“The strongest
democracies flourish from frequent and lively debate, but they endure when
people of every background and belief find a way to set aside smaller
differences in service of a greater purpose.” - Barack Obama
Every person has a
different approach and understanding of the word democracy. Whether it is
classical democracy based on the principle of self government as in Athens, Protective
democracy extending greater individual freedom or People’s democracy
emphasizing on class power, it is generally perceived that the worst form of
democracy is better than dictatorship because it decentralizes power and provides
with an opportunity for the people to have a say in the way their country is
run.
In modern times, liberal
democracy has emerged as a popular form of democracy due to its eminent feature
of political pluralism that channelizes and diffuses power through series of
regular elections enabling popular party, representing interests of the
majority, to come into office. However, at times political parties pursue
projects that benefit themselves at the expense of other long term projects
that benefit all. For example, we have seen how the Sharif’s in Pakistan promote
infrastructural developments because the construction business results in
influx of money for their private steel mills despite being the majority of the
population in dire need of better education and health facilities. And it is
ironic how these leaders beautifully conduct a puppet show allowing the people
to believe what is best for them when in reality it is exactly the opposite. This
incorporates the Corporatist idea that democracies can merge economic interests
with the government. Adding on to this, Pakistan would be a perfect example of demonstrating
Elitist view since government has been changing hands
between the Bhutto’s and the Sharif’s for the past couple of years. It is
merely concentration of power in the hands of a privileged minority. But how do
we break this vicious cycle is a question yet ambiguous to me.
2 comments:
I agree with Laila's stance on democracy. I also think that democracy has various classifications and it covers a wide spectrum. Any type of democracy, to a greater or a lesser extent is better than an autocracy, a monarchy or a dictatorship due to the liberal principles it offers. However, a democracy of any kind does stand a chance to be exploited by some leaders. The leaders can manipulate democracy to cover their own interests under the cloak of working for social welfare and community.
Laila - I think the concept of 'tyranny of the minority' will appeal to you. It explains how, often, liberal democracies result in power being concentrated in the hands of a few elites, who manipulate democratic institutions for undemocratic purposes.
Also, to gain perspective on your question of how to end the vicious cycle, you could perhaps research the effects of civil society and increased accountability in the institutional setting of a country.
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