Your A B C and 1 2 3 of Political Economy - Power over Resources - Part 7

The Author: Sarjo Bayang

Power over Resources
Casting your vote gives someone else full command power over resources belong to you and them on equal terms. Politics is about economic power being given and taken. Voters deserve to know much so that they make informed choices.

Politics comes with risks affecting everyone including those who may not know how the game is played. Careful consideration required before we allow someone take the driving seat taking us to a destination known only to them. We want to be informed.

Decision making powers to allocate resources accordingly

Political high office goes with not only name and fame. There is authority to make decisions on behalf of everyone else.

Development politics enhances political development. Providing projects and amenities for political point score is simply development politics. By providing for communities, the politician gains political capital in vast ways. That is a scheme of political development.

To decide in the best shared interests is most preferred way of representation. Such is not the usual conduct of every political high office holder. Biased decision making to suit the interest of party supporters is seen as alienation on the part of those denied.

Political education will be inadequate if voters are not making informed choices due to misleading pronouncements by contending parties and candidates. It is normal for communities to receive support from a sitting government even if such communities are considered opposition in their majority. They are tax payers after all and deserve to be given what is due.

Capable of corruption and other wrong doings without trace

Lot of invisible hands operate behind the scene. Yet heavy weight of the law often falls on those scrambling over crumbs. Big fish are hard to catch. Maybe the net size is too small to contain them. How they manage to escape remains mystery for those of us outside the ring.

All we know is that big people often keep longer friendship with the law until such time they fall apart. The law remains dormant so long as big people stay in the high chair.

When they fall from being hero and down to zero, all hell break loose with cans of worms spilling all over and skeletons in cupboards falling to pieces.

While occupying the high chair as president or some key figure in politics, people only talk about their corruption during gossip. There is fear that talking about the devil in power will cause trouble.

Fear of falling victim when you talk about corruption at high positions imposes constraints even for whistle blowers.

Over time people gather strength and confidence to deal with it head on. It starts with small group gossips and later catches fire at level of whole society as popular rumour.

Failing to deliver in no fear of punishment
Knowing there is job security at least over the next electoral cycle, some politicians work harder during campaign period than any time later. Sincerely committed ones will go the extra mile to satisfy their electorates beyond all expectations.

With all that is at their disposal owing to the occupation of that high seat, some politicians still want more. They are not seriously committed in meeting those loud pronouncements during campaign period.

Government is like business where it takes resources to get goods and services delivered. Failing to deliver as promised makes a case to unseat any person on high seat of politics. There is high risk of resources when those in custody of what everyone owns fail to deliver.

No business in this commercial world will be sustainable over the long run without creating satisfaction for those in need. Government business is also about creating satisfaction for the many that put the elected few to serve them.

Expectation gaps get wider when politicians fail to deliver on their promise. A change in rule of the game is long overdue.

Just as any job seeker is required to demonstrate their experience and expertise especially once hired, politicians who take custody of the bigger bulk in resources have much expected from them.

We are not making unreasonable demands expecting politicians to perform miracle. The are hired to do a job. Having to serve public needs and creating satisfaction is a social contract in politics for each side is required to meet their end of the bargain.

People vote giving politicians mandate to preside over shared resources. The least expected is for public goods and services to be delivered with full commitment to the unwritten social contract.