One of my favourite quotes also happens to be my own:
“If Religion is the Opiate of the People, Democracy is most certainly its Heroin”
You can see how addictive it is. Since the establishment of our democratic republic, the forces that be; the politicians, the establishment, the media , the mullahs , the rich and the powerful have tried their best to wean the masses away from this substance called democracy – by making a mockery of the constitution, repeated military take overs, religious authoritarian indoctrination, bowing before the king of the holy land, bearing the bear hug of the taller-than-Himalaya all-weather friend with all-weather Silk Route – but it keeps coming back. The addicts still believe in the goddess of democracy. They keep clinging to the hope of a just and prosperous society.
Manto’s masterpiece story Naya Qanoon is the story of Mangoo the tonga-driver in the days of the Raj, who is told that the new law is coming and things will change. He excitedly waits for 1 April when the new law is to be promulgated. He thinks he will be free from the humiliation by ‘gora’ customers and ‘kala’ police puppets. When the law is finally enforced, Mangoo takes out his tonga, feeling like a liberated man. This time when the gora sahib misbehaves, he gives him a tit-for-tat reply. He is arrested by the police. “But the new qanoon is in place now!” he argues. The police officer laughs “What new law? The Law is the same, the old one”.
The Mangoo story has been repeated so many times: when Pakistan was created, when Z.A. Bhutto took over on a ‘revolutionary agenda’, when Benazir arrived to a tumultuous welcome in Lahore. Every time Mangoo found out to his chagrin that the new law was the same old law. Nothing had changed for the common man. Now the Naya Qanoon has come in the guise of “tabdeeli”. The Mangoos of this country are celebrating and looking forward to a changed Pakistan – one where they will not be treated as second-rate citizens, in a fair and welfare state. It is yet to be seen whether the tabdeeli (Change) wave will last or also end with a whimper, like previous waves.
We have tried ‘Western democracy’, ‘Islamic’ rule, ‘Islamic Socialism’ and now we are being sold the Media State dream. It will be interesting to ask our visionary Kaptaan if he can truly wave his magic bat and bring about change.
Is there a system which is perfect? A system which gives the masses their economic rights as well as their human rights, and their dignity? Where they are safe from extremism and exploitation? Where their families get thesame medical facilities as the rich elite, and where their kids will study in schools as good as those for the rich?
Humans have been fighting and killing to discover a perfect socio-economic system. Exactly 100 years ago, the First World War ended with the loss of over 20 million people. The uneasy and unrealistic peace treaties led to the rise of National Socialism in Germany and Communism in Russia. The seeds for the second war were thus sown. WWII was even more devastating, causing 60 million deaths, ending with the first ever use of atomic bombs in a war. All this, not just to defend your country, but also as offerings to the gods of capitalism, communism, faith, ideology and your way of life.
The source of human dignity arises from the need to be loved. A need to be desired, respected. But for what are we, as a global society, respected? In so-called ‘civilized’ nations, human dignity is associated with power, with money, greed, envy, sloth. Billionaires are venerated, looked up to and adored. The pious, ‘good’ man is shunned. In this modern-day world, billionaires, rock stars and presidents have become idols. Arguably, just as the idols of yore were broken, so do these ‘idols’ need to be demolished.
You can see one of the ways young minds are manipulated from the very start by the video games, movies and cartoons. The famous Command and Conquer: Red Alert games consists of the good, blue coloured ‘Allies’ battling the evil and villainous Red ‘Commies’.The movie 300 consists of the ‘noble’ Westerners and ‘civilized’ people battling the ‘barbaric’ Persians. Words such as ‘Freedom’ and ‘Liberty’ are cunningly used and craftily placed.
While Communism focused on human equality, one suspects that it failed because it went against a very basic human instinct: the desire to succeed, for Man to better his condition individually. Since there was no motivation to excel and no room for individuality, the system failed. And Capitalism came back with a vengeance.
In a unipolar world, this system is getting out of hand – few can argue against that today. Too much of anything is bad as they say. Socialism is a system which upholds the basic desire to compete and succeed, but is not totally dictated by materialistic motives. It changes the values which are associated with success. It appreciates that the man who mows his lawn also contributes to society. The definition of success is thus contribution. The amount you contribute to the well-being of society as a whole, and for yourself in general.Imagine a world, where a businessman is paid millions of dollars, not for constructing horrendous high-rise buildings, but on developing huge complexes brimming with trees and plants. Imagine a world where a doctor’s fee is cheaper than a bottle of coke, where teachers are paid more than news anchors. A legacy we would be proud to leave behind.
Today we are seeing populist leaders all over the world taking control. Modi in India, Putin in Russia, Trump in the US, Erdogan in Turkey… and now we have our own populist captain coming to power. All these leaders have certain common traits: they are fiery demagogues, fiery speakers, they can be mean and vicious and they have huge egos. They may have different ideological covers, but inside they are quite similar.
In our La La Land, the masses continue to uphold the goddess of a certain kind of democracy. They go to the polling booths knowing the conclusions are foregone. They applaud the new ruler whilst inside their hearts they know it is the same old one. But in IK they may be hoping against hope for the last time. ‘Islamic Socialism’ under Bhutto failed, and ‘Islamization’ under General Zia became a mess of the worst kind. Musharraf’s enlightened moderation was anything but enlightening.
Now we have, perhaps, Islamic Capitalism under the cover of a Media State. Whatever is coming, Mangoo should be on his guard, for the qanoon may be the same old qanoon!
“If Religion is the Opiate of the People, Democracy is most certainly its Heroin”
You can see how addictive it is. Since the establishment of our democratic republic, the forces that be; the politicians, the establishment, the media , the mullahs , the rich and the powerful have tried their best to wean the masses away from this substance called democracy – by making a mockery of the constitution, repeated military take overs, religious authoritarian indoctrination, bowing before the king of the holy land, bearing the bear hug of the taller-than-Himalaya all-weather friend with all-weather Silk Route – but it keeps coming back. The addicts still believe in the goddess of democracy. They keep clinging to the hope of a just and prosperous society.
Manto’s masterpiece story Naya Qanoon is the story of Mangoo the tonga-driver in the days of the Raj, who is told that the new law is coming and things will change. He excitedly waits for 1 April when the new law is to be promulgated. He thinks he will be free from the humiliation by ‘gora’ customers and ‘kala’ police puppets. When the law is finally enforced, Mangoo takes out his tonga, feeling like a liberated man. This time when the gora sahib misbehaves, he gives him a tit-for-tat reply. He is arrested by the police. “But the new qanoon is in place now!” he argues. The police officer laughs “What new law? The Law is the same, the old one”.
"But the new qanoon is in place now!" Mangoo argues. The police officer laughs "What new law? The Law is the same, the old one"
The Mangoo story has been repeated so many times: when Pakistan was created, when Z.A. Bhutto took over on a ‘revolutionary agenda’, when Benazir arrived to a tumultuous welcome in Lahore. Every time Mangoo found out to his chagrin that the new law was the same old law. Nothing had changed for the common man. Now the Naya Qanoon has come in the guise of “tabdeeli”. The Mangoos of this country are celebrating and looking forward to a changed Pakistan – one where they will not be treated as second-rate citizens, in a fair and welfare state. It is yet to be seen whether the tabdeeli (Change) wave will last or also end with a whimper, like previous waves.
We have tried ‘Western democracy’, ‘Islamic’ rule, ‘Islamic Socialism’ and now we are being sold the Media State dream. It will be interesting to ask our visionary Kaptaan if he can truly wave his magic bat and bring about change.
Is there a system which is perfect? A system which gives the masses their economic rights as well as their human rights, and their dignity? Where they are safe from extremism and exploitation? Where their families get thesame medical facilities as the rich elite, and where their kids will study in schools as good as those for the rich?
Humans have been fighting and killing to discover a perfect socio-economic system. Exactly 100 years ago, the First World War ended with the loss of over 20 million people. The uneasy and unrealistic peace treaties led to the rise of National Socialism in Germany and Communism in Russia. The seeds for the second war were thus sown. WWII was even more devastating, causing 60 million deaths, ending with the first ever use of atomic bombs in a war. All this, not just to defend your country, but also as offerings to the gods of capitalism, communism, faith, ideology and your way of life.
The source of human dignity arises from the need to be loved. A need to be desired, respected. But for what are we, as a global society, respected? In so-called ‘civilized’ nations, human dignity is associated with power, with money, greed, envy, sloth. Billionaires are venerated, looked up to and adored. The pious, ‘good’ man is shunned. In this modern-day world, billionaires, rock stars and presidents have become idols. Arguably, just as the idols of yore were broken, so do these ‘idols’ need to be demolished.
You can see one of the ways young minds are manipulated from the very start by the video games, movies and cartoons. The famous Command and Conquer: Red Alert games consists of the good, blue coloured ‘Allies’ battling the evil and villainous Red ‘Commies’.The movie 300 consists of the ‘noble’ Westerners and ‘civilized’ people battling the ‘barbaric’ Persians. Words such as ‘Freedom’ and ‘Liberty’ are cunningly used and craftily placed.
While Communism focused on human equality, one suspects that it failed because it went against a very basic human instinct: the desire to succeed, for Man to better his condition individually. Since there was no motivation to excel and no room for individuality, the system failed. And Capitalism came back with a vengeance.
In a unipolar world, this system is getting out of hand – few can argue against that today. Too much of anything is bad as they say. Socialism is a system which upholds the basic desire to compete and succeed, but is not totally dictated by materialistic motives. It changes the values which are associated with success. It appreciates that the man who mows his lawn also contributes to society. The definition of success is thus contribution. The amount you contribute to the well-being of society as a whole, and for yourself in general.Imagine a world, where a businessman is paid millions of dollars, not for constructing horrendous high-rise buildings, but on developing huge complexes brimming with trees and plants. Imagine a world where a doctor’s fee is cheaper than a bottle of coke, where teachers are paid more than news anchors. A legacy we would be proud to leave behind.
Today we are seeing populist leaders all over the world taking control. Modi in India, Putin in Russia, Trump in the US, Erdogan in Turkey… and now we have our own populist captain coming to power. All these leaders have certain common traits: they are fiery demagogues, fiery speakers, they can be mean and vicious and they have huge egos. They may have different ideological covers, but inside they are quite similar.
In our La La Land, the masses continue to uphold the goddess of a certain kind of democracy. They go to the polling booths knowing the conclusions are foregone. They applaud the new ruler whilst inside their hearts they know it is the same old one. But in IK they may be hoping against hope for the last time. ‘Islamic Socialism’ under Bhutto failed, and ‘Islamization’ under General Zia became a mess of the worst kind. Musharraf’s enlightened moderation was anything but enlightening.
Now we have, perhaps, Islamic Capitalism under the cover of a Media State. Whatever is coming, Mangoo should be on his guard, for the qanoon may be the same old qanoon!