Allah Nawaz Khan
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad once said that there is no heart in the chest of politics. This means that politicians are generally self-interested and are willing to do anything for their personal gains. When we study history, we find that rivers of human blood have been spilled in the pursuit of power and politics. Entire nations have been wiped off the face of the earth. Oppression and tyranny have been inflicted upon people, humans have been enslaved, and slaves were given rights even lower than those of animals.Politics is done for power, and for the sake of power, even close relatives are murdered. However, history has also witnessed some good rulers who practiced politics for the welfare and betterment of humanity and elevated it to the level of service. Among Muslims, the era of the Rashidun Caliphs is considered the golden period, as they set great examples. Prophets like Hazrat Yusuf and Hazrat Sulaiman(peace be upon them), along with many other prophets, also held authority and established excellent governance.Many such rulers have passed who governed for the welfare of the people. They deserve our tributes.In the modern era, politics has become a game in which personal interest is given the highest priority.Every kind of oppression and cruelty is justified. Corruption is considered an essential part of politics. However, it would be wrong to say that every state has been unfortunate in this regard.There are dozens of examples where the people are living happily and prosperously.Still, it cannot be denied that hundreds of states suffer from authoritarian-style democracy.
The famous thinker Niccolò Machiavelli said that there is no such thing as morality in politics. His analysis often seems correct because an ethical, truthful, and morally upright person rarely succeeds in politics. A politician is expected to be truthful, honest, and of high moral character, but unfortunately, the majority of politicians lack these virtues.The politics of the Third World, in particular, has become extremely corrupt. Lying, corruption, and the violation of merit have become commonplace among politicians.
The concept of personal interest in politics is not a gift of the modern age.Thousands of years ago, politicians would do anything for their personal benefits.Humans were slaughtered like vegetables.The hobbies of politicians were also strange.In Roman history, fights between humans (slaves) and wild animals were a common spectacle.Just imagine a man being thrown in front of a hungry beast and forced to fight it with bare hands.All this was done by politicians for their entertainment, which also reveals their moral bankruptcy.The great philosopher Plato also strongly criticized the system of so-called democracy on several occasions.His teacher Socrates was forced to drink a cup of poison and sentenced to death by the rulers of the so-called democratic government. Socrates was punished because the rulers feared his ideas.He had begun preaching the truth, and that truth was a message of destruction for the corrupt government of that time.The rulers of that era were divided into two classes,the ruling class and the ruled.The ruling class had allied itself with powerful people, and this power protected them against the weak.Plato’s book “The Republic” presents the concept of an Ideal State. Plato highlighted the merits of democracy but also criticized it severely. According to him, goodness is a great power, and he also loved truth.In his view, goodness is the real and lasting knowledge.Goodness and truth are essential for a state. He called the democracy of his time a deception and fraud, and described it as a constant source of conflict and mischief.He also presented the idea of an Ideal State According to Plato, the rulers, guardians, and soldiers of the state should not be allowed to have private families, private land, gold, silver, or other property.This is because their attention would then shift from the welfare of the state to personal interests.Plato also believed that the law should be enforced strictly and with complete equality. In his Ideal State, the punishment for embezzlement of public funds, sexual crimes, treason, atheism, and desecration of sacred things should be death. If any state implements these ideas, it can truly be called an Ideal State. Peace in an Ideal State can only come through justice.Even in Plato’s time, politicians committed atrocities for personal gain. That is why he refused to accept that form of democracy as real democracy. The concept of democracy is very old, yet under the name of democracy, the worst kind of politics has always been practiced. In the Ideal State, private ownership is prohibited for rulers, the powerful class, and soldiers. It is true that if a person accumulates wealth (property, money, etc.) and also engages in politics, his attention will remain focused on accumulating more wealth. That is why Machiavelli also said that there is no morality in politics. Very few politicians are morally upright.
In today’s underdeveloped states, authoritarianism is enforced with full force. Various crimes are common, and the powerful have been given a free hand to do whatever they wish. Elections are held and parliaments exist, but reaching power through legitimate means is extremely difficult. The name is democracy, but elections are won through rigging or the use of force. Whether it is the so-called democracy of thousands of years ago or the so-called democracy of today, human rights are grossly violated in both. Human rights are trampled openly and attempts are made to suppress the truth. However, truth can never be completely suppressed. History spanning thousands of years is witness that no matter how hard one tries to suppress the truth, it may remain hidden for some time, but it eventually emerges.
Rulers do everything possible — fair or unfair — to perpetuate their power. The concept of an Ideal State is particularly frightening for them, because in an Ideal State, the welfare of the people is the top priority. Politicians make tall claims for their personal benefit. When we hear their speeches, it feels as if sincere leaders have arrived, but the reality is very bitter. Every individual desires to have an ideal ruler. Politicians do not hesitate to display brutality to maintain their power.
According to Plato, democracy is merely deception and fraud. True democracy is the fortune of very few people. If any state claims to be a true democracy, it often continues to commit mountains of injustice against other nations. Human blood is very precious, yet it is shed mercilessly. The tragic thing is that this bloodshed is carried out under the sacred veil of democracy. The idea of an Ideal State is very pleasing. Occasionally, nations do achieve such an Ideal State.
allahnawazk012@gmail.com
