Political parties and death of dissent
AFTER experiencing numerous systems of governance, states have finally realized that democracy is the best form of governance among all the available systems. The central features of democracy entail sovereignty of people; free and fair elections, rule of law, transparency and accountability; freedom of speech and tolerance and pluralism among others. These features collectively distinguish democracy from other forms of governance and strengthen its very foundation. Among the most celebrated values of democracy include culture of dissent within political parties where everyone exercises its freedom of expression and logically criticizes party leadership for their policies with impunity. This culture of dissent ensures transparency and accountability within political parties and does away with unchecked authority. In the long run, these dissenting voices bolster democracy. There is no denying the fact successful democracies of today encourage culture of dissent with no holds barred. However, pseudo-democratic states like Pakistan are denuded of this culture of dissent; as a result of which an authoritarian culture has developed within political parties.
A few months ago, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, a former senator and senior politician of Pakistan People’s Party, who has been censuring the malfeasance of PDM-led government, wasasked to resign from senatorship and later made to part ways with the party. Likewise, Aitzaz Ahsan, the prominent lawyer of PPP was sidelined by the party for his open criticism on policies of coalition government. Recently, Latif Khosa of the same party was sent away on the pretext of disregarding the party policies. This is not the case of PPP only. All the political parties of Pakistan are following the same suit where culture of dissent is disappearing. Take for example, Miftah Ismail, former Finance Minister, and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former Prime Minister, who were sidelined from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz for not adhering to policies of PMLN-led government. The same culture of not absorbing dissent is also witnessed in the largest political party of Pakistan- Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf who sent packing numerous party officials for finding fault with party policies.
The culture of dissent is of paramount significance in modern democracies. It allows parties to pursue pragmatic policies that have undergone rigorous intra-party debates. This culture of debate with dissenting voices being heard ensures wide representation of people in policymaking, and policies formulated in this way are more productive. The deteriorating quality of democracy in Pakistan is manifested from the death of dissent within political parties, where whosoever criticizes policies is thrown out of party. Likewise, culture of dissent is important in a sense that it allows party workers to make their party leaders accountable for their flawed policies. When any member is allowed to express his/her opinion with no holds barred; he/she can hold leaders accountable for their actions and policies. A party environment which is denuded of culture of dissent ultimately leaves no space for criticism; as a result accountability vanishes.
Another the most problematic aspect of this vanishing culture of dissent within political parties is that sycophancy has taken firm roots in political parties. When political parties do not tolerate dissenting voices they actually leave room for culture of sycophancy to nourish which in the longer run leaves no space for criticism within political parties. Leaders demand full compliance and loyalty from party workers and any voice that does not toe their line is sent packing. These sycophants and cronies blindly toe the line of their party leaders and follow all is well approach. Likewise, these lickspittles leave no stone unturned to please their party head and consider it their moral duty to defend the unquestioned policies and actions of party leaders. This culture of obsequiousness completely erodes voice of dissent within political parties where leaders only rely on the small coterie of these sycophants in policymaking. This leads to centralized decision-making within political parties as articulated by Dr. Ishrat Hussein in his masterpiece ‘Governing the Ungovernable.’
When political parties detest disagreement within their parties they pave the way for authoritarianism to take firm roots. Democracy and authoritarianism cannot move together as the underlying principles of both the systems are antithetical to each other. The prevailing culture of intolerance towards dissent, in Pakistan, ultimately has given rise to authoritarianism in political parties. In Pakistan this is evident from the fact that only those stay and enjoy positions within parties and cabinets who blindly defend wrongdoings of parties and governments. As a result, political parties in Pakistan appear to be monarchist organizations, led by a monarch sitting on the top in the form of party head, with a group of errand boys who are perfectly suited for appearing in rallies and jalsas only without any say in policymaking. The culture of dissent within political parties is the linchpin of democracy. In healthy democracies, political parties not only tolerate but also celebrate dissent. Moreover, without dissent democracies cannot function properly as evident by the debilitating state of democracy in countries like Pakistan. Pakistani leadership must realize that without encouraging culture of dissent within their parties, the national dream of sustainable consolidation of democracy in Pakistan would never be materialized.
The writer is Research Associate, South Asian Strategic Stability Institute, Islamabad.
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