Democracy a Blessing or Curse
English Essay on "Democracy a Blessing or Curse"
Laski has remarked that the one great problem of democracy is the difficulty of reconciling the theory and the practice of democratic government. The great German writer Zimmern says that “while we live in an age of democracy, democracy has not yet discovered its appropriate institution, nor yet found its form of government”. Democracy is the rule of majority and the Holy book clearly stipulates in (Ankaboot) that the majority consists of blockheads and in Hajrat has instructed our holy prophet not to accept the advice of majority. Akbar Allahabadi has said “Though God’s angels are pietistic yet the majority is with satan”.4essay.blogspot.com
Democracy has been much praised theoretically has been considered to be the best type of government, But those who praise forget that:
For forms of government let fools contest.
That which is administrated best is best.
There are countries whose constitutions provide for universal sufferage, sovereign parliament, responsible ministers, freely chosen heads of states, independent Judiciaries and legal guarantees of individual civil rights. But when we look at their actual working of the constitution, we find most of their electors uneducated. Most of the voters do not know for whom they are voting and why. In many countries elections have never been free; dead voters are resuscitated and the voting boxes are filled with bogus votes in favor of the official candidates. Again political office goes to the rival cliques of wealthy and influential people; the civil servants arc bullied and bribed. Newspapers are suspended and their editors are sent to Jail on the excuse of treason or deception in payment of income tax only for the honest criticism. The above views of a prominent scholar of Political Science give us a glimpse of what democracy in practice is. In fact the blessings that democracy is expected to bring is no match for the curses it brings with it. Democracy is the rule of ignorers - mostly uneducated. A man, who does not know the A, BC of finance, becomes finance minister and a convict becomes the minister of Law and order as it has happened recently in Utter Pradesh, Bharat. It is wasteful and extravagant too. Candidates spend huge sums on their campaigns and voters are not found careful about public purse. Corruption is extensive in democracy and readers down to all classes of people. Votes are purchased, Horse trading is common and those who are elected try to earn far more than the sums spent by them on campaigns. To get votes sectarian, tribal and regional prejudices are fanned, opponents are killed and some influential Jagirdars and Vaderas compel their tenants to vote for their favorite candidates.
In many cases it becomes the rule of the minority even. Many parties contest in the election and the total votes gained by the defeated parties usually far exceeds the number of votes cast in favor of the winning party throughout the country and the minority rules over majority.
According to Lecky democracy ensures neither better government nor greater liberty, and some times proves to be direct opposite of liberty. Those who are in power possess little independence and follow blindly the dictates of the party leader. Sometimes, the ministers can not dare to oppose the Prime Minister in cabinet meeting even and are content to be merely puppets. Democracy does never work satisfactorily in emergencies. In democracy quick arrival at a decision is impossible. People at the helm of at affairs have to consider many interests before arrive at a decision. Lastly according to Lecky the tremendous power behind a democratic government makes it all the more dangerous if it become, intolerant.
Islam does not appreciate the modern democracy because it is far different from Islamic democracy which is actually the rule of Allah. Islamic democracy respects the principle of social equality and condemns the activities that disturb social harmony. In Islam the best is chosen to rule by the best and the best means most righteous and, most pious in the sight of Allah. In Islam even an old and weak woman can dare to criticize the caliph openly and the caliph himself considers it his duty to take sacks of food on his shoulder to provide food for widows, orphans and bedridden people and he is to account for a sheet of cloth even.
In short the lame democracy we find in many countries is rather a curse. In it, the influential people reap the fruit, and enjoy all benefits. The common people have no voice and the ruling junta provides more to the influential and wealthy persons. Critics are punished: poors weep under the yoke of increasing poverty. Even corrupt persons may be chosen to rule. Candidates, who spend huge sums try to make the loss good by fair or foul means. Officials dare not refuse to carry out the orders of the ruling junta. Employments are not given on merit basis but only to the darlings of the ministers or the party leader and, occasionally, the country becomes a police state, in which some Stalin becomes all in all.
Democracy has been much praised theoretically has been considered to be the best type of government, But those who praise forget that:
For forms of government let fools contest.
That which is administrated best is best.
There are countries whose constitutions provide for universal sufferage, sovereign parliament, responsible ministers, freely chosen heads of states, independent Judiciaries and legal guarantees of individual civil rights. But when we look at their actual working of the constitution, we find most of their electors uneducated. Most of the voters do not know for whom they are voting and why. In many countries elections have never been free; dead voters are resuscitated and the voting boxes are filled with bogus votes in favor of the official candidates. Again political office goes to the rival cliques of wealthy and influential people; the civil servants arc bullied and bribed. Newspapers are suspended and their editors are sent to Jail on the excuse of treason or deception in payment of income tax only for the honest criticism. The above views of a prominent scholar of Political Science give us a glimpse of what democracy in practice is. In fact the blessings that democracy is expected to bring is no match for the curses it brings with it. Democracy is the rule of ignorers - mostly uneducated. A man, who does not know the A, BC of finance, becomes finance minister and a convict becomes the minister of Law and order as it has happened recently in Utter Pradesh, Bharat. It is wasteful and extravagant too. Candidates spend huge sums on their campaigns and voters are not found careful about public purse. Corruption is extensive in democracy and readers down to all classes of people. Votes are purchased, Horse trading is common and those who are elected try to earn far more than the sums spent by them on campaigns. To get votes sectarian, tribal and regional prejudices are fanned, opponents are killed and some influential Jagirdars and Vaderas compel their tenants to vote for their favorite candidates.
In many cases it becomes the rule of the minority even. Many parties contest in the election and the total votes gained by the defeated parties usually far exceeds the number of votes cast in favor of the winning party throughout the country and the minority rules over majority.
According to Lecky democracy ensures neither better government nor greater liberty, and some times proves to be direct opposite of liberty. Those who are in power possess little independence and follow blindly the dictates of the party leader. Sometimes, the ministers can not dare to oppose the Prime Minister in cabinet meeting even and are content to be merely puppets. Democracy does never work satisfactorily in emergencies. In democracy quick arrival at a decision is impossible. People at the helm of at affairs have to consider many interests before arrive at a decision. Lastly according to Lecky the tremendous power behind a democratic government makes it all the more dangerous if it become, intolerant.
Islam does not appreciate the modern democracy because it is far different from Islamic democracy which is actually the rule of Allah. Islamic democracy respects the principle of social equality and condemns the activities that disturb social harmony. In Islam the best is chosen to rule by the best and the best means most righteous and, most pious in the sight of Allah. In Islam even an old and weak woman can dare to criticize the caliph openly and the caliph himself considers it his duty to take sacks of food on his shoulder to provide food for widows, orphans and bedridden people and he is to account for a sheet of cloth even.
In short the lame democracy we find in many countries is rather a curse. In it, the influential people reap the fruit, and enjoy all benefits. The common people have no voice and the ruling junta provides more to the influential and wealthy persons. Critics are punished: poors weep under the yoke of increasing poverty. Even corrupt persons may be chosen to rule. Candidates, who spend huge sums try to make the loss good by fair or foul means. Officials dare not refuse to carry out the orders of the ruling junta. Employments are not given on merit basis but only to the darlings of the ministers or the party leader and, occasionally, the country becomes a police state, in which some Stalin becomes all in all.
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