Goa really need not bother about events that happen in China, even though it has been in the news for the trade war being fought with the USA, more by words and less by action. Actually both parties are merely posturing before negotiating a deal that makes both parties happy. However, worse case, if this snowballs into an actual trade war, it will still have a very limited impact on Goa. But there is something else China has done recently which Goans and Indians should really pay attention. The Chinese President Xi Jinping recently abolished the presidential two-term limit. Technically China’s lawmakers had a two-day meeting and swiftly made the change in the constitution, which now enables Xi Jinping to remain in office as long as he wants.
Let’s face it; democracy is going through one of its worst phase world over. In normal circumstances a development that keeps a leader in power forever, would meet with outrage at least from the democratic western counterparts, but hardly anybody spoke. Not that the media did not cover the event, but they did not make enough noise that would make the world sit up and take note. On the contrary if rumours are to be believed a leader at a private gathering even applauded the way Xi Jinping’s managed to change the constitution in a jiffy to suit his requirements.
China is not exactly an example of democracy and so are some countries. They have elections supposedly stage managed to get legitimacy from countries where democracies are completely at another level. Lifting the term limit in China brings to an end a system they were trying to follow that came into force in 1982 and endorsed by Den Xiaoping that set a limit for two terms for Presidents inorder to prevent lifelong dictatorship. China seems to have reversed that just like that.
Just keep the China argument aside, we in India boasts being the largest and loudest democracy in the world and conduct elections that might not be completely fair, but are not stage managed either and yet we Indians have never demanded setting up a term limit for politicians. Ideally by now India should have amended the constitution to set a ‘ONE’ term limit for any politician holding an office, considering the size of our population and more capable hands waiting in the wings to serve the nation. The country or the state is too big a deal to let just one person take a shot to eternity. Many might argue that politician are re-elected based on their performance, but that can be easily manipulated, with fictitious figures through the bureaucracy they control. Besides, a politician to get himself re-elected never focuses on improving the system in one go, he does it piecemeal so as to coincide it with his re-election. Holding back decisions that could be beneficial to the country if taken at the right time are not in the best interest of the country or its citizens.
For example Party B comes to office with a massive majority because of the promise to go after Party C corruption, then delays action for the next four years and wakes up only in the last year of the election. By then the corrupt has already laundered the money, maybe even distributed among relatives and friends making it all the more difficult for agencies to trace and track. The four year delay is a cost to the nation just to re-elect the incumbent. All these gimmicks would come to an end when the elected representative knows he can hold office for only five years. It will also put an end to politicians who have made politics as their career with corruption, nepotism and lousy performance added to their qualifications.
Politicians perpetually elected is the main reason Party B & C have decided to take turns to win elections by scratching each other’s back, meanwhile pretending to shout, meant entirely for public consumption. Both parties usually dance the corruption-communalism tango which guarantees them the control of the country, while the citizens are made to face the music for electing them. The ignorant population is unable to see the design and usually fall prey to the phony differences they create to make the fight look real.
Even their inner party democracy record is pathetic, for example Prime Minister Modi was given an opportunity to do great things for the country but he should have done it at one go. He squandered the chance and now must make way for others in his party to run for office. Same goes to Rahul Gandhi, infact if he makes an announcement in advance that if elected he will change the law to a one term limit, it will once and for all end the dynasty argument and might even tilt the scales in his favor. It is time Indians come out of the slave mindset that leaders are born and we the subjects need to follow them. Once a person is elected to office he should make use of the limited time the country gives him to improve systems and set things right. If he still has an unfinished agenda that could not be completed in one term, too bad, but let somebody else take it from here. A country is not an individual’s private property that we handover control to one single person eternally just because we love the way he talks.
Goa will be the biggest beneficiary, of a rule that will limit a politician to one term because over the years we have elected the same people over and over again even with mediocre performance and in many cases with attached baggage of corruption. A rule like this will automatically disqualify a sitting politician from the next election and allow more willing and capable people to run for office. Only if that happens can we then boast about our democracy to China otherwise there is hardly any difference.
(The author is a business consultant).
