DEVELOPING DEMOCRACY

Democracy has become an important symbol in the world today; however underlying this enthusiasm about democracy are deep rooted contestations about its meaning and relevance in different contexts. Contestations about the meaning of democracy, its manifestations coupled with the progressive disillusionment about its transformative potential has led to theories and debates about different descriptions and types of democracy. 

The evolution of concepts such as procedural, participatory, deliberative and redistributive forms of democracy reflects ongoing attempts to deepen the essence of democracy and unlock its transformative potential. All this theorising is happening because we are all seeking to overcome key democracy deficits, including hollow citizenship, lack of vertical accountability to citizens, weak horizontal accountability between state institutions and international accountability dilemmas involving shrinking policy space of nation states as the decision making powers of global markets, multi-national firms and global governance institutions collectively referred to as the “International Community”, expands.

Bangladesh like many other global south countries inherited an exploitative predatory state infrastructure set up by the colonialists. We can't hold on to this colonialism argument for too long because our leaders are more to blame today than the colonial legacy. Where colonial governors had ridge fences, our leaders replaced those with high walls, where colonial administrators plundered for the Crown; our leaders are plundering their country for personal interest. What we have is what may be referred to as a Kleptocracy, rather than a democracy. 

A Kleptocracy is an unofficial form of rule of government that takes advantage of governmental corruption to extend the personal wealth and political power of government officials and the ruling class via the embezzlement of state funds at the expense of the wider population, sometimes without even the pretense of honest service.

The youth and younger people more than anyone else should be most interested in the longer term future of this country. I like to talk about the 'young adult' analogy which in simple terms is, take a look at the current leadership in the country, what does this mean for the youth and younger people those who are at their 20's? In simple terms, we should look beyond the current leadership, good or bad. So how do we move forward? 

First, we should stop agonising and get organised; we should stop lamenting and act. The political scene today is awash with accusations and counter accusation, character assassination and counter ones. This despite a fair understanding of the systemic challenges of our time: poverty, corruption, unemployment, inequalities, poor service delivery, poor quality education, human insecurity, declining social values, name them, not enough attention is being said about how to overcome them. There are just too many maintainers in our politics today. 

The powerful and comfortable have colluded with the powerless and comfortable to create a power alliance that at best can leave the country stagnating and at worst regressing. We need a new power alliance that will have the powerful and uncomfortable work with the powerless and uncomfortable to generate progress for this country. The youth should avoid being maintainers, just for the sake, they should be at the forefront of changing the status quo and making our country a better place for all irrespective of age, ethnicity, religious or political persuasion.

The first agenda for the youth is therefore to start developing an alternative vision for Bangladesh that we can rally support around with the wider citizenry. The Youth as part of organised civil society can be very important in keeping the little foundation for hope in the future alive. The youth should have a careful reflection about what they want to see change in politics, economy, society and policies in order to achieve a prosperous nation.

The second agenda for the youth is to mobilise fellow youth and to believe in a better Bangladesh from what we see now. The youth in their diversity constitute a numerically formidable number and can thus be a force for change.

Thirdly, the youth should avoid being caught up in the patronage system that is engulfing a vast majority of change agents today. Today we see the religious institutions being patronised, NGOs being patronised, the public sector and other institutions of the state being patronised and even traditional/cultural institutions have not been spared either. The youth can be different and organise around a change logic that will not succumb to short-term patronage logic. 

Fourthly and connected to the above is the need for the youth to avoid being hostage to lifestyle and ambition that will destroy the potential they have or terminate their lives before it's their time. Don't be enslaved to money as if it were an end in itself - this will never be and that's why for whatever amount you talk about or write on a cheque, the word 'only' quickly reminds us that there can be more. 

Fifth and last, the youth must work hard. Nothing is going to come easy in today's world. So hard work as a value, amongst other important values like integrity, honesty, solidarity, entrepreneurship, sacrifice and selflessness, among others should be the anchors upon which the character of our youth and young people is defined.

The challenge for reclaiming and redirecting trends in this country is a long and an unenviable one, however, as young people it's your duty. The wellbeing of future generations rests on what you decide to or not to do in your times. For many of us who are between youth and mid-adulthood, we do not have much time either.

The writer is an Advocate and Socio-legal Researcher.