Hamid Brada and Algeria's Original Sin
The article concerns the dialogue with Algeria's first president after independence, Ahmed Ben Bella, conducted by journalist and thinker Hamid Bourrada. The aim was to deconstruct the historical process that led to military rule in Algeria. The interview reveals how Ben Bella, through his decisions and alliances, legitimated the military institution's entry into power—particularly after the 1965 coup led by Houari Boumediene, which resulted in the state being "nationalized" in favor of the military barracks and the suspension of civilian politics. Bourrada uncovers that the absence of political pluralism and the suppression of opposition contributed to the military establishment monopolizing decision-making, with Ben Bella playing a role in entrenching the country in a cycle of military rule. The interview also highlights Ben Bella’s responsibility for complicating the crisis with Morocco during the Sand War of 1963, which increased the militarization of the state and concentrated power in the hands of the generals—leading to the erosion of civilian politics and the country’s continuous drift toward military governance. Bourrada’s documentation in the interview exposes how the sins of the past created the political crises of the present in Algeria, emphasizing that his dialogues serve as a key reference for understanding the political transformation in the region.
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