Your A B C and 1 2 3 of Political Economy by Sarjo Bayang Part 25

Everywhere around the world, public outcry gets louder about failure of politicians fixing the national economy while they feed on it with open access to collectively owned resources.

In the job description of political office holders, there is no mention about their responsibility to fix the economy. That is just because politicians apply for their job by seeking votes. The rest they do own their own without consulting key stakeholders comprising the voting public.

Apart from their fat pay package, politicians also tap on the national economy by numerous fringe benefits including huge financial incentives. Is it not time that proper talk in clear language begin about why politicians fail to fix our national economy while feeding on it?

Economic Interest First
Organisations, institutions, and all other human formations sustain their operations by permit of resources with prevailing economic provisions. Nothing goes right without solid pillars set on functioning economic platform.

Make no mistake about this. All “right-thinking” voters assume that their candidate of choice will deliver best economic welfare for everyone. When that fails, another talk begins.

Anytime the economy falls sick, that impact is felt first by low income brackets of society and least able. Before those at the top feel any pinch, bottom strata of society keep sinking to sea rock depths.

Expectations are always high. Not just regarding politics but all human establishments require stable economic maintenance. One chain link broken can send loud alarm all around.

For example, when a government or private establishment gets broke, salaries and other dues are not paid. Sometimes payments get delayed. Those are all linked to economic health of the sitting government or a commercial private establishment in the informal sector.

Unpaid salaries trigger public disaccord in many ways. Rents, school fees, utility bills and other costs are not met in time. This leads to unrest. Livelihood is threatened. People cannot stand that for long enough.

Sustainable livelihood with best economic welfare upkeep is a human right by strict account of reality. Therefore, the job of fixing the economy so that every little hand has what to feed on is a duty-bound matter.

The Good Life beyond Dreams
A popular saying goes that “the good life philosophers think about is what everybody wants.” Therefore, what politicians and top managers want for themselves that is what ordinary people want also.

To cater only for those at the top leaving rest of society suffer is economic injustice needing quick fix solution. People cannot stay in tongue biting silence beyond tolerable limit. Right moment of frank talks arises when the few take undue economic advantage of resources while rest of the population stay empty hands with no hope of redemption.

If politicians and top managers are not willing to school us up about their economic gains from our collectively owned resources, there is nothing wrong asking them to rethink.

Private establishments provide such incentives as annual bonus to employees. That by itself is a confidence booster and can stimulate productivity.

Just because government is not privately operating profit-making establishment does not make good excuse to neglect public welfare in terms of good life everyone deserves.

Those of you voted into public office are by such occasion entrusted as custodians of the national economy everyone relies on. You are paid salaries while enjoying other lucrative financial incentives just to keep good watch and fix the national economy. Doing it right translates into the good life everybody wants. Fixing your own salaries and other juicy benefits and throwing crumbs at the public is economic injustice that cannot be tolerated after certain limit. Provide the way to good life where and when it is due.

Unable to Fix the Economy, look for Another Job

Now to name the fat elephant in the room. Any politician or holder of responsible position unable to create best economic welfare for the rest is not fit for the job.

In profit making private business, every job function is meant to add value. Those who fail to perform are encouraged to work harder. When their performance levels keep getting lower, they are relegated to lower ranks or get the sack at extreme poor standard resourceful contribution.

Given the power to take custody of the national is beyond political jokes and sweet talks. A slow performing economy is felt by everyone. This is something very easy to pick.

When cashflow is limited, public spending drops down. Without employment and other income generating engagements, there is no purchasing power.

Situations like this tend to signal broken chain links along the economic engine operating machinery. It got to be fixed right, and properly. The responsibility to fix that broken economic chain link lies on shoulders of those paid for the job.

In our example of profit-making private establishments, top management shoulders responsibility to ensure sustainable operations at optimal gainful returns.

Every other human establishment relies on resources that propel the economy. Those given responsibility to keep the engine of growth on functional operating order must take blame for anything going wrong.

They take pride and praise when things go right. They must take blame and pain when things go wrong. Like in private business, those who cannot deliver profit need looking for another job. Politicians that cannot fix the economy must look for another job. It is simple as that. No ifs or buts.

People don’t Feed on Words
Living hopeless life with empty pockets is hard to go on. On top of other unbearable situations, empty talks cannot fill up the gaps. In short, people don’t feed on words.

During election periods, voters buy words at face value with every hope that they will be translated into better economic livelihood sooner or later. Quite often, those words remain caked up and never melting for everyone to enjoy the juicy drops.

As custodians of the national economy, politicians are bound to deliver without needing to be coaxed. It is a call to national duty which cannot be neglected with pain to others.

In the private sector profit making establishments, words are translated into concrete plans and tangible results set to deliver. Failed managers get the sack or relegated to lower duty functions. Why must failed politicians keep the job and piling up more words of hope they are not committed to deliver.

Not delivering on promises renders the situation critical. As in real life, biting what you can chew makes easy digest. In politics too or for management of other human establishments, people need no mouth full of words that cannot meet the test of reality.

Let politicians spit out the honey locked in their jaws and talk clear words matching productive action. Man cannot live on bread alone.

With or without the Best Economic Solution
Good life is not mere feeling induced by hope. To expect economic miracle with limited resources will be very wild assumption of reality at hand.

New economic realities will emerge even after solving the most challenging constraints. The call to duty is not to eliminate every atom of economic problem mankind accumulated in generations.

A reasonable ground for settlement is where those given the responsibility take their duty with utmost commitment.

Keeping custody of the economic superstructure requires high level competence. The ability by managers to identify and motivate highly capable persons tells how competent such managers can be.

We don’t expect chief custodians rolling their long sleeve to spin the economic engine in functional operation. It is however the mark of good and competent management or leadership to ensure right people are doing what is best required.

Organisations, institutions, governments and all human establishments are meant to serve best economic interest of everyone with optimal satisfaction.

To lower the noise of public outcry, those at the top must serve best economic interest of the rest; especially compact majority at lower stations of the social strata.

Real time spending money in healthy cash flow fuels the economy. When that money gets stuck at one tiny corner, the economy becomes sick. Those responsible public office holders who cannot fix the economy to ensure good life for everyone, they need looking for another job.

Where private establishment will not let their business run at the risk of meddling incompetent hands, a whole government being toyed around by careless operatives is dangerous nose dive at everyone’s perish.

As the year 2018 comes to an end, season’s greetings to you all, hoping that coming years bring better sustainable good life everyone deserves. With healthy cash flow to fuel the economy run by capable caring hands, there is much to expect. Happy New Year Everyone.