The video below gives an account on five basic forms of Government which are:
1) Monarchy (Rule by one person)
2) Oligarchy (Rule by a small handful of people)
3) Democracy (Rule by majority of the citizens)
4) Republic (Rule by law)
5) Anarchy (No government)
Please watch this to get a quick overview of these forms of governments.
After watching this video, I have the following opinions or confusions:
My views in context of Pakistan:
When Pakistan was founded, the name given to it was "Islamic Republic of Pakistan". The Pakistani passport I am holding shows the same name. I studied in my high school that the system of Pakistan is based on "Sovereignty of God". This makes it a Republic State means ruling on the basis of Shariah. Now I am in utter confusion. We call Pakistan a democratic country and our leaders bluntly raise the slogans "Sovereignty of People".
My questions from our leader is "Are you telling me something I am never taught"? Why our syllabus is conflicting with practical aspects of leading the country?
My views in context of India:
Being the biggest democracy of the world (as they say it), is it not your duty to prove to the world that "Democracy is the best". How can you show that? Just with the recent economic growth? Is there any reduction in the crimes per capita owing to this super form of leadership? When other big nations ruling on Democracy are failing, how are you going to defend this best form of government? How can you show the fruits and merits of Democracy? Is there anything to learn from the failing governments of say Greece, Portugal, Italy, USA etc.
All insightful views are welcome!
Very nice article. Thanks a lot for sharing. I have a few concern about your ideas.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, Pakistan had a name "Islamic Republic of Pakistan" but it was never ruled by a universal law book called constitution. It took almost 9 years to draft its first rule book which didn't last for more than two years. Repeated Coup was a systematic failure of the foundations of Pakistan.
Regarding India, We got our constitution during first three years of freedom but still we are following it with minor changes and occasional violations.
As far as there is the question of politics in these two countries, they still believe in clan based politics and after watching this video I am afraid to say that we are living in democratic country after our respective independence.
The growth story of India is over-optimistic. Although, India has grown but still things look stagnant at ground level. The rosy picture is precisely arising from export of cheap manpower and low skilled service exports.
I don't think the Indian government has any big contribution other than opening its market to the world. While Pakistani governing body was always exposed to uncertainty and they didn't have enough time to think about something else apart from saving their chair and life.
Thank you, you put things quite well. I am not going to defend the constitution thing in Pakistan. The situation of Pakistan is very complicated. Since the sole purpose of foundation of Pakistan was to have a separate piece of land for the muslims of South Asia so that they can practice their religion. In this regard, the constitution should have been based on Quran & Shariah. The implementation was always made difficult due to intervention from an invisible hand. The first PM was killed who brought forward Qarardad-e-Maqasid. The history was repeated time & again and this invisible hand kept on intervening in the form of military dictatorship (I should use a different word now but let's use the known terminologies). I don't completely exclude the fact that there were inner weaknesses also. But we had to have a major shift from British rule and high influence of hindu culture as we were a group from among them. The challenges for Pakistan were far greater than it was for India. Further, the unfair division of few parts from the Britishers so that the sub-continent keep burning into the fire of animosity was a great trick used by British raj. For us, adopting a new religion and understanding its real spirit became a problem. You will see millions of Pakistanis and each one thinks that he is the best practitioner himself.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to India, there are some major weaknesses among the masses (as you say at grass root level). Failure to accept the fact that greater India is now broken is one of the point. The second is failure to accept their dignity to stand in front of westerners.
If I compare India with Pakistan, the problem of Pakistan is over-confidence while that of India, lack-of-confidence. :) Exactly opposite to each other.
One very important thing is the education system. Both India and Pakistan doesn't value Social Sciences, Meta Physics and Philosophy while everybody likes to go for the conventional sciences. Due to this, the proper implementation of scientific research does not take place and the normative aspect of economics remains unimplementable.
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