Synthetic Development, Commodification Of The Body And The Vote Under Neoliberal Economic Policy: Where To Now?
By Siri Gamage -November 18, 2014
Dr. Siri Gamage
In modern day governance, there are certain principles that peace-loving people expect the rulers to implement. One of them is accountability. Accountability for the actions, expenditure, decisions, and appointments that governments make. In advanced democratic societies, there are mechanisms to ensure accountability with vested powers to seek and collect information, summon officials before parliamentary committees, investigate, and make recommendations. Effectiveness of these mechanisms depends on the availability of a degree of autonomy and independence for these mechanisms to function. If the politicians tamper and interfere with these mechanisms formally or informally, then the people cannot expect fair outcomes. Associated with accountability is the principle of transparency. That is the possibility for the people to know about the way governments make decisions, the nature of such decisions, and if there are any adverse impacts on any given sector of the population due to the decisions made. Steps for mitigating adverse impacts are then utilised. Consultation is another key principle of good governance.
However, in countries where there are no such democratic principles of governance, such as North Korea, authority of the leader and the party reins supreme. Rule making for the country is very much a party affair. So is policy making and decision making. The armed forces are firmly under the control of the leader and the ruling party. All major media outlets are heavily controlled to transmit state news, which basically means party propaganda. All institutions of the state including Law enforcement are highly politicised. A controlled and regimented society is constructed within which individual freedoms are heavily curtailed. Private sector is almost non-existent. Economic affairs are controlled by state entities. So is the civic life. A type of ‘politically manipulated slavery’ exists in such societies. Read More
