“Democracy Day: How Far Have We Gone?”
Democracy day celebration have been turned into debate, quizzical and contemplative day by events, incidents and utterances of many leaders and scholars in the world today.
It used to be a day to remind those not govern by it of what they are missing. The word alone used to remind those outside it’s influence that they are on wrong train. Not anymore.
Those dictators at it’s opposite have been given rightly or wrongly the impression that democracy is dying and their own system is coming out of coma in a tantalizing way too good for the trumpeters of democracy to resist.
Sometimes, it is too difficult for the heart not to desire what the eye have seen. The principles of democracy kept being tampered with, with each nation coming out with their own democratic characteristics they claimed that it’s unique to their nation or tribe therefore coloring democracy with different colors.
After various modifications of democratic principles, democracy itself have been reduced to an equivalent of every other system in existence in the world today. Stripped of it’s uniqueness and renders to pitiable state it’s in today.
The right to take part in decision making, fair and equal treatment of all under the system have virtually disappeared.
Secrecy being the hallmarks of every successful government no more holds. People, especially the leaders of democratic nations prefers to wash their dirty under wears in public and hang them where all are to see.
Some leaders that felt that they knew what is best for all of us or believed that we are too illiterate or stupid to know what is good for us have stripped democracy of those principles that warranted our input. They have stripped us of our right of being part of decision making. They make those decisions for us without our consent.
If you believe that my vote is irrelevant, why should I bother to queue up to vote in the first place only for it to be dumped without being counted or stuff ballot boxes with fake votes from abroad while their cousins are tampering with computers to manipulate events.
Democracy if I haven’t forgotten weren’t chosen or trumpeted as best form of governance because it guarantees money in the pocket for everyone. NO. It is viewed as best because it makes me feel wanted, feel human, protected from unnecessary harassment, imprisonment, poverty while assuring that all that’s due to me is giving to me everywhere. Family, school, working places, court etc.
It promised that if I use my head well, mind my business and sweat a little that am assured of food, clothes and housing. It equal promises personal peace without fear of being labelled one thing and thrown into some dark under ground or my belongings being taken away by force or even my wife and children.
Policies coming into effect without masses voting is scary.
Democracy isn’t preferred by many because it’s better in producing economic or military results than others. No, best form of governance isn’t measured by how much the country have, rather by the degree they are enjoying that wealth.
Recently, great effort have been expended in discrediting and desecrating the system both by those born into it and the opposition. They see the system as ladder to cross carpet to the other systems.
I have written and debated that those other systems might be what third world countries needs due to their environment, resources and people in those third world countries. But, I am not young or naïve enough not to Know that human nature abhor being dictated to, harassed or forced into decisions he/ she doesn’t like.
So, as we celebrate this year’s democracy day and as we reminisce how far we have fared in it as humans, it would do us, future generations and the entire world a hell of good to stick to the principle that made democracy enticing to us and many in the first place.
Whether our nature as human have changed or not, must we change system that made us free and more humans? ---democracy, debate, silent wars or not is truly the way to go.
Happy democracy cum freedom day to you all.
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