Negative aspects of democracy

Negative aspects of democracy

Now that Indonesia is to have a new political system, which
will probably be more democratic than the old one, it is worth
keeping in mind some general weaknesses of democratic political
systems.

First, the people may choose leaders who are unwise, dishonest
and incompetent. To prevent this, electors should be as aware and
as well-informed as possible. It is essential to have proper
checks and balances between the executive, legislative and
judicial branches of government. It must be possible to hold
leaders to account and judge their record in power against their
preelection pledges. An effective opposition and skeptical media
are invaluable, and so is a capable civil service loyal to the
people.

Second, democracy may easily become coercion of the minority
by the majority. Effective guarantees of minority rights are
indispensable. Political parties should not be divided on tribal,
racial or religious lines, since the result is that the largest
tribe is guaranteed a permanent hold on power. A converse problem
is that certain privileged minorities may wield too much
influence, either by being able to swing the election or by
holding the balance of power in the legislature. To prevent this,
the party system should not be unduly fragmented, Also, some
issues may be better decided by referendum than within normal
party politics.

Third, the government may be too weak to confront outside
forces. Corruption, and even intimidation, work at an individual
level, so strict and constant vigilance is imperative. At a
collective level, policies contrary to popular will may be
dictated by economic agents, the military, religious
organizations or foreign powers. A government needs well-defined
and well-understood goals, so that it can decide rationally when
to succumb to such pressures and when to resist.

Fourth, the government may also be too forceful and use its
democratic legitimacy to impose decisions that should be left to
regional and local authorities, traditional leaders or religious
and civic organizations. By doing this, the government will
disempower the people when its goal should be to empower them. A
democratic government should limit its activities to matters
which can only be decided at a national level and leave space for
local and non-governmental organizations to flourish. In this way
the people will have a say in running their own lives not only at
election times but everyday.

I hope these factors will be taken into account as Indonesia
prepares a political system for brighter future.

JOHN HARGREAVES

Jakarta