Wednesday, 7 July 2004
Daily News, Colombo (Report of the Interview with John Samuel in Colombo)
By Afreeha Jawad
Within unilateralism are the diverse social constructs - some of which are structured social conditions, stratification, divisiveness and hegemonic control where power balance is not even remote, resulting in a tendency to greater social conflict and not peace - though peace itself is spelt out by those responsible for power that upholds a unipolar world.
However, despite the negative appendages of unilateralism and an international social gloom over current trends John Samuel, Editor, 'Info Change' striking positive chord believes unilateralism to be a passing phase and that the next US election will decide this.
A great believer of regional collectivity, his prescription for South Asia's growth is a national vision coupled with a regional one.
The numerous wars and instability within the region are a great hindrance to growth. Justifying his claim were his views on Europe. "If Europe could come together after fighting worse wars and co-operate what hinders us?" he asked. Drawing parallels of happenings in India and Sri Lanka he referred to the deep sense of democracy in both countries. In spite of all tensions, the underlying theme of tolerance among people is alive both in India and here.
The commonality of the 'feel good' factor of both the BJP and JVP - all thought it to click. India shining was the BJP's canard. But then the grass roots began to say "Well, India is shining but I'm not." So in reality the disjuncture was seen. The common elites were at one end and the marginalized were at the other.
The media barons and corporate leaders not to forget the politicians as well who manufacture consensus make the 'feel good' factor a reality while the periphery grow weary indebted, with inflation, electricity cuts and what not?
In contemporary times when GDP or Gross Domestic Product is benchmark to national economic growth Samuel's offering had much relevance. GDP growth taken for granted all these years has today though late captured intellectuals' attention.
Little wonder then the large scale peripheral existence of the teeming millions denied of goods delivery which should be the subject matter of social duty bound media personnel which regretfully finds a dearth. The Indian GDP saw marked improvement under the BJP with very little or nothing at all for the Indian masses that questioned the moral existence of the GDP itself that justified Samuel's claim to GDP being a "taken for granted" thing for too long a time.
It was against the backdrop of GDP's moral claim to national good which perhaps compelled Samuel into asking:
"Reforms? Reforms for whom and for what. Misleading information and statistics for image building - that's what GDP is all about that led the BJP into defeat."
The Indian and Sri Lankan elections he saw as the rural masses challenging the upper middle class hegemony.
Getting away from the undignified aspect of the accepted meaning of governance, Samuel informed that governance is about how the police behaves, how the village official treats you, whether you get water and electricity and so on.
The highly pronounced multilateral political reality of India was evident when he referred to the majority of Indians that found favour with Sonia Gandhi. Someone perceived as elitist and a Catholic at that struck the chord with the marginalized as she in all simplicity and sincerity mingled among the people - being one among them.
It is this writer's view that Sonia had no personal strings attached to this act which evidenced in her power renunciation and is emulations worthy by contemporary leaders around the world that are power intoxicated. To one's that firmly hook on to the theory of macro economic stability and fiscal discipline as means of good governance, prosperity and peace, Samuel insisted, "yes such policies could bring in good governance but not peace."
This was among the many perceiving utterances of Samuel which made this writer explore the need for good governance and fiscal discipline that would eventually wipe out social divisiveness into egalitarianism and rule of law which would make democracy a functioning reality and not of the will of the greater numbers.
These policies geared towards social inclusion will move towards mitigating if not eliminating whatever comes in exclusion form. Majoritarian politics is tactical and given short-term votes detrimental to long-term welfare. Samuel described Manmohan Singh and Mahinda Rajapakse as simple, unassuming, accessible leaders.
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