Politics: Civil and Dangerous

The changing face of elections

U.S presidential elections are known, among other things, for elaborate campaigns. Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign is destined to go down in history for the way it was able to convince people that the election was more about bringing sweeping social change than it was about electing a new head of state.

Across the Atlantic in the United Kingdom, however, things have generally been different, with Prime Ministerial elections being neither as long nor as protracted. Debates are held quietly, campaigning is kept to a minimum and Britons would have it no other way.

The 2010 elections, however, took a decidedly American turn when it was decided that there would be a televised debate, with incumbent labor Prime Minister Gordon Brown, popular Tory challenger David Cameron and Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg. The move was criticized by those who believed that television as a medium put too much emphasis on the personality and charisma of the candidates, and shifted the focus away from the policies. The debate was also seen as detrimental to the chances of Brown, who is known for his dour personality and lack of charisma.

While politics based on personality should be guarded against, the fears of the critics were alleviated by the actual debate. All the candidates were intelligent, engaging, respectful of the questioners and crucially, did not rely on canned political cliche. In the end, the winner of the night seemed to be Nick Clegg, who was seen as an outside shot. While this writer was initially skeptical of the move, the publicity that it has given to a formerly weak candidate deserves to be lauded. One hopes though that the move is not merely the beginning of the Americanization of British Politics.

Human Sacrifice: The horror that hasn’t been eradicated

It’s shocking to think about it, but while one part of the world engages in civil debates and the political process, another witnesses barbaric cruelty in the form of a human sacrifice. In West Bengal, India, the severed head and torso of a man were recently discovered at a local village temple. The police in the region believe that it is a case of human sacrifice, to appease the goddess Kali, who is traditionally represented in Hindu mythology as warlike and sometimes even bloodthirsty.

The practice was prevalent in India centuries ago but was thought to be completely extinguished. As is the case with most social evils in the country, the worst victims are the poor and illiterate, who are sucked into a web of blind faith and are completely subordinate to the local priest. The case is embarrassing both to the West Bengal and Indian government, and casts a very poor light on the country. Despite its impressive economic growth and increased clout on the international stage, all is not well in the giant.

In what has been a forgettable couple of weeks, the country has also faced a minor crisis with the killing of over fifty policemen by Naxalites, rebels who wage a guerrilla war in the forests of India in the hope of overthrowing the government and setting up a Communist state. The movement has been active since the 1960’s, but these have been, by far, the worst attacks on the government.

The attacks have caused widespread concern, and there are fears that the Naxalites are now indirectly in control of a vast swathe of Indian districts concentrated in the center of the country. The way the incumbent government, led by the Congress, deals with the threat will be crucial to their re-election prospects, with the main criticism of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh being that he is weak on terrorism and militancy.

The tyranny that is Zimbabwe

Modern politics really do run the full spectrum.