Democratic musings
DR. Mashiur Rahman -- a career civil servant and now an advisor to the PM -- has written a book titled: "Democracy in Crisis," published by The University Press Limited (2008). The 250-page book consists of the articles that the author had published in newspapers and journals, especially during 2002-2007, when political turmoil impinged heavy tolls on the society. Historic and contemporary events, as observed through the eyes of an experienced civil servant, add to the beauty of the book. In the following paragraphs, I shall briefly highlight few of the observations, at times paraphrased, that sounded interesting to me.
The reminiscence of the author's association with the great leader of Bangladesh at different times reveals some interesting information. When the king of Saudi Arabia met Bangabandhu at a summit in Algiers, he remonstrated that Bangabandhu had been responsible for the break up of Pakistan. Bangabandhu reacted sharply saying that the king still did not show proper respect and concern for the lives of the Muslims killed and the honour of the Muslim women raped during the war of liberation.
Further, Bangabandhu's sense of "national interest" was so strong that USSR and the Soviet Bloc were disappointed by his strong attachment to neutrality: "The strong nationalist pride often left him alone in the amoral cold-war global power game," writes Rahman.
Mashiur Rahman recalls that Sheikh Mujib had the capacity to grasp quickly and lucidly very intricate issues of policy; his decisions were mostly correct even under the most uncertain situation. For example, he preferred that devaluation be implemented when the new crop comes on the market and prices decline. It is in a sense unimpeachable as a strategy for implementation of reform.
The legend, Sheikh Mujib, also denied any special consideration for himself or his family. He did not agree when Sheikh Kamal was offered a government scholarship (donor financed) because he did not merit it. But Sheikh Mujib readily agreed when the author (Mashiur Rahman) secured admission and financial grants for Kamal outside those offered to government.
In another space, the author argues that the citizens are at the centre of the stage led by the state. The rights define the essence of citizenship. The kingdoms and empires had residents -- living beings without rights -- not citizens. The modern states, on the other hand, embrace residents with a bundle of inviolable rights. Positive rights are required for the meaning of life beyond biological survival (freedom is development)! Specifications of the rights and the institutions are necessary but not sufficient condition for realisations of rights: "For much of the time since independence, Bangladesh has lived under regimes which were downright unconstitutional and deficient in legitimacy."
The civil society in Bangladesh also comes under severe criticism. In Rahman's opinion, although they raised voice against the corruption and arbitrariness of government, the overall anti-party attitude of the civil society largely worked against elected party government and played into the hands of the coercive elites to arrogate the state power.
The CTG that ruled under the state of emergency ran into an inescapable dilemma. The interim government emerged on the ruins of the constitutional machinery, thus hugely eroding its own constitutional credibility. Honest protestations aside, the healing of the wounds inflicted on statecraft emerged as a function of how quickly an elected government could be restored. Democracy entered with the exit of an unelected government.
Politics is a spontaneous order rather than a made order. Numerous persons join politics with diverse interests and motives, which are channelled through political parties: "Politics does not consist of foot soldiers walking in lockstep, but rather of ambitious and autonomous individuals seeking power."
The created institutions need to face reforms at every step. Incompetent and corrupt state and social institutions bring down the political system.
The book is a good recipe for readers of all ranks. Hopefully politicians will work hard for removing the crisis faced by democracy so that the system could deliver welfare to the people. We all should discourage the delusive road to democracy by modernising and strengthening the existing institutions. Democracy is the answer to the problems of democracy -- other non-democratic options go to worsen the wounds only.
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