Comments - Latest Popular Stories, Instablogs Community by Destituterebel

Desh

Desh — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Everywhere in the world, you come across the same story time and again. Be it America, India, or the rejuvenating democracy in Pakistan, there are Bushes and Clintons, Nehrus and Gandhis, and Bhuttos respectively. Families are running the nations and politics is centred round them.

Nitesh

Nitesh — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

You are right in analyzing the political culture of Pakistan. The princely families are still controlling politics of the country. We are watching exactly the same thing In Indian politics. None other than sons and daughters of Nehru family. One Gandhi is life-time president of Congress.

Umar

Umar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Dynastic politics is the sign of weak democratic structure. In Pakistan, the three political families have introduced the next generation of leaders to hold the country’s politics. After Bhutto’s son, Hamza Shahbaz Sharif is also ready to take chance in politics.

Sanyog

Sanyog — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

In South Asia region, the main political parties are not the breeding grounds of new talent. These parties are fiefdoms structured to create the dominance of a family dynasty. In Pakistan, Junior Bhutto and in India Junior Gandhi is being ready to take control of their parties and of the country in future.India has been ruled by one of the Gandhi-Nehru clan for 37 of its 60 years of Independence.

Erfan

Erfan — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

You are correct, it has become the USP of politics in India and Pakistan both. In these countries, elections are won more on traditional allegiances than ideologies. In Pakistan, Bhutto’s death cannot grant even a little space for new blood to groom in politics. Despite all the discussion of democracy, there is no democracy within major political parties. In India, BJP is there where there is no family rule but in Pakistan politics is all family drama.

Sam

Sam — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

It doesn’t happen in USA, while different families such as the Bushes, Clintons and Kennedys received prominent position in politics but none tried to make parties their personal property. Indians and Pakistanis run blindly behind Gandhis and Bhuttos.

Muhammad

Muhammad — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

In Pakistan, blood is thicker than water. Majority of Pakistani people are poor. They are not mature enough to understand the importance of democracy so they blindly follow one great leader. The name ‘Bhutto’ transcends Pakistan’s regional and ethnic divisions and the name of Bilawal Bhutto reflects the unity of the party. Pakistan always needs one Bhutto.

DRabahAfshan

DRabahAfshan — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The dominance of one or two family in country’s politics is a major problem for common people. The political system is not running on merit and it’s not democratically structured. It gives no space to new leadership to emerge.

Zafar

Zafar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

In the rural areas in country, voters are not matured to understand the meaning and importance of Democracy, they are uneducated and they pledge an almost feudal devotion to family clan. This is hard to break the family control over the mind of people.

Erfan

Erfan — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Agreed..Pakistani politics has a typical culture that revolves one-two powerful families. These families have been controlling Pakistan for the last 60 years. If we leave some cosmopolitan cities, almost all constituencies are inherited by these families since its independence. Eormer Pakistani finance minister Dr. Mahbub-ul-Haq had said in 1985 that Pakistan was being ruled by merely 22 big families since 1947.

Nadia

Nadia — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

This is the fact..till 1980, such families opposed opening schools and colleges in most part of the country. They feared the emergence of an educated voters might challenge their decade-old dominance in the country. One can see the reflection of this feudal influence in rural areas. They even control the hearts and minds of local people.

Mariam

Mariam — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Bhutto tribe is major tribe in Pakistan. When military dictatorship hanged Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir and her Iranian mother strongly controlled Pakistani politics due to the sympathy wave. The sympathy wave has worked once again in the favor of PPP after the death of Benazir. Emotions of the people make such families dominant in country’s politics.

Muhammad

Muhammad — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

OK.. you people want to know about the nature of Pakistani politics I suggest you to go through the history of these families and you will be aware about the history of Pakistani government - Bhutto family, Sharif family, Mian family, Choudhary family, Rashdi family, Bhatti family, Qureshi family, Guillani family, Mallik family, Khosha and Jatoi family...

Sumit

Sumit — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

To establish democratic structure in national politics and within political parties also is important for Pakistan because it has been controlled by the military for more than half of its independence years. According to me, Pakistan is not a failed state as Congo and Rwanda are. Pakistan is dysfunctional state and the dynastic politics and military rule has put the country in such state.

Yash

Yash — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

@ Muhammad...you have so many families to control your country’s politics. Look at Indian politics, we have only one family - Nehru-Gandhi family - Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi (indirectly controlling the government), Priyanka Gandhi (has ambition so still keeping Gandhi tag with her name even after marriage and last but not the least Rahul ‘baba’ Gandhi (being ready to rule the country one day, all congress workers are eagerly waiting for the day. We actually can’t afford one more such family in national politics...

Ekta

Ekta — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

You said it right Yash..that we Indians cannot afford one more such family like Gandhi family in national politics in India. But You missed some more families like Karunanidhi family, Lalu family, Mulayam family, and many more...

Destitute Rebel

Destitute Rebel — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Desh, Agreed that in some countries there are political families, but not the way we in India and Pakistan have, Here people’s sentiments are not only manipulated but also forced to support the Family.

Nitesh,Umar,Sanog and Erfan thats what is sad about our political system. As long as this stays intact, we are all in a rough spot.

Sam that is exactl what I mean when I commented on deshes opinion, Our families hold the party and the masses hostage.

Muhammad in my opinion is should not be the country needing a Bhutto, it should be otherwise, Bilawal Bhutto is just another as you say ”Great Leader” born with a golden spoon in his mouth. The Family name does not make a great leader, leadership needs a lot more then that.

Drabah Afshan, Totally agree with your point of view.

Zafar I do not agree with that, contrary to perception, much of the rural population of the country although illetrate know what is going on. It is the other who can do and say things to make a difference but turn a blind ee who are at fault.

Erfan that is changing and we need to be part and parcel of the change.

Nadia, they did not control the hearts and minds of the people they however were in a position to control the livelihood of the people and that is changing, hopefully we will see some positive change in the years to come.

Marium, Emotions although pla a part in such matters, I feel there are oother reasons this is going on.

Destitute Rebel

Destitute Rebel — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

SUmit, totally agree with your point of view, a lot needs to be done before the situation can start to improve, it will take time but there is no other option.

Yash India and Pakistan are not much different, although I feel India has matured a bit that too has its roots in inheriting a much structured organizational infrastructure then Pakistan at the time of Independence.

Ekta, Like I said not much difference.

Rudolf

Rudolf — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I thought democaracy is the government of the people for the people and by the people. If the people, as represented by those writing on this blog say No, it should all end. But I know. The people have been essentially reduced to sheep-le. Sad!

Destitute Rebel

Destitute Rebel — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Democracy in this part of the world is in its initial stages or rather its in the conception stage and its gonna take some time, but these practices need to be checked.

Aneez

Aneez — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

@ Destitute

I totally agree with you, and I would like to thank you for your superb effort. Indeed, democracy is reduced to a family soap opera by these hooligans who take pride in calling themselves the torch bearers of democracy.

You have given such a detailed description that there is just no need for any elaborate comment on this article, a simple sentence — ’YES I AGREE WITH YOU’ — is the only wise choice for every new person commenting here.

Meanwhile, I would like to take this opportunity to coin a new and more relevant definition of democracy — A GOVERNMENT CONSISTING OF MEMBERS OF A PRIVILEGED FAMILY TAKING THE ENTIRE NATION FOR A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE!!

P.S. Further improvements and corrections pertaining to the definition are welcome.