By Fatima Bint e Asghar.
As it is well known, among other things, the erosion of democracy throughout the world is a result of people’s lack of belief in the legitimacy of elections and their restrictions on free speech. According to John Locke’s “Social Contract and Natural Rights,” people have an inherent right to liberty, property, and life, but in modern society, the capitalist and class based systems have subverted these rights.According to John Staurt Mill, a proponent of utilitarian democracy, democracy should result in the general happiness of its citizens. For instance, policies should be created to maximise citizen happiness on a broad scale, even if it also benefits minorities, because the opinions of minor group does not mean that it’s wrong. However, regrettably, in our nation, the same idea is refuted by the authoritarian society and by the capitalism in the country that is elite class people. The erosion of democratic rule is being driven by attempts to deal with the legitimate election outcomes. A generalized dissatisfaction among youth with political parties and their out-of-touch leaders, and the divisive emergence of right-wing extremism in politics are the main factors contributing to the breakdown of democratic rule.
Thus Authoritarianism is growing stronger while democracy is eroding. There’s a serious threat to world freedom. The opponents of liberal democracy are intensifying their attacks on a global scale however democracy is a kind of self-government where everyone has the right to receive equal treatment under the law and human rights are respected. Authoritarian governments are now more adept at sabotaging institutions and conventions designed to uphold fundamental rights and at helping those who aspire to do the same. Internal forces have taken advantage of flaws in long-established democracies to manipulate national politics in order to foment hatred, violence, and unchecked power. Authoritarian leaders have seized control of nations in every part of the globe in recent times thus negating the democratic rules.
Pakistan’s democracy has been weakened by a number of issues. One of these challenges is a history of military takeovers and interventions that have impeded civilian democracy and led to periods of direct military rule. Thus effecting the individual happiness of citizens and negating democracy. Additionally, the public’s confidence in democratic processes has been damaged by political instability, weakened institutions, corruption, capitalism and ineffective governance. Stable, consensus-based governments have become more unobtainable due to political unrest and tensions between various ethnic and religious groups. Together, these components create an environment that makes it challenging for democratic institutions to function properly. The ongoing state of vagueness and chaos in politics ultimately hinders Pakistan’s democratic progress.While technology has the potential to enhance democratic procedures, it also presents certain challenges. The rapid spread of false information via social media platforms has resulted in a decline in trust in traditional institutions, including the media and political establishments.
Another black mark on Pakistan’s democratic record is the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9 that leads to various protest groups in the country, while at the same time the protestants are brutally treated by the military force thus elites are suppressing the voices of lower classes which is one of the negative effect of capitalism thus hindering democracy. If a government don’t follow democratic rules then it’s the rights of citizens to protest or fight against such governments; government shouldn’t restricts the voices of citizens, While in Pakistan, the opposite is happening.
Capitalism has great role in effecting democracy because it supports the private ownership of the people in the country thus creating class differences and promoting the elites ideologies and not those of lower class. As economic freedom gives individuals the right to be economically independent, so it gives rise to political freedom too as according to International Political economy, the political conditions are being shaped by the global economy for example, if capitalism is emerging at global level then it will effect the democratic rules and economy of the country at political level too. Capitalism will create the gaps between social classes and it will hinder the democracy of the country. If we look at the positive side, elites are economically more powerful that influences the political decisions but again this negatively effects the country’s democracy because power in the hands of elites only causes inequality and imbalance in the political conditions and the democracy that is the right of freedom from the lower class is hindered. Also elite perpetuate political agendas that are shaped by political candidate which are paid large sum of money by the elite class people. Thus the rule of democracy is negated here in which interests of elites are favored only, and not those of lower class.
Democracy is a valuable system in which citizens must participate actively and remain alert at all times. Each of us has an obligation to respect differences in opinion, engage in respectful discussion, and hold our elected officials responsible for their actions. Only by banding together can we restore democratic values and ensure that everyone has a brighter, more welcoming future. Let us band together to defend democracy and work towards preventing its decline for the good of all people.
In conclusion, Citizens in democratic governments have an obligation to learn about public issues, research how political representatives handle these issues, and observe how elected officials use the powers granted to them by the people through voting. They ought to be aware of the political system. Only then would they be able to use voting to voice their opinions and interests and make well-informed choices among the candidates. Voting is a crucial process for determining citizen participation in politics and their preference for leaders. In addition, political campaigning, running for office, participating in public discourse, etc., are all part of participation. In addition, the legal literacy of citizens is crucial for guaranteeing their involvement in governance and fortifying democracy. Socialism can’t be completely followed but atleast there can be the rules made by government sectors to minimize the economic inequality and capitalist system.
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