The Danger of Predatory Capitalism and the Concentration of Power in Madagascar: A Philosophical Reflection on Paths to Emancipation

Madagascar is undergoing an existential crisis in which the concentration of power and predatory capitalism have shattered the social contract. Far from being merely a migration of opportunity, the mass exodus of the country’s most dynamic citizen, driven by people who feel they are “dead on their feet”, has become a survival strategy in the face of a state hijacked by the elites. The data is clear: remittances from the diaspora, amounting to 3.8% of GDP, now compensate for the lack of social protection. Employing an interdisciplinary approach, this research sheds light on the mechanisms of this institutional capture and proposes a radical alternative: executive decentralization. By establishing elected provincial presidents, this institutional overhaul, inspired by political realism and Swiss federalism, aims to dilute the grip of capital and make corruption structurally unprofitable. The goal is to restore to the people the means for their emancipation and to restore their trampled dignity.