Politics is Collective Dynamism
Politics is the art or science of effective government. Politics come to include all that concerns with or is involved in guiding and influencing government policy. Actions and practices that we find commonplace in politics are much about winning and holding control of a government by way of effective actions and practices, also known as policies. In effect, these practices become the political affairs or the business of governance. People in politics often canvass political opinions and sympathies of those that they represent from a diaspora of national and local representation. Politics in the democracies of developed modern nation-states often contend with the challenges of enormous election expenditures, which at times amount to hundreds of millions of dollars. Political success and influence then requires affiliations and friendships with those that have competing interests that sometimes are in stark contrast to the needs and sympathies of populations.
Does Democracy Represents People?
Democracy really means or represents a rule by the people. One may suppose that every rule of any type of political representation is rule by the people. However, functional democracies pride themselves in being a representation which embodies a rule by the people and jor the people in a popular government representation. A social and moral dilemma which is manifest in the political representations of democracies in many developed nations is that of enfranchisement—disenfranchisement of the political elite and representatives. Political leaders of major political parties are enfranchised with corporate interests, the upper class, major business partners, and dilemma-sympathies which, if supported, would only propel forward political careers. With a backdrop to this reality of political existence, leaders are often disenfranchised from dealing with the real life dilemmas of millions of dead people from drug overdoses, hundreds of thousands of violent crime deaths from guns and knives, millions of homeless people in tent encampments, the poor and working poor who are barely able to afford food and groceries, and never ending wars funded by the sweat and blood of taxpayer dollars.
Do People Trust Politicians?
Accountability and responsibility for one’s actions are concepts which resonate well with the average citizen when considering law and order and personal obligations towards good. This concept does not however resonate well with nation-states and corporations in consideration of beneficence and non—malfeasance and responsibility towards humanity. Despite that individuals and small representations of individuals are relatively easy to criminalize, policies and activities of states and corporations are difficult to criminalize for a number of reasons. Such criminal activity is often perpetuated by those who have rank in society and hold and amount of trust.
People trust the social—political leadership of their communities and society, and don’t necessarily hold leaders responsible for decision-making which is not in the best interest of the state or greater democratic goals. At times though, we do hear of public inquiries into matters of leadership and corruption, and even about those facing impeachment by bodies of representation. However, despite these processes in administering justice, fairness, and accountability, many harmful outcomes of state sponsored activities are seen and felt years later and sometimes even far from home. Therefore, the harmful effects of criminal activity and the repugnance of death and destruction is not seen and felt at home and in-person by citizens of our communities. Wars by way of predation are often dubbed special military operations at home, while the outcome away from home is devastating in the loss of life and destruction of civil architecture. Furthermore, civilian populations at home are not shown any amount of the chaos, death, and everything else repugnant manifest. Thus, populations are often oblivious to the realities of such wars.
At times, legislation, lack of jurisdiction, or the means to make resolutions effective prevents state compliance. In turn, this allows sponsored crimes to continue without prosecution.National security interests and regulations allow departments to control the flow of information and its sources. Measures of social control are used to shape popular opinions about good and bad, just and unjust, and repugnant and acceptable. Having jurisdiction over a matter is simply about having a legal mandate and obligation into matters concerning a problem or dilemma. The means to make a resolution effective is much about having the ability in resources of people,funds, and effective force to ensure compliance from all parties concerned.
Cultural Manifestations vs. Legal Stipulations Claiming “Good of the People.”
Corporations, for example, often work with federal authorities in order to authorize drilling, mining, excavation, and deforestation. Although rights groups may consider their acts violations and inherently wrong, legislation and state sponsorship protects states and corporations from prosecution. As a result, many such industries are promoted in the interest of economy, development, and employment. Likewise is the example of the military industrial complex. Although predation by nation-states over others is terrorism manifest, national security interests and foreign policy through effective legislation allows for the sale, donation, and procurement of deadly weapons to be used in order to wage war. Socio-political alliances allow for intelligence gathering, sharing, and planning towards common goals. A lack of jurisdiction and the means to make resolutions effective may prevent opponents, adversaries, and even concerned entities from having any mandate or the means to intervene.
Although social measures exist in society and shape popular opinions about good and bad, just and unjust, and repugnant and acceptable, our perceptions about these elements are culturally influenced and shaped by the social forces that surround us. Cultural influence is a dynamic concept which largely depends on social context and belonging. To make whatever is bad into good and amicable, one must influence the culture of bad and the social forces which correlate with it. Popular opinions about this good must also be seen and understood in being just that. Having many such social forces working towards common goals results in cultural influence and a change in people’s perceptions. In retrospect, public morality, good behaviors, and human perseverance in the determinants of life go towards beneficence and against maleficence. The continuance of such efforts is our progress as humankind and our humanity manifest.
Mohammad Momin Khawaja is a Sociologist and a Journalist: Member of the Canadian Sociological Association (CSA) and Member of the International Center for Journalism – ICFJ Global Network, Washington, D.C. USA. A graduate of Laurentian University in Sociology, he writes on current issues of cultural studies, social justice, criminology, philosophy,history and problems of indigenous social welfare system and human development. He is author of numerous publications including, Women in the Ancient World (Lambert Academic Publication, 2023), Philosophy and Ethics; and A World Community: Diversity in Cultures and Values (2024). He recently published: “North American Colonization of Indigenous People, Cultures and System of Social Welfare.”
