Politics has become a dirty game. It has now come to a situation where people say unless you are a crook, you cannot make a career in politics. But if politics has become a den of thieves and robbers, we cannot expect them to legislate rules that would govern our collective life towards a more progressive society; to enhance our well-being. How can we expect thieves and robbers to lead the way in striving for common good? Good people must enter the political arena if we have to have a decent society.
So this campaign -- Clean Election -- by certain groups is a brave and a desirable move. And to make Clean Election more effective in the future, this is what I have to say. It is not sufficient to say that candidates should not distribute money or that people should not take money from the candidates. I call telling the candidates not to try to lure people with money or telling people not to take money as the first line of Strategy for Clean Election campaign. I think we need a second line as well to make it more effective. And this is the second line of strategy: Even if you have taken money, you need not vote for the person from whom you have taken money. Don't let your conscience prick you into voting for the candidate from whom you have taken money!
Now let me provide a theological justification for the second line. Over the years if all the candidates realise that giving money does not really gather votes, they will stop using money to purchase votes. If money does not gather votes, real issues that affect the lives of the people will have to be the subject of electioneering. And this is what Clean Election campaign wants to obtain.
Human being is intrinsically good. I am a Christian and I believe that when God made us, he declares his creation good. But there is also something that has gone wrong. So there is also this part of fallenness in all of us. So trying to get a perfect world through democracy or theocracy or monarchy or whatever is going to be like trying to straighten a dog's tail. However, we can make the world less unjust or a little better place to live. This is possible!
While man is made in the likeness of his Creator and something that distorted him inherently has resulted in his disorientation. By all means we claim to have GOOD intentions/purposes to achieve but often use WRONG methods/approaches to acquire/achieve for our own gratification/satisfaction.
ReplyDeleteWhile Dog's tail is made in its creation; so it shall be. But Man is not like that. He became crooked in the process of regular and consistent practice of DISOBEDIENCE in thought, word and action. A deliberate attempt to distort and twist to his advantage.
Self or selfishness plays the major role in all his decisions."What is there for me?" Money, Power, Authority, Dominion, Success are some of his important cravings that is always at the center of his plans, approaches & purposes. In contrast, dogs have no clue about all this.
We need to look for an alternate equivalent comparison. As man is designed to be unique, comparison has to be unique. Clearly Electioneering needs to be looked at with much deeper perspective of within than some thing superficial.