Can honesty be best politics also ?
India is going through some historical events which are shaking many established beliefs. When this book was started, many would have laughed even at the well known quote - ‘Honesty is the best policy’.
Political event which happened while the book was being written, have made even political pundits to even think, ‘CAN HONESTY BE THE BEST POLITICS ?‘
This book is not a politically biased book and we are not vouching for the honesty for any party or saying that no other party is honest. However, the way a new entrant in politics got a good success on the basis of an image of honest party and promise of eradication of corruption, where candidates are not spending own money for elections has surprised most political experts.
It is not that such event is 1st time in India or it has happened only in India. Political effectiveness of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Jayaprakash Narayan, Lal Bahadur Shastri, who were based on truth, non-violence and honesty is well known (above examples does not mean that there were no other such honest leaders). However, the political life of last 2-3 decades in India (and most part of the world) made most people believe - HONESTY AND POLITICS DON’T MATCH WELL
This chapter was not planned as it was considered that nobody will like to even think that honesty and politics can go together. However, encouraged by this event, the chapter is being added. Here we will explore the relationship between honesty and politics and see circumstances which encourage such link.
Being a student of science, and an IT professional, I have no exposure to political science textbooks or the philosophy of politics. However, I happened to attend a lecture on politics around 30 years ago.
This lecture focused on how a politician should behave. During the lecture, it was told that if an allegation is made against you, you should immediately deny it in strongest words. I got up and asked, “what if the allegation is true?” The reply was, that even in that case we should not accept the allegation and just deny it. I said, “it is a lie”. I was told that if you can’t lie, then don’t think of politics. We were preached that truth and politics don’t go together. I was quite disturbed by the reply but to my surprise, all others in the class of 30 were satisfied with the answer.
That is the general perception about politics. We have forgotten the politics of truth and honesty. We have forgotten the power of truth and nonviolence.
How this distortion has come? Are most of us not mature enough to live by the strength of truth and honesty? Is politics really such a bad profession that it can’t stand transparency and truth?
Are politicians really required?
As people socialise and live in a community such as a village, some common facilities (like road, street light, schools, well) are required to be developed. Since all people are not absolutely honest, some disputes are natural to emerge among them. Thus a person is required who can take care of above two issues. Such person should have the qualities of leadership and fairness so that his decisions are accepted by all. Also he should have concern for the well-being of others so that he pursues good development of the village. For discharging such duties, this person has to be given powers to take decisions. And in a democratic set up, such person is chosen by majority. A person who has ambition for the development and good governance of the village, has to convince villagers about his sincerity in order to get majority vote. A politician is a person who has all above qualities and ambitions and is highly needed in a society.
Scenario at country level is similar but at a much larger level. One person is not enough to govern a country hence a group of people is needed. The group of people with similar ideology and agenda form a party, which is know as a political party. In a democratic set up, many such parties are formed.
Objective of a political party -
It is clear that the basic objective of a political party is to have an agenda and ideology which brings betterment of people of the country in all spheres of life. To implement this, party needs to win in elections, which becomes it’s secondary objective. To run the party, lots of full time members and offices are required which needs money. Thus to arrange enough money for it’s existence becomes it’s third objective. If parties keep these objectives in this order, it can result in MY GAIN YOUR GAIN OTHERS GAIN and thus is a fully honest act. Also such parties can work with full transparency and truthfulness in it’s working and still be successful. Politics and Honesty can fully co-exist and even strengthen each other. In fact, as the life of politicians is most watched, an honest politician is likely to be more popular and thus successful.
What gets wrong?
It is a popular belief that honesty and politics don’t go together? It happens when the order of objectives gets reversed. Earning money becomes the 1st objective. Winning elections becomes secondary and betterment of people goes to last. Why such reversal in priorities happens?
This happens due to individual ambitions of the party members. Many gets fascinated by the power, media coverage and importance which political leaders get and join politics only for these. They don’t have feelings for betterment of people. Some know that power can be converted into huge money and they consider politics as business. They invest huge amounts of money to influence voters and also donate generously to the party funds. Inspite of that, there is no guarantee for them to win. So, whosoever wins, try to recover many times of his investment. Naturally for him, the priority is to make more and more money from the power and the betterment of people becomes his last priority.
The person who is making money from the position of authority, cannot do it openly. Infact, he has to keep his image as a very honest person, and show that he is working best for the betterment of the people. Thus comes the role of dishonesty, lies and hypocrisy. Honesty cannot be practiced by such people, though it is very important for them to appear honest.
When a party has majority of such members, who come there for personal ambitions of power and money, the party itself loses its focus on the main objective of betterment of people. Arranging money becomes the main priority. Such parties cannot remain truthful and transparent. They seek huge donations from corporates for the favourable policy decisions. How can they remain transparent?
In the last couple of decades, majority of politicians and parties have been of this category and thus was established this common belief - HONESTY CANNOT GO WITH POLITICS.
As was said earlier, the recent events in India is now shaking such beliefs. Time will tell if this belief gets changed to HONESTY CAN BE THE BEST POLITICS or we go back. However, let us analyse reasons why it is difficult for honesty and politics to go together and what can be done to bring this relationship.
Political profession is a profession of conflicts. The conflict is between the personal ambition to live a better life and the professional goal of betterment of people. Though such conflicts are there in every profession, but it is much more profound in politics. Reason is very simple. In politics the scope for misuse of power is highest. Politicians at high level make laws and also take decisions in awarding big contracts. Thus temptation is very high to be dishonest. On the other hand, an honest full time politician has no legal source of income till he wins an election. Even after winning, elected representative’s legal income is not enough to live a luxurious life, which CEOs of most companies enjoy.
Only one out of hundred full time politicians gets a chance to fight an election. And one out of the ten who fight elections win it. How will the left out people and their families earn their livelihood? Can an honest political party take care of them?
So we see that rewards of dishonesty are much more for a political party and to live with full honesty is very difficult. Thus it is natural to see that honesty and politics are poles apart.
The life of a political leader is not easy in such an atmosphere. Political leader has to be very careful of his image as a honest and caring person. So when interacting with public he projects this image, whereas in close party circle, he has to focus on generating more money and winning elections. Life of a politician is always torn between these opposites, specially in the present times of sting operation and frequent shifting of loyalties. Thus genuine politicians are also fed up with this complicated life of double standards and they want to have a simple life based on truth.
Is there solution to this? Because dishonesty in politics has huge impact on the well-being of the country, it is very important to come out of such situation. Not only this, the dishonesty in politics gets spread to all spheres of life. To find a solution, let us look into the recent event in India (similar events have happened in past and around the world also). The details of this event is based on common public perception and the intention here is not to certify any party for it’s honesty.
The recent political event in India
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