Political awareness

Recently, I was persuaded to join a web-page forum, by a youngster from USA. I was hesitant, initially, being aware of my ignorance about politics, like any other lay person. But he somehow managed to persuade me, with his sincere appeal in his mails.
I was all along wondering as to how I could be of help, in ‘active’ participation, in discussions on that forum. I never had an occasion to focus on ‘discussing’ politics with a concerted effort. Yet, living for so long amidst a society, which is renowned globally for being the largest democracy, with most number of political parties, and those parties with multi-dimensional ideologies, all this emanating from the very nature of fabric of the nation, its culture, heritage, long history, secular nature, multi-religious people etc., I was naturally exposed to observing the unique nature of politics. It is therefore not surprising that even the structure of syllabus for politics taught as a ‘science’ in our Universities seems to evade that comprehensive edifice! The fallout of this phenomenon is that there are more number of less literate people who head politics more successfully than the people who attempted to study it first in a structured manner. Practical real life experience remains the better tutor!

So, I managed to put forth my views on awareness about politics, from a lay person’s view point.
The forum too presents navigational teething-troubles to me, since it is managed by expert youngsters of that highly computer-literate country!
I had to ask very basic questions like:
a). Whether it is worth at all for publishing as a ‘post’ for discussion
b) If it is worthy, then, to which section (topic) does this appropriately fit in
c) Or, regardless of the contents being worth publishing whether the topic “Discussions on Need for improving the level of awareness about politics amongst citizens” warrants a new section (like that “36th (new) Chamber of Shaolin”  !).

Before I proceed with the topic, I would like you to know that I would be awaiting your kind comments/views/feedback/response/criticism etc with an open mind!

Now the topic:
Political awareness
An increase of just 2 inches in the ocean’s water level would have a tremendous impact on the ecological balance due to the incalculable quantity of incremental water! Almost similar is the rate of progress of a nation, if the general public, the vast spread citizens of a nation happen to become a little more aware than previously, if they learn about the ingredients of ‘what constitutes to make a good politician/political party’ that would enable the nation to progress well.

I would therefore try to look at it from a ‘lay-man’s’ view point, rather than involve in the ‘scientific’ type of study of politics (for which there are numerous and more competent universities everywhere!).

Basically, a good politician needs to be
1. an all-rounder, a ‘jack of all trades’ as they say, to be able to take political decisions which would not adversely affect any particular section of the society.
2. A person who extends the idea of ‘personal’ integrity, honesty, ethics, values etc beyond oneself, to reach all the sections of the society, to act as a conscience keeper of the society. For example, the vast powers that a political head acquires when elected, would weaken his ability to withstand the temptations to use it for vested interests! The present crisis due to recession is perhaps a typical example. It is a cumulative effect of unbridled ‘liberalization’ accorded to certain vested interests, in the name of ‘free-trade’, democratic freedom to pursue any business in a ‘free-for-all’ open competition, etc. The principles of free trade, liberalization etc, by itself is laudable. It is the implementation allowed ‘legally’ that has suffered lack of foresight! There are very many laws which proclaim social security, health, financial support etc to the very same citizens, who in turn have impliedly submitted to abide by the law-makers, law-keepers and law-administrators (the three main wings of a democracy)! It needs a very shrewd politician who places the welfare of others as a priority, well above self, or a limited section of people, to consider the side-effects of such ‘free-trade’ etc!
3. A person, who is assisted by trusted experts around him/her, who would ‘specialize’ in in-depth study of any and all aspects of events happening around, even globally, and in that nation in particular. For example, scientific progress and industrialization cannot be withheld in any progressive nation. There was a time when means of transportation was using carriages drawn by horses, bulls etc. Now, an automobile gets invented and drastically reduces cost of transportation. It is very good for the nation as a whole. But, overnight, if licenses are issued to a large number of bus-operators, it would throw lots of poor horse-driven carriage owners out of business, and leave their families and dependents on the brink of starvation! It is here that a politician has to take a great ‘risk’ of incurring the wrath of scientists, bus-manufacturers, bus-operators etc, and manage an amicable and healthy compromise, to afford a very smooth transition into industrialization, within the shortest possible period of time!
4. A person who can ‘step out’ of one’s own religious sentiments, sense of loyalty, impact of cultural mannerisms due to environment that has affected the upbringing. To explain this, we can look at an example. Japan is a country, whose agriculture is mainly in sea waters. Its land does not support agriculture to the extent possible in other countries. Its people have to ‘trade to live’. They have to work hard to import raw materials, convert it into finished goods, export it at a competitive profit, and use the earnings to buy, or even import, many of the basic necessities of life. Over a period of time, this kind of life naturally imparts great capabilities like team-spirit, nation-spirit, enduring hard and long hours of labor, etc. Many experts from Japan have now ended up heading giant multi-national corporate firms even in USA. Their presence would naturally have a sizable impact on the market conditions in that country. Now a politician in USA has to ‘visualize’ as to how these decision making chief executives would view any major political decision, or policy, would be viewed by these executives, who hail from a country of diverse culture, and therefore are bound to carry with them their unique sentiments, sense of priority etc.
5. (The list is endless, and requirements do keep changing according to the evolvement in social structure!). So, to make it brief, just one more significant aspect of a good politician, to be mentioned here is that, a person needs to be well evolved emotionally! A good human being is well balanced, with emotions and logic! Emotions are manifest forms or more tangible forms of intuition. Absence of negative emotions like fear, hatred, jealousy, anger is a basic requisite. Otherwise, decisions made out of a mind driven by such negative emotion would adversely or even at times irreversibly affect the nation! It is here that racist tendencies and factors lurk as a suspicion and doubt in the minds of a few sections of the society, when they are unable to ‘decide’ about whether to vote for a particular candidate! Awareness is the only tool available to arrive at a well considered decision. This awareness helps a common citizen to understand the constraints of a honest politician, when a tax is hiked, or levied, due to exigency! For example, a political head of a very small island nation is suddenly faced with a survival problem. Some pirate has tried to park a huge oil container along the coast of this tiny island nation. And accidentally, the vast oil tanker spills on its coast, polluting the marine sea life. And if that nation depends entirely on fishing on its coast for food as the primary occupation, there is a sudden extinction threat to its citizens. The political head cannot plead with any court or sue against that international pirate! And time is against the head-politician. Some harsh decisions have to be taken, restricting the luxuries of rich people, to tax them, to ensure the survival of the majority poor! Recession is somewhat similar to this. The financial markets are like polluted sea waters, suddenly refusing to support fishes and fishing industry! Cleansing the water takes time. It cannot be like blood transfusion. An emotionally unstable politician would perhaps waste efforts in vengeance on wrong-doers, and spend the precious time in wasteful efforts. Improvising the laws to prevent wrong-doers, bringing them to justice etc is equally important, but not at the cost of efforts to ensure survival of innocent victims! Emotional balance ensures optimization of human resources.

Electing a good politician has always been an elusive problem globally all-over. This is simply because of the unique and ironical situation where, non-experts, the common citizens are required to ‘award’ the title of ‘political representative’ to an expert! The solution lies in striving to improve the general awareness about politics and politicians.
I sincerely wish that forums such as this would work towards achieving this goal, and its contributors derive the invaluable self-satisfaction for having selflessly contributed, volunteering their efforts and precious time.

With best wishes,
“Spiritualseeker”
(P.S.Narayanan)
13th May, 2009, (Incidentally, the final-phase-day of 5-year general elections-2009 to Indian Parliament!!)