Paradigm of underdevelopment
The paradigm of underdevelopment, a notion thought up by Beatirz Merino, former prime minister of Peru, foretells failure of a constructive action. The failure becomes forthcoming because the action, though intended to march towards a development, is looked upon as “a zero sum game in which whoever wins does so at the expense of another.”
We would have to look back just beyond a year to find a display of such game. Prior to the handover of power of the BNP-led coalition, tension built up over the dispute of who would lead the interim government. The disagreement divided politics into two camps, with the BNP leading a four-party coalition and the AL a fourteen-party coalition. Soon an initiative called “dialogue” was taken on. However, the number of times it was undertaken, the number of times it failed.
The confrontational deportment of one party in the dialogue towards the other speaks for some grounds of the failure. And the mindset to win at other's expense, with which the dialogue was attended, explains the rest.
In the build-up to hold that election which was supposed to be held more than a year back if a compromise would have been agreed upon, the country is witnessing another big event. Though the major parties have yet to decide whether to attend it, the interim government is staging “talks” with some parties. Let there be no denial of it that if the main parties reject attending the discourse, a far critical crisis may emerge. So far the government is seen keen on ensuring their participation and there is an assurance of all “necessary” steps it will undertake to engage them in the talk.
For the country's interest and for easing up the comeback of democracy, no parities should hesitate to participate in the discussion. And about its development, let the past be a lesson and the notion of Mr. Merino an insight. The talk, as a vital step for holding election, would merit compromise from the political parties to concede to reality. On the other hand, the government would have to establish fairness.
This is a discussion from which the political parties would get back their rights to represent people and the government would find the pleasure of discharging its obligation to pave the way for power handover. If, however, the government's obligation and the political parties' rights are in confrontation, then this might once again register the paradigm of underdevelopment in the country's political history.
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