Illiteracy, poverty and democracy

Pakistan is caught up in the vicious cycle of illiteracy, poverty and an outdated system of governance. Each accentuates the other. The pre-requisite for the advent of democracy is an educated and economically prosperous nation. Likewise democracy is essential to educate the people and create conditions of economic prosperity. But the prevalent system stands on guard on both ends. It neither permits widespread education of the people nor sanctions economic empowerment of the common man because any such revolution is sure to spell its own demise. The feudal system promotes concentration of wealth in fewer hands leaving teeming millions in a state of poverty. This absolute command over country’s resources serves as source of its political. social and economic dominance that helps it to keep the masses in a state of servitude. Through the farce of elections, however, these elitists manage to bring about a kind of democracy which only brings them to power and is worse than dictatorship. Elections in this system are more of a power-game played with the help of overflowing treasury chests of the affluent. Election is a money led campaign. Power politics generates chaos, enmities, and murders. They are rigged through influence, threats, and bribes by the candidates. The government does it by making use of the state’s outfit. An ordinary person cannot even dare to take part in the process of today’s elections. The Devolution Plan has not been able t introduce an iota of democracy in the current decadent system.