimele engcwele. EAsia kwaze kwaba unyaka ka-1946 lapho uMbusi waseJapane ongasekho uHirohito eyeka ukuzisholo kwakhe ukuba inzalo engumuntu ye-124 kankulunkulukazi welanga uAmaterasu Omikami.

Nakuba kungewona wonke amakhosi ayezisholo ukuba onkulunkulu, amaningi awo okungenani ayethi anokusekelwa kwaphezulu. Ukuba okhethelwe ukumelela uNkulunkulu emhlabeni kwakuhambisana nokukhanga kobupristi. UJohn H. Mundy uchaza ukuthi “umbono wasendulo wokuthi amakhosi ngokwawo ayengabapristi wasakazekela kulo lonke elaseNtshonalanga, wenza inkosana ibe umholi ophethe wesonto layo nomqondisi wabaphostoli balo.” Kwakuwumbono ongokwenkolo “owavela ebudlelwaneni besonto nohulumeni obasungulwa uConstantine [phakathi nekhulu lesine leminyaka C.E.], nasekungenisweni okufanayo komqondo wokuguqukela kokunye Ukuphila Ngemva Kokufa owangeniswa isonto.” Isibusiso sesonto esasinikezwa ngesikhathi sokufakwa umqhele sasinika ukubusa kwenkosi isithunzi ngokwamukeleka okungokomthetho okwakungantuleka ngaphandle kwaso.

Ngo-1173, uHenry II waseNgilandi waqala ukusebenzisa isiqu esithi “INkosi ngomusa kaNkulunkulu.” Lokhu kwaholela embonweni kamuva owaziwa ngokuthi ilungelo laphezulu lamakhosi, okusho ukuthi amandla enkosi ayeyifa. Kucatshangelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayebonisa ukuthi uyayikhetha ngokuba izalwe. Ngo-1661, uLouis XIV waseFrance wasebenzisa inguqulo eyeqisayo kakhulu yalemfundiso ngokuthatha ukulawula konke kukahulumeni. Wabheka ukuphikiswa njengesono kuNkulunkulu ayemmelele. Wayeqhosha athi, “L’état c’est moi! [Yimina uHulumeni].”

Umqondo ofanayo wavela eScotland cishe ngesikhathi esifanayo. Lapho ibusa iScotland njengoJames VI kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ibe uKing James I waseNgilandi ngo-1603, lenkosi yabhala: “Amakhosi abizwa ngokuthi oNkulunkulu . . . ngoba abeka phezu kukaNKULUNKULU iSihlalo sakhe Sobukhosi emhlabeni, futhi kumelwe alandise ku[Ye] ngendlela aqondisa ngayo.” Asazi ukuthi lenkolelo yamthonya ngezinga elingakanani uJames ukuba aze agunyaze ukuhunyushelwa kweBhayibheli esiNgisini. Kodwa siyawazi umphumela, iKing James Version, esasetshenziswa kabanzi amaProthestani.

Inkathi Yamakhosi Azimele

Kusukela ekuqaleni kweNkathi ePhakathi kuqhubeke, imibuso yamakhosi yayiwuhlobo lwangalesosikhathi lohulumeni. Amakhosi asungula indlela eshibhile nelula yokubusa ngokunika igunya kubanini-mazwe abavelele. Laba, nabo, bamisa isimiso sezombangazwe nesezempi esaziwa ngokuthi isimiso sokuqasha enkosini nokukhokha ngokuyikhonza (feudalism). Bekhokhela izinkonzo zezempi nezinye izinkonzo, abanini-mazwe banika abangaphansi kwabo izindawo. Kodwa lapho abanini-mazwe beba namandla futhi bephumelela ngokwengeziwe, kwakuba yilapho kuba nokwenzeka ukuba umbuso uhlukaniswe ube yiziqephu zemibuso ebusa ngokuqashisa bese abaphethwe bekhokha ngezinkonzo zabo.

Ngaphandle kwalokho, lesimiso saphuca izakhamuzi isithunzi sazo nenkululeko yazo. Zazibuswa abanini-mazwe bezempi, ezazinomthwalo wokubaholela. Sincishwe amathuba emfundo namalungelo esiko, “isigqila sasinamalungelo ambalwa ayephoqelelwa ngokomthetho ngokumelene nentando yamakhosi azo angabanini-mazwe,” kusho iCollier’s Encyclopedia. “Sasingavunyelwe ukushada, singenakudlulisela indawo yaso njengefa, noma sishiye izwe ngaphandle kwemvume yenkosi.”

Lenqubo kwakungeyona kuphela eyokubusa emibusweni yamakhosi azimele. Amanye amakhosi ayenikeza izikhundla zokuphatha kubantu ababengadilizwa ezikhundleni kamuva, uma kucatshangwa ukuthi kudingekile. Amanye amakhosi ayeshiyela ukubuswa kwendawo ezinhlanganweni ezidumile ezazibusa ngokucindezela kwesiko nezenhlalo. Kodwa zonke lezinqubo ngandlela-thile zazingenelisi. Noma kunjalo, abalobi bekhulu le-17 leminyaka, abanjengoMnu. Robert Filmer waseNgilandi noJacques-Bénigne Bossuet waseFrance, babesasekela ukuphatha wonke amandla ombuso njengokuwukuphela kohlobo olufanele lukahulumeni. Kanti nokho izinsuku zakho zazibaliwe.

“Onkulunkulu” Bancishisiwe Baba Izithixo

Naphezu kwenkolelo evamile yokuthi amakhosi ayenomthwalo wemfanelo kuNkulunkulu kuphela, kwase kunesikhathi eside ukucindezeleka kwanda kokuwenza abe nomthwalo wemfanelo emithethweni yabantu, amasiko, neziphathimandla. Ngekhulu le-18 leminyaka, “amakhosi asebenzisa indlela yokukhuluma ehlukile kweyababusi bekhulu lesikhombisa leminyaka,” kusho iColumbia History of the World, nokho, yenezela ukuthi “ngaphansi nangemuva kwalendlela yokukhuluma babesengamakhosi.” Ibe isichaza ukuthi “lapho uFrederick oMkhulu ezibiza ‘ngenceku yokuqala kahulumeni’ futhi enqaba ilungelo laphezulu lamakhosi, wayengacabangi ngokuhoxa embusweni.”

Nokho, ngemva kokuVukela kwango-1688 eNgilandi nokuVukela kwaseFrance kwango-1789, usuku lokuphatha wonke amandla ombuso lwase ludlulile ngokwengxenye enkulu. Kancane kancane, imibuso yamakhosi aphatha wonke amandla yadedela imibuso yamakhosi anamandla alinganiselwe okuphatha enezishaya-mthetho noma imithetho-sisekelo, noma kokubili. Ngokungefani nekhulu le-12 leminyaka lapho “ubukhosi babuyilokho inkosi eyayikwazi ukubenza bube yikho, nalokho ababuswa yiyo ababezimisele ukukwamukela,” uma sicaphuna isazi-mlando uW. L. Warren, namuhla amandla ezombangazwe amakhosi amaningi nezindlovukazi alinganiselwe kakhulu.

Njengoba ungase ulindele, amakhosi ambalwa asenamandla ombuso aphawulekayo. Kodwa amaningi awo sekukudala alahlekelwa imifanekiso yawo “yobunkulunkulu” futhi aneliswa ukuba izithixo, abameleli abayinhloko bombuso abantu abangakhuthazwa ukuba bahlangane eduze kwabo ngomoya wobuqotho. Imibuso yamakhosi anamandla alinganiselwe ombuso iye yazama ukulondoloza izici ezihlanganisayo zokubusa komuntu oyedwa kuyilapho isusa izici zayo ezimbi ngokunika isishaya-mthetho amandla angempela.

Umqondo wemibuso yamakhosi anamandla alinganiselwe ombuso usathandwa kakhulu. Muva nje ngo-1983, uKrishna Prasad Bhattarai, umholi weQembu LikaKhongolose WaseNepal eNepal, wakhuluma ngombuso wamakhosi ‘njengomgoqo ovimbela iziphithiphithi,’ ethi ‘iNkosi iyadingeka ukuze igcine izwe linobunye.’ Futhi nakuba ngo-1987 abantu baseFrance babenza amalungiselelo okugcina okugubha umkhosi wama-200 wokuVukela KwaseFrance, amaphesenti angu-17 alabo abahlolwa ayefuna kubuyelwe embusweni wamakhosi. Ilungu lelinye iqembu elifuna kubuyelwe embusweni wamakhosi lathi: “INkosi iwukuphela kwendlela yokuhlanganisa isizwe osekukudala sihlukaniswe umbango wezombangazwe.”

Ngawo lowonyaka, umagazini iTime waphawula: “Umbuso ufuna ukwethembeka mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi amakhosi ayizithixo zokugcina zenkathi yethu, izinto okuwukuphela kwazo ezinkulu kunezinto eziphilayo ezisengasheshisa inkolelo kuyilapho ziyimfihlakalo. Uma uNkulunkulu efile, mayime njalo iNdlovukazi!” Kodwa-ke ubheka izinto ngeso elingokoqobo, wenezela ukuthi “amandla okubusa eNdlovukazi [yaseBrithani] ngokwengxenye enkulu asekungabini namandla kwayo okuphawulekayo.”

Itholakale Intula

Imibuso yamakhosi aphethe wonke amandla ombuso ayenelisi. Ngendlela eyakhiwe ngayo, iyantengantenga. Ngokushesha, bonke ababusi bayafa futhi kumelwe indawo yabo ithathwe abanye, labo ngokuvamile abakhethwa ngenxa yohlu lozalo hhayi ngenxa yokuziphatha okuphakeme noma ikhono. Ubani ongagomela ukuthi indodana iyoba ngcono kunoyise? Noma uma uyise ayengalungile, ukuthi indodana iyoba ngcono?

Futhi, njengoba uCristiano Grottanelli ephawula, “ukukhethwa kozothatha isikhundla sokubusa” ngokuvamile “kwenziwa ngokunganaki, bese kuthi phakathi kwamalungu afanelekayo ohlu lobukhosi kuvumbuke ukuncintisana. Ngaleyondlela inkathi elandela ukufa kwenkosi kuvame ukuba inkathi yeziphithiphithi (ezinkulu) zezenhlalo, kokubili ngendlela engokoqobo nengokomfanekiso.”

Njengoba unombusi oyedwa, ukuphumelela kombuso wenkosi ephethe wonke amandla ombuso kuncike ekuphumeleleni kwalowo ongumbusi wawo. Amakhono akhe nezimfanelo ezinhle kungase kubonakale kuhulumeni wakhe kodwa kuyoba njalo futhi nangobuthakathaka bakhe, ukushiyeka, nokungabi nalwazi. Ngisho nabazalelwe ebukhosini abaphelele. Amakhosi amabi amisa ohulumeni ababi, amakhosi alungile ngokunokwenzeka amisa abangcono, kodwa inkosi ephelele kuphela engamisa uhlobo lukahulumeni isintu esilulangazelelayo nesinelungelo lokuba nalo.

Imibuso yamakhosi enamaphalamende noma enamandla ombuso alinganiselwe nayo inamaphutha. EUnited Kingdom, lelikhulu leminyaka liye labona amakhosi ayizithixo nezindlovukazi zaseNgilandi kuqondisa ukuqedwa kwamalungu ombuso omkhulu nonamandla kunayo yonke eyake yaba khona ezweni.

Uhlobo Olwehlukile Lwenkanyezi

Amakhosi, njengezinkanyezi ayaphakama futhi awe—ngaphandle kweyodwa. Ngaye ngokwakhe, uJesu Kristu uthi ‘uyimpande nenzalo kaDavide, inkanyezi yokusa ecwebezelayo.’ (IsAmbulo 22:16) Njengoba eyinzalo eqondile yeNkosi uDavide ngokwenyama, uJesu uyafaneleka ukuba iNkosi kahulumeni kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini. ‘Njengenkanyezi yokusa ecwebezelayo,’ uJesu futhi ‘uyinkanyezi yokusa’ uPetru athi yayizophakama ikhiphe ikhwezi.—2 Petru 1:19; Numeri 24:17; IHubo 89:34-37.

Ngenxa yalamaqiniso, empeleni kuhlakaniphe kangakanani ukuthembela ezinkanyezini eziwayo zemibuso yamakhosi angabantu ukuze uthole isiqondiso? Kunalokho, ukuhlakanipha kuyofuna ukuba sigxilise amathemba ethu eNkosini kaNkulunkulu emisiwe, uJesu Kristu, “iNkosi yamaKhosi noMbusi wababusi yena yedwa [ngaphezu kwawo wonke amakhosi angabantu] onokungafi.” (1 Thimothewu 6:15, 16) Njengoba kakade esevukile njengeNkosi engabonakali emazulwini, ngokushesha uzoletha ukusa kwezwe elisha. Uyinkanyezi—inkosi—leyo, manje njengoba ivukile, engasoze yawa!

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Lapho ifa ngisho nenkosi engumuntu engcono kakhulu ishiyela umsebenzi wayo ezandleni ezingaqinisekile