The Logic of Political Survival: Dictatorship - Assignment Example

Dictatorship The issue of democracy versus dictatorship has been a of debate for many years. While some people believe that dictatorship gets the job done without too much hassle, most believe that a democratic government is the way to go and that people are more accepting of a government they have elected themselves. The importance of human rights has gained so much coverage, and people have rights that should be upheld. Therefore, it is important that these rights are not violated, and people are allowed to vote in whoever they feel comfortable with. The world today has no place for dictatorship, and although it exists in some parts of the world, it does more harm than good (Bueno de Mesquita, Smith and Siverson). Dictatorship practiced in the parts of the world is more destructive than it is constructive. More disadvantages are associated with it than advantages. Democracy, on the other hand, allows people to choose a leader they admire. However, questions always arise on whether people choose who they want or simply whether the vote is manipulated by popular politicians or by corruption. Democracy has been tainted with some elected leaders who end up wanting to remain in power even after their time is over. The question arises whether it is democracy in totality or dictatorship under the veil of democracy. Some citizens have been threatened with death of they do not vote for a particular leader that beats the essence of democracy. All forms of dictatorship should be abolished and done away with simply because the welfare of the people is not taken care of and dictatorship is harmful to the development of any country. A dictator is a person who maintains their hold on power even when they are supposed to step down. A dictator is led by his desires and is controlled by the need to have power over the people. They force people to do all that they want regardless of whether it is right or wrong or whether they are going against their wills to do it. Dictatorship leads to corruption in the country because most dictators are feared, and thus no one questions their actions. They use funds mean for the development of the country to further enrich themselves and make their lives and those of their friends much easier (Clark, Golder and Golder). They allocate land to whoever they wish and give jobs to only those who are likely to carry out their every bidding whether they are qualified or not. If unqualified people are chosen for jobs and paid handsomely, then there is simply no way a country can develop. Most dictators spend public funds on themselves or dubious projects than on the welfare of the people. The people who are in critical positions can get away with anything they do simply because the dictator is on their side. Dictatorship is marked by a few people getting what they want at the expense of the majority public. Dictatorship instills fear in people as dictators are usually very ruthless. The people are always at the risk of being killed if the dictator orders it. Any rebels are often killed without any fair trial. The moment a person is suspected of being a rebel they are normally imprisoned then killed. For instance, in Uganda, Idi Amin who was a dictator killed many innocent people at his will (Gwyn). He is even rumored to have kept the bodies of those he killed in the refrigerator and drank their blood. No one would dare question him as he had a massive military base that followed his orders to the letter. Whenever he had a conflict with a person, killing him or her was the best solution for him as he could not stand any opposition. He also frequently sent out soldiers to the villages to kill the men, rape women and even kill children. One would wonder why he was killing innocent people who had not done anything. Most countries that are ruled by dictators have very high levels of poverty. Unless the country is very rich in natural occurring minerals, they rarely invest in any sector. Investors are usually wary of investing in unstable countries for fear of massive losses. No business person would invest in a volatile area. Therefore, these countries miss out on investors who would help in the development of the country (Clark, Golder and Golder).The social systems of the country are further worn down. Children cannot go to school if they are in constant fear, hospitals cannot function effectively if there is no medicine or qualified staff to treat patients and farming cannot take place in the volatile areas if citizens are always fighting. Dictatorship has no place for development as it is a one-man show who is only interested in fulfilling his desires at the expense of the people. Dictatorship does not have a place in the world due to the influx of human rights as people have fundamental rights that should be adhered to. Dictatorship has no concern of the people and thus the people can be said to be oppressed. People living in dictatorial countries do not have the same opportunity s those born in free countries. Citizens live in some prison where they cannot do as they please and some are even forced to worship God in a particular manner. Their decisions regarding their lives are influenced by what the dictator wants (Trotsky). Dictators in the past have been hunted down and killed due to the cruelty they bestowed upon their subjects. Most of them are accused of crimes against humanity in the International courts. The downside of these cases s that it takes a very long time for them to be determined and by the time the perpetrator is persecuted, most of the victims have already gone through so much. The international system for punishing such offenders is faulty and should be worked on to ensure that he victims get justice as soon as possible. The conflicts and strikes that happen as a result if people protesting the rule of a dictator end up in many casualties. Civil rights society groups have risen and are pushing the dictators to give up power in a peaceful manner. Rebel groups in the countries are constantly putting pressure in the dictators to give up power by killing the soldiers. People desire to reside in a place where they can be heard and where they can explore their potentials. Humanity is driven by the desire to live in peace and in a place where they can stand up on their own. They do not have someone who can defend them when they are in trouble or even help them when they are going through calamities. People require a government that will protect them and one that does not exploit. The role of any government is to take care of its citizens and ensure that they have the basic needs that include shelter, clothing, food and a good healthcare system. If they cannot get these basic needs, then they are likely to get very frustrated and plot ways to change their administration. A government that goes against the will and does not have the support or approval of the people is bound to fail (Juan Linz). The proponents of dictatorship claim that dictatorship helps to maintain peace and that people are better controlled when they are in fear. However, they forget that people when frightened do not exploit their full potentials. Besides, people may always pretend that they like the dictator but will always plot disaster behind his back. Most dictators are egoistic people with no sense and rule with an iron fist often justifying their actions by claiming the people are out to kill or harm them. They may maintain peace by intimidating people, and this cannot be said to be peaceful. In any case, they put the people into a constant state of panic. They subdue people who could make a change in the society ad this cannot be said to be peace. Democracy allows people to choose their leader. Usually, the elected leader represents the view of the majority people and stands up for the rights of the citizens. In a democratic government, officials are chosen based on their qualifications. The major downside of a democratic government is that the minority people may feel oppressed and that they have to do things that they do not agree with simply because they are in the minority group. However, with a democratically elected government, this can always be negotiated, and a compromise sought to satisfy both parties (Møller and Skaaning). A democratically elected government is the best type of government as the needs, feelings and dreams of the people are realized. The citizens can also be held liable for any success or failure that the country encounters since they had a role to play in choosing their government. A government led by a dictator has no place in today’s society. It is not acceptable to impose one’s will on people, and the rest of the countries should try as much as possible to help the countries who are still under a dictatorship. Works Cited Bueno de Mesquita, Bruce, et al. The Logic of Political Survival. Michigan: MIT Press, 2003. Clark, William Roberts, Matt Golder and Sona N Golder. "Chapter 5. Democracy and Dictatorship: Conceptualization and Measurement." Principles of Comparative Politics (2012): 156-178. Del Testa, David W, Florence Lemoine and John Strickland. Government Leaders, Military Rulers, and Political Activists. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003. Gwyn, David. Idi Amin: Death-Light of Africa. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Juan Linz, quoted in Natasha M. Ezrow, Erica Frantz. , Dictators and Dictatorships: Understanding Authoritarian Regimes and Their Leaders. New Jersey: Continuum International Publishing Group., 2011. Møller, Jørgen and Svend-Erik Skaaning. Requisites of Democracy: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Explanation. New York: Routledge, 2012. Orizio, Riccardo. Talk of the Devil: Encounters with Seven Dictators. Kansas: Walker & Company, 2004. Trotsky, Leon. Dictatorship vs. Democracy. New Jersey: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015. Read More