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Sunday, July 4, 2010

PAKISTAN: Democracy or Dictatorship? Yasmeen Ali


PAKISTAN: Democracy or Dictatorship?
Yasmeen Ali
(This is a cross post from Opinion Maker and Pakistan Observer Islamabad).
The term “democracy “, like many other terms is often abused and misused. The classic debate one hears is a discussion on the merits and demits of democracy vs dictatorship. A definition of both needs to be made to clear the cobwebs.

The term “democracy”, comes from the Greek: d?mokratía meaning thereby “rule of the people”. Even though there is no specific, universally accepted definition of ‘democracy’, there are two principles that any definition of democracy includes: equality and freedom. These principles are reflected in all citizens being equal before the law and having equal access to power, and the freedom of its citizens is secured by legitimized rights and liberties which are generally protected by a constitution.

This explanation raises many questions: Do our political parties within their cadre, allow it’s workers equal access to power? Can a worker within a party structure has the opportunity to rise to the status of the Chairperson of that party, in due course of time? Lady Warsi’s appointment as Conservative Party Chairperson and a full cabinet minister reflects on the progress the UK has made in terms of maturity in their political sphere. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, we remain stuck in the groove of dynastic dynamics and have not progressed from this point in over 62 years of our history.

From PPP to PML N to ANP to MQM and PML N and all shades of parties in between, we see the mantle of leadership being worn by the one who originated the party, and much like a family heirloom passed on from one generation to the other. Is this the much touted democratic order ?Where is the democracy WITHIN the party cadres themselves? Is heredity to determine who heads the party and merit to be ignored? When heredity becomes the corner stone of the political parties, this in turn inevitably leads to sycophancy and appointment by favoritism, not merit. There is no accountability within the party from those who purport to lead the party.

The second part of the definition deals with the right of citizens that is protected by the Constitution. These rights are determined from Articles 8 to Article 28 in the Constitution and deal with various rights of the citizen of Pakistan, for example, Article 25 professes that all citizens are equal before law and have a right to equal protection of law. Article 14 deals with inviolability of dignity of man and subject to law, in privacy of his home is inviolable, so on and so forth. However, words on a piece of paper without implementation loses any standing whatsoever, of any kind. And history proves, these Fundamental Rights are generally not respected.

Many think “elections” is synonymous with “democracy”. I am often told that once the system is “allowed to continue” it will lead to a “better democracy”. Those advocating this thought process fail to appreciate, that there are elections is a step only in the process of democracy, it is not democracy itself.

Democracy is a method of deciding who shall rule. It does not determine the morality of the resulting government. At best, democracy means that government has popular support. But popular support is no guarantee that government will protect your freedom. While democracy doesn’t guarantee either freedom or peace, there are many historical examples of societies that didn’t have either elections or legislatures, but in which people’s rights were strongly protected. Examples include the American Colonies before the Revolutionary War ,the American West in the 19th Century, where violence was on a ratio of one to ten of what it is in large U.S. cities today ,many cantons in Switzerland today which have little government … and the nations of Andorra and Monaco.

On the other hand is the much abhorred term , “dictator”. The term is used to define a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power (sometimes but not always with military control) but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch.

However does this mean, that leaders who repeatedly come to power through national elections, and without first conducting party elections, which is the first rung of the ladder, and once assuming power, become all powerful and discriminatory are democrats at hearts? Or are they dictators in the real sense of the word, as they maintain a dictatorship role within the party cadre and once in power, fail to fulfill the requirements of the term “democracy”?

To achieve a free and peaceful world, we must restore freedom and individual liberty, not democracy.

In the current day scenario, with inflation that has sky rocketed, terrorism, power outrage, non availability of opportunities to improve one’s lot, is it not important to have a man(or a woman) who DELIVERS? Till when do we have to beat the drum of “democracy” thrust on us by vested interest groups?

The first step that must be taken is to conduct in-party elections on every three yearly basis. However, merit must govern, not heredity. No one, must be allowed to contest more than twice for a party seat. The same must hold good for the MNA and MPA elections as well.

Unless and until we appreciate that elections are means to an end, and, not an end in itself, unless and until we appreciate that those who come in power are there to serve not to be served, and, unless and until we appreciate that no system can deliver till it consists of people with a will to serve its people, Pakistan shall continue to flounder.

I am reminded here of Aristotle: “If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost.”

(The writer is a lawyer, writer & blogger.She currently teaches in a University in Lahore).

6 comments:

  1. THE RECOURSE THROUGH REPEATED ELECTIONS , OR WHAT EVER PROCESS THE AIM REMAINS TO EMPOWER THE PEOPLE TO AN EXTENT THAT THEY BENEFIT FROM OR CAN FIND SOCIO ECONOMIC JUSTICE . THE DEMOCRATIC CHANGE OF GAURD, NO MATTER HOW FLAWED , DOES PROVIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CONTINUITY , REGARDLESS OF ITS FAULTS AND WEAKNESSES.
    WHAT OTHER OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PAKISTAN ? THROUGH A DISJOINTED PERIOD OF HICCUPS AND FALSE STARTS, WE HAVE A SITUATION , WHERE SOME FORM OF JUSTICE FOR THE WEAK APPEARS TO BE ON THE HORIZON , WE ARE A VERY IMPATIENT NATION . WHILE WE SLAUGHTER A FEW GOATS IN NAME OF SACRIFICE , WE ARE WITHIN MINUTES REFUSING TO GIVE AN INCH OF ROAD SPACE TO OTHERE WHILE DRIVING .
    WE DO NOT SEEM TO BE READY TO SACRIFICE EVEN AN ODD MINUTE FOR SOMEONE ELSE WHO MAY ACTUALY BE IN DISTREES AND NEEDS TO GO HOME EARLY .
    BUT THE BARRING BETTER AND EARLY EDUCATION ,UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THE MOST ADVANCE NATIONS CITIZENS WILL BEHAVE LIKE SAVAGES AND MORONS .
    I STILL REMMEMBER A DOCUMENTARY OF POST SECOND WORLD WAR BERLIN , WHEN FOOD WAS SO SHORT THAT YOU COULD SEE GERMANS EATING FLESH OF DEAD HORSES, KILLED DUE TO ARTILLERY FIRE , RIGHT ON THE STREETS.
    I WILL NEVER FORET THE SCENE , OF THE SOLE TRAM ,RUNNING IN BERLIN ,ON WHICH A MAN COULD BE SEEN KICKING A WOMEN OFF , SO THAT HE COULD GET THE SEAT. THIS WAS A GERMAN , THE SUPER RACE , THE SUPERMAN, AT ITS WORST , DURING THE WORST .
    WE MAY NOT REALIZE IT BUT OUR PEOPLE, THE COMMON MAN LIVES ON THE EDGE , CLOSER TO THE LIVES OF POST WAR GERMANS . HOW MANY OF US REALIZE THAT AN EVENING OUT IN KARACHI , LAHORE OR ISLAMABAD TO A REASONABLE EATING PLACE WITH THE FAMILY MAY CONSUME NEARLY HALF OR OF THE SALARY OF THE DOMESTIC SERVENT OR THE UNSKILLED WORKER .
    WITH HIS PLIGHT AS SUCH, HE IS NOT INTERESTED WHO STANDS FOR WHAT , OR WHO IS HONEST OR DISHONEST , HE IS READY TO SELL HIS VOTE TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER .
    THE TRAGEDY BEING THAT THE MONEY BEING PAID TO HIM , HAS BEEN SCAMMED BY THE LEADER, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN USED BY THE STATE TO CREATE THE SAFETY NETS ,THAT HE AND HIS FAMILY SO DESPERATELY NEED .
    IN THE END , THE HOPE PERHAPS LIES IN ONLY ONE THING . THE CREATION OF INSTITUTIONS, WHICH ARE ABLE TO MONITOR , MANAGE AND REGULATE THE LIVES OF THE CITIZENS ,FROM THE KING TO THE PAUPER. FAILING WHICH , ITS A ONE WAY ROAD TO CHAOS , ANARCHY AND DESTRUCTION OF THE STATE, REGARDLESS OF THE SHAPE AND FORM OF THE GOVENMENT .

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  2. Thank you for the detailed comment. I agree that development of institutions and NOT individuals is the key.
    Elections are means to an end & not an end in itself.For starters, we must:
    1- Have an in house party election system,restricting members to a 2 tenure occupying of seats to encourage fresh blood and curtail taking over of the party by heridity,excluding merit,and
    2-Ballot slips for elections must contain another option to voters:"NONE OF THE ABOVE", a straight 50% of voting majority opting for this in a consituency must lead to forfieture of security deposits of contesting members & ban for life on their running again.
    Best
    YAA

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  3. YASMIN , I AGREE AND I SUPPOSE YOU CAN WRITE MUCH MORE THAN THIS AND SHOULD, WRITE MUCH MUCH MORE . BUT THEN WHO WILL READ ALL THIS , NOT THOSE RUNNING AROUND WITH DEGREES THEY CANNOT EVEN READ!,BUT ARE THE ONES WHO ARE SUPPOSED!!, READ ALL THAT YOU ARE WRITING.
    AT THE END, I JUST SAID I PREFER GOOD FOOD AND THIS IS WHAT WE ALL WANT AND NEED , NOW YOU CAN HANDLE THE EASY PART , SUGGEST AND PREPARE THE RECIPES !!

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  4. Dear Sir
    Eloquently put.
    The purpose is to suggest.The purpose is to create awareness.The purpose is to raise a voice.The purpose Sir is,to make the SYSTEM work!
    I will certainly continue with my efforts and look forward to your continued support & comments.
    Best
    YAA

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  5. Sharing 2 inputs recieved:
    Rizwan Saleem:

    Right now the people would vote for Josef Stalin if he raised from the grave and delivered us from the hardships we face...
    Saeed Qureshi:
    democracy is a secular concept and not a relgious one. The other similar concept which were out of the ambit of relgion are: what is republic, what is sivergnty, what are three compoents of a democratic dispensation, what is slef determination or autonomy, what are unitary or federal states, what are fundamental rights, how the polticial arties are formed and function. In relgion and partcualry islam it is the loylaty or obedience to the leader or head of the government. He is the law maker and its excutioner, as we can seen in Ommayda and abbsids calipahtes and even alter on.
    Secular society that proples democracy divideds the governnace in four isntitutions: an indepedent lagislautre, an independent judiciary,an executive that is respects the judiciary anf finally an independent press.

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  6. Reply to Saeed by Syed Imam:
    living in the 21st century?
    debating Khilafat as practiced in the 7th century,autocracy,dictatorship,etc.,something is terribly wrong in the state of Denmark!
    I agree that Democracy is a state of the people,by the people and of the people without looking at colour,creed,race or religion.Every Pakistani has equal status and that is protected by Law.
    Political parties in Pakistan are not political Parties;they have become in some cases cults;fiefdoms of families etc;there is no maturity in any institution,the reason being we will not allow it to happen.Every two to three years we go into a dance;our establishment gets itchy against the manipulated 'democracy',starts conspiring ,black cars start moving at night in Islamabad and all hands are on deck.The other model is that the Saviour in uniform arrives to perform miracles,clean out the rot;three years later the itch sets in and he heads for Democracy;he creates a new party,new form of democracy,new constitution,manipulates elections through the erstwhile so called Agencies and gives us back the same or similar faces we have always had;everybody feels secure that we have reached a familiar landmark.Back to square one.
    There is no realisation that the parties have to give u a program;an economic program to get u out of the traditional syndrome.we are always looking for a leader or Messiah.Maybe we got this psyche from the armed Forces which cannot think democratically(no democratic armies),and have have been the real decision makers in choosing the leadership of this country.They dare not let the people decide on leadership;these civilians who want to be free and decide their fate and problems themselves.how can u have an organisation where the Captain question the wisdom of a general,much less the Jawan.The same design exists in the sponsored political parties and the thinking in designing the government.
    OUR ELITES DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE PEOPLE TO DECIDE THEIR OWN FATE.THIS IS THE REALITY.AND WE WILL KEEP EATING MUCK TILL WE DO SO.
    We,the people of Pakistan can alone fix our problems and not some half-baked,manipulated,semi literate individual who has been nurtured by the establishment and fits their way of thinking.we do not realise that we require a system where the individual does not matter;the system does .We should not be serving the individual;we should be protecting the Constitution,flag and Country.The country should not be tailored to fit a personality,the person should be tailored to achieve the goals of the society.
    Another interesting fact which can be looked at.I know I will get a lot of flak for this.The criteria of individuals who designed a nation which has been the vanguard of the twentieth century.The four requirements were"well read,well fed,well bred and well wed".look for such people and maybe u get on the right track.

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