Politics, power and empowerment may be considered synonymous. Without political autonomy, power-share and empowerment people may likely to become escapists, romanticists, idealists and dreamers. That is why religion and isms attract people in states where power is concentrated in a few or where massive repression, marginalization or alienation of people can be seen.
The repressive state itself may be responsible for creating negative perceptions against the state or those who rule over it. To add insult to injury repressive states most often engage in perpetuating patriotism through fears, fallacies and vested interests.
Struggle against the repressive states is mostly represented by catchwords like revolution, freedom and separation. In democracies a more pragmatic approach towards constitutional reforms is being adopted. People also use street power to build pressure against democratic regimes that tend to be repressive. However, such struggle may not necessarily end in greater rights for the oppressed and the marginalized and in some cases the society at large is destabilized.
How could one explain who is right and who is wrong in countries like Egypt and Syria for example? Is violence for getting political rights or conversely for suppressing political dissidents by states is justified? What if states do not listen to the perceptions of the people for which the states themselves are responsible?
Or should we be looking for other possibilities? Shouldn't we think that the state itself is an artificial entity which can either ensure you greater freedom through subjugating other states or if you are already living in a client state you either choose to struggle for the freedom of the state or become part of the power-game? Isn't the moral choice here so elusive?
In any case, a more rational and pragmatic approach towards political rights may be better. Relying on people’s negative perceptions for the state may not be very fruitful as perceptions may change through fears, fallacies or vested interest. It is high time we liberate our political thinking from futile escapism, narcissist romanticism and daydreaming. If politics is a science, let’s play it scientifically with the utmost art of training ourselves in its intricacies.
The repressive state itself may be responsible for creating negative perceptions against the state or those who rule over it. To add insult to injury repressive states most often engage in perpetuating patriotism through fears, fallacies and vested interests.
Struggle against the repressive states is mostly represented by catchwords like revolution, freedom and separation. In democracies a more pragmatic approach towards constitutional reforms is being adopted. People also use street power to build pressure against democratic regimes that tend to be repressive. However, such struggle may not necessarily end in greater rights for the oppressed and the marginalized and in some cases the society at large is destabilized.
How could one explain who is right and who is wrong in countries like Egypt and Syria for example? Is violence for getting political rights or conversely for suppressing political dissidents by states is justified? What if states do not listen to the perceptions of the people for which the states themselves are responsible?
Or should we be looking for other possibilities? Shouldn't we think that the state itself is an artificial entity which can either ensure you greater freedom through subjugating other states or if you are already living in a client state you either choose to struggle for the freedom of the state or become part of the power-game? Isn't the moral choice here so elusive?
In any case, a more rational and pragmatic approach towards political rights may be better. Relying on people’s negative perceptions for the state may not be very fruitful as perceptions may change through fears, fallacies or vested interest. It is high time we liberate our political thinking from futile escapism, narcissist romanticism and daydreaming. If politics is a science, let’s play it scientifically with the utmost art of training ourselves in its intricacies.
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