Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed :
Democracy is not only a form of government but a way of life most suited to the civilized people. Democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. It has been said that the voice of the people is the voice of God. Governments in democracies are run by the representatives of the people. The system of election as followed in democratic countries is a means to arrive at a decision by the majority. Democracy functions through discussion, debate and decision by the majority. In a democratic government, opposition plays an important part to keep the government alert, conscious and active. Another important component of democratic state is the press or media. Its role is to criticise the policies and programmes of the government so that the government does not diverge from the path of rectitude and correct approaches to the problems and issues. the function of a democratic state is to ensure the welfare of the people. Now-a-days, most of the governments follows socialistic pattern in a democratic sep-up. Even communistic countries have started adopting democratic form of government.
Democracy ensures freedom, tolerance and equality to all. Thus democracy encourages certain values of life which can be cultivated by education, discipline and cooperation. Education is the foundation and prop of democracy. Unless people are educated, democracy cannot be successful. It has been observed : “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty”. People must be conscious, vigilant and intelligent. They must see that wrong people are not elected and that the government does not sweve from the professed policies and programmes. By their constant watchfulness, intelligent and responsible behaviour, they would guard against despotism and corruptions in high places. They would utilize their rights of speech, action and movement to keep the government on the right track.
Thus culture is associated with democracy. Culture, as T.S. Eliot defines is the way of life of a particular people living together in one place. Culture is made visible in arts, social system, in the habits and customs of the people. But culture is more than the assemblage of its arts, customs and religious beliefs. The cultures of different people may differ, but in a healthy, democratic society, the cultures of the artist, the poet, the philosopher, the politicians and the labour will have a culture in common, which they do not share with other people of the same occupations in other countries. Education is the process by which the community attempts to pass on to all its members its culture, including the standards by which it would have them live. Culture in a democracy means the culture of the society- culture in the collective sense. Politicians, bureaucrats, workers and common men must show respect to some cultural values.
Matthew Arnold defines culture as ‘sweetness and light’. In his famous classification of ‘Barbarians, Philistine, Populace’, he concerns himself with a criticism of classes, but his criticism is confined to a condemnation of these classes for their short-comings and does not proceed to consider what should be the proper function or ‘perfection’ of each class. Culture in a democracy does not merely mean good manners, intellectual attainment, sensibility to arts but it means recognition and respect for some values. Cultured men may not appreciate Leonardo’s paintings or Milton’s Paradise Lost but they must show tolerance for others, intelligent understanding of the problems that concern them, and civility or civic sense. Each member of the society must be conscious of his democratic rights and at the sametimes his duties and commitments to the society.
The people must work for the welfare of all, because in a democracy it is the people who matter. In despotison, a person rules the country and tries to rule in an arbitrary manner. The rule in a despotic regime depends on the whims of a person. But in a democracy, people guide and influence the work of the leaders by their discussions, debates and criticism. The more they are aware and alert, the more the government would be effective and beneficial for the people. Great Britain which has monarchical form of Government has established the most successful democracy after long struggle by the people. Now the king/queen is titular. People fought for democracy, made sacrifices to attain their objective and therefore value their achievement and guard it most zealously, America is a democracy with Presidential form of government.
In Bangladesh there are crisis of democracy for corruption, lacking of transparency and accountability and above all the disputes in election. In Bangladesh, these elements are directly related to the crisis of democracy. Political parties will be the main actors to deal with these elements to develop democratic process and the democratization of government institutions. Civil society role is catalyst to strengthen the process. Corruptions at the highest level have inevitably percolated to the lower levels. There are scenes of disorder at every sphere. Universities and colleges are always in the rumpage. Education is thwarted. Educational institutions are multiplying but the quality of education is going down. Educational institutions are full of non-students who go to colleges and universities for whipping up oolitical fervour among the students. Leaders encourage them for their selfish purposes.
Another pillar of democracy- the press or other media seldom discharge their commitments as they are expected to do. Irresponsible yellow journalism vitiates democratic principles. The press gets carried away by the vested interests and ignores the interest of the country. Indeed, India has adopted democratic form of government but does not cultivate democratic culture. Rather in comparision to India democracy in Bangladesh is well-pratised subject. It is time that the people of Bangladesh should be inspired by patriotism, should shed narrow parochialism and party politics, develop values of life to promote and sustain the economic growth, social and educational progress of the country.
