Can a political party that rejects democracry within itself run a democratic nation?

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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In his book, Musharraf states that he could work with the Pakistan People’s Party, if not for Benazir being around. Amongst many criticisms, he picks on on the fact that Benazir Bhutto has been designated PPP leader for life. Musharraf compares this type of designation to African dictatorships led by a leader for life.

Now, almost all Pakistani political parties, once they choose a leader, tend to stick with that leader until they resign from politics, regardless of how the political tide flows and ebbs.

By contrast, in successful and stable democracies, you’ll find that the party leadership changes very often. Be it US political parties, or British, Autralian, French, German… any type of major failure or disgrace by party leadership is punished by the party voting to change leaders.

In Pakistan, on the other hand, even the dismissal of governments for corruption has never led to the leadership resigning to make room for less tainted individuals to take charge.

Is the failure of parties like the PPP, PML, JI, JUI, and almost all other Pakistani parties to change their leadership regularly reflected in the failure of Pakistani democracy?

When the country votes on changing its leaders every 4 years, why do political parties not regularly change their leaders as they do in successful democracies? As long as our parties are run on the cult of a leader, cult of a family, are we doomed to choose between corrupt, ineffective democracies and the risk of military dictatorship (which can turn out either good or bad, but is nearly impossible to change once in place by any means).

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Re: Can a political party that rejects democracry within itself run a democratic nation?

Maddie it makes no sense and its because politics in the country are base don prsonalities and not based on the party's plan. look at Imran Khan's party and the oath one had to take before joining the party and u will be laughing at that too.
I recall clealry that when benazir first came back to Pakistan, her basic patform was that she wanted to get 'badla' (revenge) for 'shaheed' bhutto..

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Re: Can a political party that rejects democracry within itself run a democratic nation?

Perhaps you are right, but that is a moot point now, as you could come with many 'if' 'and' 'but' for these situations.

Te best way to find out is to have the Army ensure free and fair elections....but that will never happen

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Re: Can a political party that rejects democracry within itself run a democratic nation?

Even free and fair elections wouldn’t help the country, if our parties reject seeking the best talent within themselves for leadership and instead continue to focus on keeping certain personalities as leaders forever.

The worst case example of this is East Pakistan, where for the past 20 years politics has been reduced the the personal feud of two women, with neither of the two dominant political parties being inclined toward dismissing their leaders, who have produced nothing but ineffective, problem-ridden governments whenver in power.

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Re: Can a political party that rejects democracry within itself run a democratic nation?

I dont think free and fair elections have ever taken place in the country, even when democratically elected govts were in charge. This is a troubing situation, without free and fair elections, an independent juidiciary and removal of wadera/sardars from politics, we are not going anywhere.

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Re: Can a political party that rejects democracry within itself run a democratic nation?

We are an emotional people, and try to find a messiah in every political or military leader.

The funny thing is when you confront the loyalists of these political parties, they say the same thing which a military dictator says: People want him to continue in his present role. I used to think we don’t have enough people of leadership material in politics because most self-respecting people will not dabble in our political cesspool. But now I believe there are a number of politicians, loyal to their parties, in mainstream political parties, who can prove as good/bad leaders as NS or Benazir. In past, I have praised Ch. Shujaat for promising not to contest for party leadership in next party election, but then he is not the one leading the party. :slight_smile:

I am not a JI fan, but I have heard that they are more democratic than other political parties. (Of course we’re talking about the democracy within party structure and not the ‘democratickness’ of their actions.) However Qazi saheb has been sticking to party leadership for too long now.

And let’s not forget the political parties which have transformed into personality cults. Tune in to the songs of democracy: http://www.mqm.org/audio_video/songs.htm

‘Aqeedaton ke is andaz ko dawam rahe’. :slight_smile:

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Re: Can a political party that rejects democracry within itself run a democratic nation?

That in a nutshell shows how/why we have not grown as 'democratic' nation. I recall Jamat-e-Islami leadership problem not too long ago, Qazi Hussein Ahmed refused to step down as leader even though a good number of leadership in the jamaat demanded his stepping down, but no, being a baigharat he refused. As Fraudia mentioned, the political parties revolve around a person not ideology.

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Re: Can a political party that rejects democracry within itself run a democratic nation?

In Germany, the Nazi party stood in democratic elections in 1933 and openly said a vote for us is a vote for dictatorship. They won. Adolf gradually became chancellor, passed the Enabaling Act and the rest is History.

Which mod would you like to
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Re: Can a political party that rejects democracry within itself run a democratic nation?

Excellent topic mAd_ScIeNtIsT.

Additionally, it must be remembered that practically every South Asian nation has a fascination with political dynasties, who have rarely let their party members vote on the leadership. We have the Bhutto's in Pakistan, Nehru-Gandhi's in India, begums Hasina and Khaleda in Bangladesh, the Bandarnaika's in Sri Lanka, and even Sun Ki Yu in Myanmar.