Disclaimer: The attempt of the article is to debate the
political reasons behind some of the current absurd political developments in
the world. It should not be misconstrued as a justification/encouragement for these events.
In October
2010, Brazilians voted a clown into Congress. Francisco Everardo Oliveira
Silva, better known by his clown name Tiririca (Grumpy in Potugese), received
more than 1.3 million votes in Sao Paulo state. He won on a slogan, "It
can't get any worse."
Rodrigo
“Rody” Duterte was elected the 16th president of the Philippines.
Nicknamed “the Punisher”, Mr. Duterte is an ex-lawyer and one of the longest
serving mayors in Philippines. His policy has focused on a nationwide drug war
to combat the illegal drug trade. He called onto the people of Philippines to
fight and kill the drug pushers, brazenly published a list of alleged drug
mafia on national television. As per the latest reports, over 1900 people have
been killed by the police and vigilantes in the two month term of Mr. Duterte.
His popularity ratings have a soared to a high of 92%.
Mr. Donald
Trump is seeking a term as the 45th president of United States of
America. He attempts to become the most powerful man in the world by building a
wall along the Mexican border (and have the Mexicans pay for it) and banning
the entry of all Muslims to the USA. His opponent in the race is Hillary
Clinton, ex-Secretary of state. Ms. Clinton’s foundation has been accused of
doing undue political favours to businesses and lobbies in a quid pro quo
arrangement in exchange of funds for her campaign and her NGO. As the Secretary
of State during the Barrack Obama administration, Ms. Clinton has also been
accused of closer ties with Islamic Terror Organizations, supplying funds and
arms.
The Europe educated, often philandering and flamboyant Imran Khan Niazi won a million hearts in Pakistan and world all over, when he led the Pakistani cricket team to an world cup victory. He built a cancer hospital, the first of its kind in Pakistan and ignited many dreams when he entered politics. He was the face of modern Pakistan, someone who could lead the Country stuck in the lacuna of regressive politics and oppressive military into the new century. A few electoral defeats later, he realized that getting into power cannot be achieved by Utopian idealism. The new pragmatic path to the high seat saw him rubbing shoulders with the orthodox mullahs and terrorist sympathizers. The blue eyed boy of modern Pakistan was taking regressive steps towards his dream, killing millions he enthused.
Meanwhile
in India, Punjab, one of its most prosperous states, has been reduced to a drug
shanty. The drug racket is allegedly controlled by one the most powerful
ministers of the state, also a close relative of the state chief minister. Interestingly,
the 88 year old Chief Minister Mr. Prakash Singh Badal, was called the Nelson
Mandela of India by the Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi at a political
rally. Mr. Mandela would have taken strong objections to the comparison had he
been alive. If the political winds are to be believed, the coming Elections
will see the rise of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab. AAP was formed as a result
of great awakening of Indian middle class in the wake of charges of mass
corruption carried out by the erstwhile Congress Government. They are currently
in power in the National Capital City state of Delhi, were they are involved in
daily power struggles with the current central Government led by Mr. Modi.
The
continent of Africa is the richest country in terms of natural resources.
However, the citizens of Africa are the poorest in the entire world. The
military dictators rule the countries divided by language, race and tribe. Most
of these military dictators came into power as a result of coup aided by
American and European powers. In exchange of that, American and European
Companies have unregulated access to the rich natural resources Africa is
blessed with. The dictators have made billions and the Companies much more
while the average African is battling hunger, mosquitos and guns.
Why would the citizens of a state chose a
comedian as a lawmaker is incomprehensible. However, if you read the above
events in an alternate sequence starting from last story on Africa ending up with
the story about the clown, things do start to make sense.
The political setup of the world has
constantly disregarded the necessities and the aspirations of the common man.
The world is not as happy a place as it was 50 years ago. An article by Scroll
highlights such deficiencies in the Indian context. People today are earning
less, saving less and eating less than their parents did. The only aspect of
their lives that has gone up is the stress level.
How did that happen?
Development has been a clichéd term systematically abused by politicians across the globe. Development has become a tool to widen the gap between the poor and the rich. The Banks and the financial institutions have become merely agents to facilitate transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich. The Governments across the world led by worldwide institutions have facilitated the movement of black money.
The political system today is nothing but a
platform for organized corruption. The US Government has been in a constant
state of war over since the WWII. It has fought war across the earth, toppled
elected and established governments, and brought instability in more one third
of entire world population today. It has created one monster after another, all
on the pretext of national security but in the hindsight it was just making
money for its stakeholders.
What choices do the people have?
They have a choice an armed rebellion, but one cannot fight on an empty stomach. Those who can fight end up being pawns in
greater power games. African continent is full of such examples. The oppressed
are still hungry, those who fought either died or fought long enough to become
another group of oppressors. Power is a funny thing, it’s the world best
painkiller, aphrodisiac and drug rolled into one. Those who do get power very
quickly forget why they started fighting in the first place and become canny resemblance
of powers they fought against.
India revolted too, albeit peacefully.
Millions and millions thronged the street, there were candle lights protests,
they were non-violent prayers held in disagreement of the selfish government
and there was hope. Then the tyranny of the elected cried out, the people
protesting in the streets cannot make laws, it’s the prerogative of the
elected. That anger led to the formation of new “political” party, but as
highlighted it was a political party, yet another political party. As long as
it was a peoples struggle, it was united and sacrosanct, but it became easier
for opponents to disrobe and defame a political party. There were power
struggles within. A lot of mudslinging and accusations later, it started losing the
trust of the people.
Trump and Rody Duterte embody the discontent
and sentiment of the people against such establishment. The politicians have
long taken the common citizens for granted. The common man does not know who is
more dangerous between Clinton and Trump, he does not know what is more evil
between a system that enslaves thousands to drug abuse or a system that kills
thousands in the name of war against drugs. He no longer knows if it makes any
difference to him.
Then when he cannot do anything else, he elects a Joker………… for “It cant get any worse”.
