Falling of Consociational Democracy: Impacted by politics, partisan and power.
The Democracy is falling, and we need to save it!!
The month of July saw another political turmoil, this time in the UK democracy, where in being unsatisfied with the prime minister’s endeavours, the opposition initiated the no-confidence motion against pm Boris Johnson, which, though, failed with Mr Johnson won with the majority support backing of 211 out of 359 votes. However, this support only provides the half picture. Conservative leaders and lawmakers were not satisfied with the pm policies and even lost faith in him. Signs of rebellion emerged as there came the party gate scandal or the violation of the covid-19 norms by the pm or the failed handling of the pandemic or the unsatisfactory Brexit. And these rebellions were ignited by the resignation of the two senior ministers, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid, triggering the disintegration of the government and this other half was cleared as and when Mr Johnson declared its resignation.
These signs were not good. In 2019, this motion of no-confidence was initiated against the then prime minister Theresa May and yet Boris Johnson, elected with a greater majority and support in the same year, morally impelled to give the resignation in just two years.
All over the world, Democracies are facing these turmoils!!
Dissatisfaction, Corruption and No Confidence are something that can be heard or seen everywhere. The Srilanka government had lost everything. Imran Khan’s government in Pakistan also faces the same crisis. Americans were not happy, and the political system of the country was trapped in the gimmick of partisan politics. So what was it that led to what it is in the present?
Answering the question, the article would analyse how democracy was falling and losing its glisters under the malice and corruptness of the leader or the inability of the functional structure.
PARTISAN POLITICS
American Democracy is based on consociationalism, which means the sharing of power between different groups along ethnic, religious, or linguistic lines. However, it is backsliding and moving toward an empirical failure with dividing the country into distinguishable groups. Republicans and Democrats constitute the two main parties that polarise the country and divide between the political lines binding to a particular ideology, not essentially favouring a prosperous future of the country but certainly the hegemony of one’s principle and thesis. One of the sides believes on the lines that to be “truly” American and USA prosperity, you must believe in God, identify as Christian, and be born in the United States. In contrast, others believe to be more liberal and religious plurality in the times of globalisation and immigration.[1] 70% of Republicans believe that America’s culture and way of life have changed for the worse since the 1950s, while 63% of Democrats believe that they have changed for the better.[2]
The same could be seen in the areas of gun violence and others. In February 2021, 39% of Republicans, 31% of Independents, and 17% of Democrats agreed that “if elected leaders do not protect America, the people must do it themselves, even if it requires violent actions.” In November, 30% of Republicans, 17% of Independents, and 11% of Democrats agreed that they might have to resort to violence in order to save our country.”[3]
Between these political divides, there are growing dysfunctions, and the policies besides alluring do not actually resolve the public issues. There is a sharp difference between the principles and practice. Although 1 of the 5 people supports democracy but 6 out of 10, do not think how the system can change and deal to stabilise their problems.
This was by far the same that also can be seen with the Labour and the conservative party in the UK that beholds the way to another election. And the same could be a witness in the majority of two partisan’s countries, influenced by these prominent countries.
The Democracy is Failing, and Institutions and people say that!!
Federal Democratic institutions are failing. The influence of the bureaucratic leaders can be seen on Judiciary as a bias toward one ideology ( Appointed by the presidents). Social Media and other platforms becomes a new dominating force that can impact the election result. (Effect of Facebook on 2017 US Election). Press is also feared and controlled. Private players and corporations lose administrational trust due to the sudden changes of the policies and ineffectiveness or failure of results ( Disorder Brexit)
Not even this, the events such as the impeachment charges against Donald Trump or the attack on the Capitol or the no-confidence motion against Boris Johnson, or the offshore detention crisis against Scott Morrison, all of this represent the growing discomfort of the people towards the leaders, making the discomfort of them with the democracy. The political crisis of Sri Lanka is one of the prior examples of how this discomfort turns into turmoil. Making a threat to democracy.
MULTI DRAMA
Nations like India support a multi-party system wherein there are more than two dominant national parties influencing the political structure of the county. One can say the problem of the partisan is not present here, and the multi choices to be a good option, but as good as it seems on paper, as faded as it is in actual practice. The political system generally dwells in the power tussle leading to more time for election than administration, and deciding the government instead of deciding the work of them. Worse of which is the inducement of several parties in the illicit practices of freebies and subsidies that increase the debt and the future of the country.
Taking the case of India. Just in the last one or two years, there were more than dozen floor tests passed, and the party at power lost its seat. The elected leaders are defecting and leaving the party in chaos. There is nothing such as ideology and policies, just the power politics which made them to shift to the more influential party governing the larger area and having the bigger influence. Taking a recent case as to how one of the oldest Shiv Sena (SHS) governments of Maharashtra falls just after two years of the election, when one of the senior leaders Eknath Shinde, defects and leaves the party with his 37 other MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly) sufficient to collapse the ruling government. The same has been seen in the case of the goa and various other states.
The Democracy is falling, and the government says it!!
The same has also been in the Pakistan government, wherein the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party does not prove its majority in the parliament due to the sudden defect of support and representative, and the no-confidence motion succeeded. Even more, In Pakistan, not even a single prime minister or government has ever completed its tenure of 5 years. A similar situation can also be seen in the political instability in Italy, where the chaos persisted due ot the resignation of Mario Draghi. And in less than 75 years, the government has changed over 65 times.[4]
The Democracy is falling, chaos and protests say it!!
A series of protests, demonstrations, and civil insurrection can be seen in the country Venezuela, which happened again due to the inflation, violence, corruption and all due to the authoritarian government, which is just for the namesake democratic. A similar unsatisfaction towards democratic government can be seen in Brazil, where the people criticised the Brazilian government’s policies and measures and also the response to the pandemic.
Fear of recession, price hikes or inflation, protest and all over a continuous period presented another evidence of the failure of the administration. Making a threat to democracy.
LESSONS FROM COMMUNISM.
People’s Republic of China is a communist country. It is run by a single party, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The people do not possess free will and the choice to choose the government. Civil rights are curtailed, and freedoms are suppressed. Altogether a monopoly rule that does not care for the individual. But this monopoly rule cares for the country, and that much more than the individual. The concern of the government for the country over the individual has led to keep aside the vested interest of each and every and make the rule that though not in favour for the people but for the country. This led to the proliferation and the development of the country. This led to the fact that one of the most populous countries has one of the least COVID-19 effects. This led the country to leverage over the other country, and instead of busying with the election and forming a government, the administration is busy in forming the nation. Making today a safer future ahead.
CONCLUSION
Nothing can be denied that the leaders were for the people and not for the country, and we love to be ruled as human and not just as a country, wherein the government does not relate to our problem and just go behind the country. However, we always love a welcome change, a change, a lesson to be learned and opted.
Indisputably, democracy on paper can be said to be the best political form that preserves rights and liberties. However, it was practically dishevelled due to the corruptness and power politics. We need to preserve it, to manage to go beyond the personal motive to think towards the country’s growth and the preservation of the democracy spirit so that day in and day out, we would not slip off all that we have, but the best form of government.
The Democracy is falling, and we need to save it!!
REFERENCES
Is democracy failing and putting our economic system at risk?, William A. Galston and Elaine Kamarck, The Brookings Institution and the States United Democracy Center.
Disorderly exit: On Boris Johnson, The Hindu
India’s anti-defection law didn’t stop power politics. It just moved from farmhouse to resort, ABHISHEK DEY, THE PRINT
[1] “Attitudes towards Democracy,” July 2021, https://www.moreincommon.com/our-work/publications/ — 7th
[2] ibid
[3] Larry Diamond, Lee Drutman, Tod Lindberg, Nathan P. Kalmoe and Lilliana Mason, “Americans Increasingly Believe Violence is Justified if the Other Side Wins,” Politico, October 1, 2020, https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/10/01/political-violence-424157.
[4] https://theconversation.com/italian-government-collapse-the-political-chess-moves-behind-mario-draghis-resignation-187648
