Time To Take Democracy Seriously

Most of us believe that democracy is a good thing. Some of us will fight for its maintenance. The current conventional wisdom is that democracy is the best system of government and enables the people to participate in their governance.

But how do the people participate in government? To many, the democratic right is exercised and the duty done when they vote to select their representatives and leaders.

But does selecting those who govern once in four years to do what they like mean that the people participate in government? Of course in theory, the government does not do what they like.
 
Those who seek the mandate of the people explain what they would do to advance the interests of the nation.
 
In their manifestos and promises, they ask the people to confer power on them to do precisely what they pledge.

But we know that this does not often happen. It is not because governments are not to be trusted. Often when governments assume power they find that the real situation is different from what they believed.
 
 Sometimes the funds are not available to do what they want to do and the people are not ready to pay more taxes or make the necessary sacrifices. Of course it is the task of leadership to explain what should be done and obtain the support of the people to tread a difficult but necessary terrain.
 
But generally and especially in our part of the world governments take the line of least resistance and plod on. The tendency is to equate personal and clique well-being to national progress.

In such a situation, without any high purpose, degeneration in governance sets in and the tentacles of corruption spread.

We the people should realise that we are partly responsible for the actions of those we vote into office. We think democracy is simply exercising the voting right and then going to sleep. We should take democracy seriously if we want a better life.

Even after a government has been elected we should not leave it alone to do what it likes. We should keep reminding it of its manifesto and promises.
 
Furthermore, we should react against actions which are inimical to our interests. Organised pressure and demonstrations are part of the democratic process.
 
They make governments uncomfortable and even feel threatened. That is why there are so many laws about assemblies and demonstrations.
 
That is why the security agencies tend to impede or suppress critical expression. But democracy is nothing but trivial periodic public endorsement of an oligarchy if the people do not put the government constantly on its toes.

With the vast array of powers in the hands of the government it is often difficult for civil society groups to exert productive pressure on government.
 
Voting to put a party into power is therefore a major duty of the people. In Ghana we are rightly gripped with election fever at the moment.
 
But what do we discuss? Do we take the democratic process seriously or is election time an opportunity to trivialise issues?

I am depressed by the discussion about the running mate of the flag bearers. The status and other issues pertaining to women are too important and serious to be trifled with by a mere ceremonial post in the constitution.
 
 I refer to the position of Vice-President. As far as I can see, the main function of the Vice-President is to do what the President asks him or her to do.
 
Why then all this hullabaloo about a woman being chosen as running mate to a man so that she may become Vice President.
 
Why not deal with the ingrained habits and attitudes which impede the advancement of women to leading positions.
 
 I am so convinced about the equality of women with men that I will vote for a woman to be President if she shares my political beliefs and inclinations and has the leadership character to be a President.

Of course whoever we select should be capable of being President, since if the President dies in office, he or she automatically becomes President. But we should not argue as if a woman becoming an appendage of a male President proves the capability of our women.
 
They have proved their capability long ago and we should all therefore insist that appropriate action is taken to abolish all practices including abominable ones like Trokosi that degrade women and impede their progress.

What then should we talk about and ask those who seek our votes to undertake to do when they assume office? The economy, education, health are subjects which immediately come to mind.

Can we really be independent when our budget is only balanced by the generosity of donors? And what do we do to regain our sovereignty? What projects should we execute and which ones do we postpone?
 
Does the government consider certain areas of economic activity as taboo's or does it intervene when the national interest so dictates as even the Americans did recently when the financial system was threatened? Our experts should lead in posing specific questions and making suggestions so that those who seek our mandate may tell us what they would do in specific areas when they win power.

We agreed that standards in education have fallen. We do not want vague promises about putting things right. We are tired about assertions that education is key to economic growth. What concerns us is that about one third of our elementary school leavers are not literate. What specific action do we take in this and other areas?

And as far as health is concerned, we all suffer from inadequate service. What do we do with our modest resources? Why should Cuba appear to have a better health service than we have, considering our resources and theirs?

Election time is the time for the people to ask specific questions and demand specific answers. It is time for the people to show the power and exercise this power robustly and responsibly. It is either four years of progress or forty-eight months of drift in misery.
 
The choice is ours. We should understand the democratic system and employ it to move forward. Democracy is serious business.

By K. B. Asante
 

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