“Power is always dangerous. Power attracts the worst and corrupts the best.”
– Edward Abbey
The subject of “leadership” was the first thing that one was exposed to as a young cadet in the military academy. The most profound revelation was that there were two kinds of courage—moral and physical. Later, one learned that to be defeated comprehensively, physical defeat would always be preceded by a moral one. Unfortunately, this insightful wisdom is often forgotten in the dust and debris of ambition and greed. From delusions of adequacy to the pedestal of grandeur, one at times, sacrifices established values at the altar of personal enrichment and empowerment. Somewhere, lost in the clashing cymbals and blinding light of false glory and artificial fame, such people march towards their own downfall as they forfeit moral standing and await the physical push.
In the affairs of the state, politics is now the universal instrument with which order, stability, and governance are practiced. Politics lies in the domain of moral and ethical behavior—real or perceived. Politics, itself, does not implement compliance through the use of force and invariably has no direct authority to exercise power through physical brute strength. Thus, in civilized countries, politics is usually based on agreements and contracts that form the basis of establishing laws and undertaking legislation. There is no physical method of implementing such a rule of law other than through a social contract that is supported by a majority of the population—it is normally enshrined within the Constitution. The latent threat of an existing law-enforcement capacity ensures that all adhere to the rule of law and those who fail are punished in accordance with their transgressions—enforcement being an instrument of deterrence and not one of implementation, i.e. at the first instance. Therefore, states function on moral appeal and conventions based on social values.
When the governance of a state falls into the hands of criminals, convicts, liars, and cheats, the moral equation is thrown out of the window. Legislation becomes a product of mala fide intent borne in “conflict of interest,” where security and shelter are extended to corrupt practices, while protection is only provided to the thieves who practice such corruption. Any institution, agency, or system that comes in the way is either dismantled, rendered dysfunctional, or then coerced into becoming an unwilling accessory to a government of criminals who continually perpetuate their criminality.
The government then, with no moral standing can only use force, without remorse or restraint, to beat the people senseless, forcing them to submit and conform. Our not-so-honorable Government has managed to assimilate the law enforcement bodies, the intelligence agencies, all regulatory institutions, as well as the judiciary, into their own integral radius of influence and have misappropriated their authority to themselves—to practice, preach, and implement, without fear or conscience. This has led to a universal moral collapse within the country that has affected everyone, their lives, and living.
There is despondency and helplessness amongst the people who find no recourse to their plight in the traditional institutions that provide the usual protection to life, limb, and property. Any conventional response, contesting, and resisting such a deviant system that has been hijacked on a tangent, by projecting peaceful protests or mass dissension, will only be misread as meaningless, inconsequential, loud musical evenings—for entertainment more than any political change. Trying to invoke the Government’s moral commitment and ethical conscience through legally correct and politically appropriate activity, will never work. In fact, when the government uses fraud and favor, failing which, then advancing to force and tyranny instead, all moral arguments or political appeals, against its conduct, would only be viewed with indifference and contempt. Such a course of action would actually amount to being an accomplice to the government’s design and plan in belittling one’s own self. It is the same as providing the other cheek. Such a maneuver not only has the seeds of failure but has far-reaching and a wider effect—it spreads hopelessness, disappointment, and desperation amongst the masses. People tend to give up and submit.
What needs to be recognized is that the government’s greed and self-indulgence are already morally defeated, and it only needs to be physically overwhelmed. Their surrender will be quick, immediate, and total and they will never be able to withstand the fury of the masses who they have deceived, cheated, and robbed. A process that has been demonstrated recently in a number of other countries—Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, being such examples. In both cases, the government had a total hold over all State apparatus and institutions which they used blatantly and with impunity, in total disregard for human rights, their people, or whole communities. Yet, when the moment was right, the will of the people prevailed and swept them out of contention. Similarly, our government too is no different, if not worse.
Having forfeited any moral license by the conduct they have displayed and having defeated themselves morally, now only await a comprehensive physical defeat. Mass movement on the streets, the power of the people, and the will of a unified nation can overwhelm such an artificial government, that has no legs to stand on and is surviving on borrowed time. The collapse of this abomination, disguised as a government, will be sudden, immediate, and spontaneous. It will bring a new beginning to this country, where the rule of law will prevail and the state will function on a moral code that is embodied within the conventional social contract—“the well-being of the people.”
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