fatman17
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Elections in 1970, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2013 have established a solid trend: our electoral system has failed to deliver. National agenda: Re-engineering of the electoral system in order to: one, make democracy accountable; two, make democracy responsive.
Lesson number 2: Over time, voters are becoming poorer. Over time, elected leaders are becoming richer.
National agenda: Re-engineering of the economic system in order to safeguard the economic system from political overreach.
Elections in 1970, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2013 have all been based on first-past-the-post, single winner electoral system. Elections in 1970, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2013 have all produced a ‘representational dictatorship’. In essence, our elections have become a competition among the elite – nothing more.
We need more democracy not less. We need to do two things. One, we need to bring in some sort of a multiple-winner electoral system; proportional or semi-proportional. Two, we need to bring in some sort of an act prohibiting the establishment of political dynasties.
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is debating House Bill 3587 or the Act Prohibiting the Establishment of Political Dynasties that “seeks to prohibit relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity to hold or run for both national and local office in successive, simultaneous, or overlapping terms."
Elections in 1970, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2013 have established a political system in which political power generates huge monetary pay-offs. Our version of democracy lacks two things. One, our democracy lacks accountability. Two, our democracy responds neither to the needs of the voters nor to the needs of the state.
Elections in 1970, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2013 have established that every economic institution in the country has been deliberately programmed to benefit the elite – not the voters.
Just look at PIA, Pakistan Railways, Pakistan Steel, National Insurance Corporation of Pakistan, Capital Development Authority, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, State Cement Corporation of Pakistan, Trading Corporation of Pakistan, Cotton Export Corporation of Pakistan and Rice Export Corporation of Pakistan. All the so-called ‘public-sectorenterprises’ are deliberately programmed to extract resources that belong to the public – and transfer the same to private pockets.
Elections in 1970, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2013 have established that ‘enterprises’ exist so that resources can be extracted from the state to benefit the elite. This cycle has to be broken.
Here are the four typical characteristics of a predatory state. One, monetary rewards of political power are extremely high (in Pakistan monetary rewards of political power are higher than anywhere else on the face of the planet). Two, massive underinvestment in human capital. Three, tax policy is to benefit the elected, not the voter. Four, there’s widespread rationalisation of theft. This cycle has to be broken.
The predatory Pakistani state has created a society that has become one of the worst places to live if you are not part of the moneyed class or the political class. The predatory Pakistani state has created a society that has become one of the best places to live if – and only if – you are part of either the moneyed class or the political class.
Conclusion 1: We are going nowhere without re-engineering the electoral system.
Conclusion 2: We are going nowhere without re-engineering the economic system.
The writer is a columnist based in Islamabad. Email: farrukh15@hotmail.com
Twitter: @saleemfarrukh
sounds like we need a 'Revolution'!!!
Lesson number 2: Over time, voters are becoming poorer. Over time, elected leaders are becoming richer.
National agenda: Re-engineering of the economic system in order to safeguard the economic system from political overreach.
Elections in 1970, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2013 have all been based on first-past-the-post, single winner electoral system. Elections in 1970, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2013 have all produced a ‘representational dictatorship’. In essence, our elections have become a competition among the elite – nothing more.
We need more democracy not less. We need to do two things. One, we need to bring in some sort of a multiple-winner electoral system; proportional or semi-proportional. Two, we need to bring in some sort of an act prohibiting the establishment of political dynasties.
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is debating House Bill 3587 or the Act Prohibiting the Establishment of Political Dynasties that “seeks to prohibit relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity to hold or run for both national and local office in successive, simultaneous, or overlapping terms."
Elections in 1970, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2013 have established a political system in which political power generates huge monetary pay-offs. Our version of democracy lacks two things. One, our democracy lacks accountability. Two, our democracy responds neither to the needs of the voters nor to the needs of the state.
Elections in 1970, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2013 have established that every economic institution in the country has been deliberately programmed to benefit the elite – not the voters.
Just look at PIA, Pakistan Railways, Pakistan Steel, National Insurance Corporation of Pakistan, Capital Development Authority, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, State Cement Corporation of Pakistan, Trading Corporation of Pakistan, Cotton Export Corporation of Pakistan and Rice Export Corporation of Pakistan. All the so-called ‘public-sectorenterprises’ are deliberately programmed to extract resources that belong to the public – and transfer the same to private pockets.
Elections in 1970, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2013 have established that ‘enterprises’ exist so that resources can be extracted from the state to benefit the elite. This cycle has to be broken.
Here are the four typical characteristics of a predatory state. One, monetary rewards of political power are extremely high (in Pakistan monetary rewards of political power are higher than anywhere else on the face of the planet). Two, massive underinvestment in human capital. Three, tax policy is to benefit the elected, not the voter. Four, there’s widespread rationalisation of theft. This cycle has to be broken.
The predatory Pakistani state has created a society that has become one of the worst places to live if you are not part of the moneyed class or the political class. The predatory Pakistani state has created a society that has become one of the best places to live if – and only if – you are part of either the moneyed class or the political class.
Conclusion 1: We are going nowhere without re-engineering the electoral system.
Conclusion 2: We are going nowhere without re-engineering the economic system.
The writer is a columnist based in Islamabad. Email: farrukh15@hotmail.com
Twitter: @saleemfarrukh
sounds like we need a 'Revolution'!!!
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