Towards bigger things
The shortest route to progress: it is a question that has troubled political thinkers for many decades. Some prescribe greater democracy, a consolidation of public freedoms and a fair rotation of power. Others suggest that the entire mode of production be changed, with the working classes taking the lead. Alarmingly, most of the debate has taken place in ivory towers.
It was only in the last decade that the ivory towers crumbled a little and society moved ahead in a different, but effective, direction. Civil society organisations began to provide a helping hand with charitable work and social services. But even these civil society groups had a political side to them, demanding a measure of political participation if only to ensure that they will be able to continue their services.
One thing we need to agree upon is how to organise community participation. No society can move ahead unless it is organised to some extent. Popular participation is the one direct and practical method to overcome the daily problems of any society. It is also a school for democracy, so to speak. Partisanship, it is said, is something that predates parties. It is only when a certain group of people identify common interests that they can act upon them, politically or otherwise.
Society possesses latent powers that can, if trained and tapped, bring about small but significant achievements. Plumbers, teachers, students, working mothers, all have things in common. All need to deal with community problems. Community participation will not work miracles. It can, though, be a first step to bigger things.
This week's Soapbox speaker is an Egyptian businessman.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 12 - 18 June 2003 (Issue No. 642)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/642/op7.htm