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Political parties and the future of democracy

Political parties and the future of democracy published in Bangladesh: On the Threshold of the Twenty-First Century Article written by S Aminul Islam and published by A.M. Chowdhury and Fakrul Alam, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, 2002, viii, 600 p, tables, ISBN : 984-32-0045-9.

Summary: This paper analysis and evaluate Bangladeshs political parties and the
future of democracy. Political parties have a complex history in Bangladesh. After 1990 the emergence of a competitive two party system and signaled a major breakthrough towards the institutionalization of democracy in Bangladesh. Yet a decade of democratic experiment has failed to bring us nearer to a democratic polity. The objective of this paper is to contribute towards developing a theoretical framework. This paper uses three theoretical models to explore three patterns of political behavior which includes patron clientelism, mobilization system, and reconciliation system. This paper also said about what our position of political parties is and what about our future of democracy.

Analysis: In theoretical framework, our politicians behave the way they behave so it
has been argued that politicians in Bangladesh organize parallel strictures of rationally. This structure is partly shaped by discourse that strategic actors envision and construct and this is not absolute structure so it could be changed by reflexive action of human agents. Patron clientelism is generally considered as a feature of peasant or pre capitalist society and persists in a modernizing society. It should be used in third world politics. It has three characteristics that is, it is a relationship between individuals or group, one of which is more power and wealth than others that means patron is more power and clients has less. The formation and continuation of the relationship relies upon an exchange of goods and relationships. Lastly the relationship is personalized in the form of spread brotherhood or cultivated relationships. An analysis of Bangladesh politics patron clientelism relationship takes several forms.

In horizontal Patron clientelism, the political party mainly the party in power is dominant most of the sectors in the modern or capitalist society. Appointment, promotion and transfer in civil services are often influenced by the political identities of the actors rather than their performance. Many key posts of the nation are filled through political option. In vertical clientelism, the party spreads downwards in a chain of neta karmi relationship based on localized and personalized. This neta and karmi are linked to the voters through intermediaries. Considerable electors will vote by the Patron clientelism so in that case party electors are voted by the political identity rather than his/her performance. As a final point, patron clientelism based political party needs charismatic or authoritarian for effective control over the congeries of competing or bickering patrons. So in that case our society has faced many types o problem that are followings: It can not achieve internal democracy; It leads to a situation o high leader follower dependency; Extortion and corruption became widespread; It destroys the environment necessary for economic development and institutionalization of democracy. In mobilization politics, it makes an attempt to bring about rapid social or political change often against opposing political party by involving possible social groups and organization. Mobilization politics may be concerned with protest. Mobilization politics involves a high degree of scarifies, career, property, and even life. Now a days, Mobilization and patron clientelism mark in Bangladesh. Main task is to reinforce each other and in a democracy the major opposition party uses it against the ruling party. In reconciliation system, embodies pluralism, diversity, and decentralization of power. It is the art of the compromising. In 1990 our political parties signs of moving towards the reconciliation system. After 1996 the country has failed to sustain it. So we can say that r reconciliation system is better than previous two systems.

The form of continuous politics which is staged in the street through processions, as public meetings, strikes, gherao etc. it causes massive economic damage to the nation. Continuous politics is reflected in culture and other activity. For instance, cultural group, textbook are changed and revised. Some are rewarded and some are punished based on political party. So it is horrible for our political parties and the future of democracy.

Conclusion: Basically political parties are held to be vital agents o democratic


transformation of society but in our country they are not act as a responsible to complete the task. This paper said that they operate within parallel structure of rationally thats why they dont play this role as a responsible political party. Our two major political party BNP and Awami league follow negative political strategies one is patronage and other is mobilization. Continuous politics has blocked the full democracy in Bangladesh.

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