Meritocracy vs. Democracy : From the present context of Bangladesh Note: This is a freelance column, published mainly in different internet based forums. This column is open for contribution by the members of new generation, sometimes referred to as Gen 71. If you identify yourself as someone from that age-group and want to contribute to this column, please feel free to contact. Thanks to the group moderator for publishing the article. ============
Are the democracies around the world really democracy? Is meritocracy absent in the established democracies?
Answer is not knowing the answer!
There was a time when systems, organizations were designed so that the answer is known. But that philosophy is age old . Off course, I am talking about designing a system with known answer - to make sure the answer is good. But the those days are gone. It is an era of communication when you can not design a system whose answer is known. Rather you have to make sure that the elements are in good shape, communication channel is open and the supporting infrastructure is there. All of these will eventually help in the evolution of an answer that is good for all. In other words, do not design for a result, rather design the elements, connections and structures as best as you can. If you do that you can be assured that you will get as best an answer as was possible within the constraints present in the system.
Commissions, Media, Judiciary - Three branches are the pillars of meritocracy. This works when the majority stakeholders are honest and competent.
However, so far, we in Bangladesh has depended on one form of meritocracy. The student politics. The major component of this stakeholder that can be said with confidence was honesty. The honesty is still there in the general members of the group. However the leadership lost that honesty.
This loss started when Zia started meddling into the student politics. Many of you may say that Zia had good intention in his heart - but that is not the point of this article. The point is its that time when the only meritocracy that we had were lost!
The loss that started with Zia reached in its pick during the time of Mass Upheaval in 1990 when Ershad was thrown away. Those of you who were kids at that time might be thinking - how come? Wasn't it the case that the students were the main force who contributed to topple the Ershad government? Yes, it is true. Yet, that was the lowest ebb of our student movement.
Those who are informed knows that - at the same time Ershad was preparing to go jail, our student leadership (e.g. Ducsu members) were working behind the scene to earn crores of taka from the business man who were known to be attached with Ershad.
Those who are informed also knows that it was the students movement who forced both Hasina and Khaleda to join hands so that Ershad is forced out of power. It was also known that the students' movement forced the political leadership to accept a list of demands.
However, the meritocracy (i.e. students) did not do their job. They were busy with earning money, benefiting from their newly earned stature that they gained during 1990 movement. For the same reason, Hasina and Khaleda could move away from their commitments that they made.
Now, when thinking back, it seems too much to ask from the students to hold the political leadership accountable so that they behave. Its true that students had their role. However, those were different times which goes back to the tradition of opposing the Brits and Pakis. But we are now a sovereign nation. We should not be wasting our youth by depending on them to do our job. Its really is not suited to a responsible, grown up nation.
Other kinds of meritocracy should take over. The base is already there. Different commissions are being established. There is a free and vibrant media. Also, the judiciary is free and independent. Now, the question is whether the members of these meritocracies will be competent enough to assert their role on the politicians - who have a tradition of going out of track - not only in our country, but in all countries and in all times.
We can spend day after day in blaming or even punishing politicians, but they are always that kind of animals who loves to go out of the track. It is the job of the other branches of the society that put on breaks on the politicians. Until that happens, until our commissions, media and judiciary starts discharging their job with responsibility and courage, the benefits of democracy will remain out of touch of the millions.
If you thought some of the ideas are worth of your reading time, please forward it to others. If you have an ear to the columnists in regular traditional media, please forward it to them. If you have an ear to the journalists and news editors of the electronic media, discuss it with them. Hope they would look at the suggestions and give due diligence.
Thanks for your time,
Innovation Line
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