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Why are Pakistanis afraid of democracy?

rubyjackass

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I ask myself why so many people are against democracy in Pakistan or to say the least are afraid that democracy does not conform with Islam? Is it because they don't understand it completely? Or is it in fact against the tenets of Islam?
What does the school curriculum teach about democracy in the civics chapter? Is is present at all as part of the social studies?
Someone please answer...
 
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I ask myself why so many people are against democracy in Pakistan or to say the least are afraid that democracy does not conform with Islam? Is it because they don't understand it completely? Or is it in fact against the tenets of Islam?
What does the school curriculum teach about democracy in the civics chapter? Is is present at all as part of the social studies?
Someone please answer...
Its not that people are afraid of democracy in pakistan.Main issues being it was never allowed to take root and was killed in its infancy.So every attempt to restart it is like starting from square one.Democracy in any society needs continuous period of survival to take root and pakistan is not an exception.
 
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Democracy is a logically flawed system. Even the US, which tries to impose democracy on everyone, was a republic, and it's founding fathers detested democracy, labelling it "mob rule".

The reason democracy is flawed, is that in any society, the majority is not neccessarily right. In the world's first democracy, Athens, they all democratically voted to wage wars and obliterate weaker states in their vicinity. Two wolves could democratically vote to devour a sheep, even if the sheep gets a vote.

Corrupt politicians get to sell the uninformed masses with promises of riches, and the masses always elect these folks despite their corruption. In India, for example, the wealth could be used to lift the lives of the poor people, but the corrupt politicians specialize in understanding what promises the people would really fall for, and get elected very consistently.

Even in the US, people like Obama get elected by the masses, not because the person was or is a great leader by any stretch of imagination, but because he was great at playing with words. And Bush before him, got elected twice, despite being relatively incompetent, because of a good PR team.

In the golden words of a great poet of our subcontinent, democracy is a system of government where people are counted, but the value of their opinions are not weighted. A very learned and wise person, capable of making well-informed decisions, gets the same one vote that a uneducated and uninformed person gets. Unfortunately, there are alot more unsophisticated and uninformed people in this world, even in places like the US where public education is mandatory.

Personally, I like the Nordic way of government. People *know* their rights, if some government MP or representative steps out of line, people show up in strength and demand that things be righted. If the populace is aware of their strength, they can keep any kingship, democracy, or dictatorship style of government in line.
 
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The concept is simple its just that the things are not working out for Pakistan they blame democracy for the same. The reality is its not democracy in fact its the leaders which are the problem. Even when the communism failed elsewhere it succeded in China for the reason for the right leadership.

If Pakistan would have had the right leaders forget Democracy even the monarchy would have worked. The problem is not with the democracy but it is with the leaders and the democratic people who choose these democratic people.
 
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I firmly believe that leadership plays a huge role in the success of a country no matter what ideology you follow. Be it Democracy, Communism, Dictatorship etc. The problem with Pakistan is it's incompetent leaders. A problem which also affects India to a lesser extent.

ie. Find the right leaders with the right vision and you are 1 step closer to a successful country.

Just my 2 cents.
 
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Every system has some flaws, democracy also has some flaws but you cant ignore its benefits , but i dont think it can be successful in pakistan as of now democracy and secularism go hand in hand and secularists are a minority there.
 
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Afraid perhaps is not the right word. You may say that people are impatient. Infact people want quick results which is not possible in case of democracy. It takes time to establish itself. I am all for democracy but it will require time to establish itself in Pakistan. For that it is important that the present Govt completes it's term.
 
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Afraid perhaps is not the right word. You may say that people are impatient. Infact people want quick results which is not possible in case of democracy. It takes time to establish itself. I am all for democracy but it will require time to establish itself in Pakistan. For that it is important that the present Govt completes it's term.

Its just democracy takes time. And as soon as it sseems that the democracy will give results some general takes Pakistan and in couple of years the democratic system starts from 0 again. So over and all the governance remains at the same level. Add corrupt leaders which add fuel to the fire. Who wont ask for scrapping democracy altogether after that?
 
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Afraid perhaps is not the right word. You may say that people are impatient. Infact people want quick results which is not possible in case of democracy. It takes time to establish itself. I am all for democracy but it will require time to establish itself in Pakistan. For that it is important that the present Govt completes it's term.

india still have unmature democracy.
so atleast 100 years with continous democracy,its necessary to make the generations realize abt democracy
 
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Its just democracy takes time. And as soon as it sseems that the democracy will give results some general takes Pakistan and in couple of years the democratic system starts from 0 again. So over and all the governance remains at the same level. Add corrupt leaders which add fuel to the fire. Who wont ask for scrapping democracy altogether after that?

You summed it up nicely.

However, there is another problem. Soon you will see people here bringing up arguments that how pure Islamic Govt or some Khilafat is better for Pakistan.
 
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You summed it up nicely.

However, there is another problem. Soon you will see people here bringing up arguments that how pure Islamic Govt or some Khilafat is better for Pakistan.

Actually things are fine with even Islamic form of government or with Khilafat but problem will arise when those leaders claiming corruption as their right or Zardari has the absolute power without any opposition to keep a check. Imagine if Zardari was to be the monarch of Pakistan or the Khalifa or Pakistan. The problem is with the people not the systems.

With democracy there is at least chance that people will be involved in the functioning of GOP with such a system the entire nation will become bride of the few intellectuals. Though if those intellectuals would have had enough sanity to judge whats right and wrong for the nation the democracy itself would have worked.
 
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Because pakistani army don't want it, ruling elite don't want it, zamindars don't want it and at last china don't want it.

china is uncomfortable with the democracy and want military dictatorship like north korea.
 
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