A thought about Turbulence

Political turbulence is a constant reality in almost all countries of the world. Of course, the reasons differ, if some countries show rampant religious disharmony, some others show a society agitated due political reasons. A few may show gender issues as the paramount ones, while some may be reeling in abject poverty.

We are confronting each issue separately, and as a result, while the issue in focus subsides to some extent, all others grow beyond tolearable limits. Barring transient periods of calm, everywhere in the world, the society remains ready to light up at the weakest spark.

I think a lasting solution needs to be found. Since we entered modern era, much changes has taken place in all facets of our life, except for our existence as a political animal. And the answer may be found there.
http://hubpages.com/politics/The-Future-of-Politics

About Democracy

How come democracy is so popular all over the world, even though it is an inefficient way to govern ourselves, if not worse. The only welcome part of democracy is that it can keep a large number of people gainfully occupied (see my book, The Unsure Male). This is so appealing to us that we have been quietly overlooking, the parts of democracy that need our immediate attention. 

These are my ideas:
about its future
about the causes

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Whither democracy?

Whither democracy? Is there something causing it to Change?

Why should there be a change?

Democracy needs to change because there is a gap between the defacto practitioners of democracy, and its ultimate beneficiaries, the citizens.

The first indication of such a void, and a sign that a change might be called for, is the way our politicians, the part of democracy that is visible the most, appear in our daily affairs.

Tell tale Signs

Politician bashing is a common sight of these days. Whether in west or east, irrespective of presidential, military or democratic dispensation, no country is free of this entertainment. (My aim is not to belittle politicians, but the way they treat each other, embolden all others) Nowhere else can this be seen more clearly than in the violent and widespread objections to the continuation of a few privileges, the politicians used to enjoy.

May be as a result of this, politicians in general find citizens, either not cooperating enough or disinterested with such an important task as governance. Consequently, they may also find the populace undeserving of a good, trouble free life. A proposal to make voting an essential duty of all citizens, and more or less mandatory, seems to be in the offing.

There are signs that a significant number of citizens do not feel that their concerns are being addressed by the mainstream parties or the political system. There are two main reasons for this. One, from the citizen’s side; they confuse government with politicians, which is because they are more easily identifiable with governance. And two, from the politicians’ side, they take the rather lighter responsibility of delivering governance, rather than thinking about governance in the abstract, their rightful job. This is because, unlike the past, the best of the generation do not opt for politics as a natural destination.

What can be Done?

This is giving rise to a layer of political dissatisfaction amongst members of the majority of people, 'the white working classes’ in some countries and, the middle class in some other. An immediate reaction to this, disengagement of a considerable part of the populace from playing their role as citizens, further accentuates it. We need to recognize the role that the well to do, educated and empowered working majority, mostly white collared, should be expected to play. Lower participation in formal democratic processes may not mean disengagement from all forms of politics. On the contrary, it should be seen as warning to alter the political processes appropriately to enable the participation of the majority. There could be many methods to see that such a thing happens, rather than forcing a huge populace to tune themselves to certain archaic systems and procedures. This, of course, might entail a shift in our basic approach to governance.

For example, many new opportunities exist to collate wants, opinions or desires of a large population if the capability of information technology is put to use. Also, appropriation of resources or other forms of wealth becomes a child’s play, that too, with hardly any possibilities of dissatisfaction or mistake, in the face of the computing power made available by the digital revolution. Even the introduction of a new type of governance, 'real time democracy', is possible if all citizens are connected to a central server directing the various elements of government, which is programmed to act on the input from citizens thus connected, appropriately. Computer programs, in this case, shall be usurping the role of politicians who in turn, can be making a graceful exit!

Just as we saw earlier, how the growth of communication made the profession of ‘commission agents’ redundant, the strides in IT have the potential to make whatever is left of politicians, fade away. In the interim, quite sharp and rather unexpected reactions can be expected from all politicians, even to events that are not very noteworthy. And some of these, mostly from those who presently are in positions of power, would be of grave consequences. These are but the gasps of a dying profession.

Quo Vadis Democratia?

What is the future of Democracy?

The earlier days of our society would have been great, the vast treasure of ancient literature pointing to unparalleled intellectual wealth, to note one thing we can deduce from the signs left by bygone eras. It is possible that there was a miniscule group of disgruntled elements who wanted to do something to harm the flourishing society, like we find these days in all our endeavors. It looks like a few of them joined together and formed themselves into a group, calling themselves a ‘party’. This was an ideal concept, and a surprising discovery; useful equally well for those who agree with the concept as well as who oppose vehemently. And since the institution of this, our society has never been the same.

I think, democracy came to be instituted as a formal cover for making permanent room for such ‘parties’ in our midst.  We thus came to acquire, ‘party democracy’ with all its incongruities and undesirables. I suppose, the fact that there are many unsuitable elements in it should have been known to mankind. For, improvements are being contemplated for the existing political system of governance in all democratic countries. Otherwise, what is the need to devote a lion’s share of governmental efforts, not towards the activities of governance, but in bettering governance?

But this has been so since the earliest days I can remember. I have attended scores of political meetings, where, allocating a greater amount of resources for improving the existing system governance was cited as the most urgent need facing the nation, to justify additional taxes and other expenses. Nowadays also, this remains as a priority area for all governments. It seems, either we have not been able to improve our system of governance or we failed in identifying the right cause for ‘democracies not being able to deliver the goods’.

I have been thinking about this, and I find that over the years we have come to accept democracy as the ideal form of governance. But we seem to have forgotten the very rationale for democracy, that is, its role as an excuse for ‘parties’. We are therefore not able to see the damage being done by parties or party politics, in destroying the fundamental character of democracy. The basic character of democracy, one that makes it, true self governance, is nothing but the free participation by all. By unceremoniously negating the primary condition which would have ensured rational decision making at all levels, that all who participate will do so according to their free will, the party system has converted democracy to a maker of ‘qualified’ decisions. Not only that, it has reduced the function of parties to one of always opposing the other side, a rather meaningless task. As a result of this, in cases where such decisions do not produce the desired effect or lead to a failure, rather than re-examining the decisions, the ruling party always takes the easier path, blame the ‘opposition’.

I think many in our society will be agreeing with me, we are however continuing with this ‘party system’, as it offers a convenience. The advantage of party politics is that no failure gets attributed to a single party who can gloat in case of success, another party can shoulder all failures with impunity while sharing the glory of success.

I think there is writing on the wall. If we do not liberate democracy from party system, democracy stands to give way to something else.

My View: Presence of Mind

What is presence of mind? The ability to remain calm and act constructively during times of crisis, or saying or doing the right thing when time is in short supply.

What exactly is it? What is it made of? How to nurture it?

Though I could not find an unequivocal definition, the idea of presence of mind, I think can be taken to be, what is ingrained in 'a fitting reaction'.

Now that we know, presence of mind is best seen in the appropriateness of our reactions to events and occurrences around us, let us see what influence aptness.

The willow which bends to the tempest better withstand the turbulence, and also escapes better than the oak which resists it.

True genius, in strategy or anywhere, lies more in self-control and fluidity of thought, than in raw strength.

The most successful gentleman is not the one who is better refined, or more sensible or stronger, but the one who is more flexible or more adaptable, one whose reactions are most appropriate.
What do these show, of presence of mind ?

Who can be having that? 
Naturally the one who is certain about the matters one deals. All that we discussed, flexibility, fluidity of thought, and the supple nature, are normal, in someone who is thorough with whatever one is handling. Unlike the discussions seen most often, where it is shown to be of spiritual nature, good presence of mind needs an exhaustive grasp of the entity concerned.

The one who does not have that grasp will always have ones mind, wandering aimlessly. This can be identified as absence of mind, and is the primary cause of loss of attention. In fact, this, absecnce of mind, is the real entity, we should be after. Presence of mind is nothing but the absence of 'absence of mind'.

The remedy should now be clear. The more thorough one is about the matter one is seized of, the less, ones attention needs to waver. Therefore, good presence of mind is a product of mastery over the subject.