Of democracy

Gopal Sengupta, Canada
No one can bypass the Constitution which provides the legislature and the judiciary their right to discuss and finalize any law of the land. Surely, the wise legal advisers of the civil society group are aware of the constitutional provisions. I am sure that with all the mounting pressure, this government will work on the Ombudsman Bill without further delay. Civil society activists have an important role to play in a democracy by taking up critical issues that are ignored by the political class either by default or by design. But the people at the forefront seem to be in a tearing hurry to change the status quo. Instrumentalism and incrementalism constitute the essence of democracy. Radicalism is incompatible with republicanism. Issuing ultimatums will rob the anti-corruption movement of legitimacy and give an alibi for the government to suppress even peaceful protests as threats to national security. Destabilization should not be the goal of the civil societies. If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in government to the utmost. If one way be better than another, that you may be sure is nature's way. In a democracy the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more of them, and the will of the majority is supreme.