The new counting hall is ready for the big deal. Our political parties are geared for a snap election. The citizen is eager to hear the Prime Minister announcing Election Day. No doubt we are in electoral mode. It doesn't seem that this year our political strategists will be celebrating the Christmas festivities. The fact that an election was not called in December could be a blessing in disguise. Not that one party stands a better chance to win if it is held early next year, but simply because by that time, the citizen might have the opportunity to reflect on the real issues of politics without being emotionally carried away with the frolics of partisan propaganda.
George Orwell put it nicely: "Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind". It is rare to find people today who are satisfied with the state of politics in our society. Whether we hear complaints about lack of credibility among elected officials, behind-the-scenes deal making, partisan posturing or negative campaigning, the most frequently-heard remarks about politics are overwhelmingly negative. Yet we still cherish our democratic credentials including our electoral system. What's going on here? Is dissatisfaction with the character of politicians an inevitable condition of democracy? Could we talk of ethics in politics or would it be an attempt to link two contradictory terms?
Unfortunately we tend to underestimate the headaches of our politicians. They must take public positions on issues that are not only highly charged but oftenly very difficult to resolve. They are not allowed the luxury of speaking or acting in an ambiguous manner especially on issues which are considered to be socially divisive: Divorce, taxes,environmental regulation, housing and job creation. Private citizens, on the other hand, have the advantage of selecting when and where they will share their views on such issues. As ordinary citizens, we choose to maintain our cordiality with one another merely by avoiding controversial issues and limit ourselves to topics that are politically neutral. Politicians are obliged to express their views publicly. Their actions such as passing laws, enforcing policies and rendering judgements have a direct impact on our lives. By its own nature the political office attracts criticism.
Most people would therefore have good reasons to dislike most politicians most of the time. This is not a Maltese sydrome, it is experienced around the globe especially in the western democracies. So, is it surprising that negative campaigning is such a prominent feature of our political landscape? It seems that the most effective option to win an election is not to be liked more than the other party or candidate, but to be disliked less.
Still, there are qualities of character that we value in politicians. The most important virtues of democratic leaders are integrity, wisdom and hope. There is no clear - cut definition of "integrity", however, in political terms we mean that politicians shall refuse to let personal interests get in the way of national stability. Of course, that also applies to the politician who manoeuvres to secure his political career to the detriment of the nation's interest. Prudence or wisdom is the ability to recognise the true from the false, to see things as they really are and not just how one wants to see them. Is an election really called in the national interest or in the interest of the party in government?
The third essential political virtue for a democracy is hope. It doesn't mean promising, promising and promising. It implies that the government's proper role is the long-term health of the state, not the drastic response to the whim or cry of the hour. Politicians shall not take personal offence when they are criticised for their flaws in the administration of public affairs, and then act on the spur of the moment. Hope shall predominate over fear.
The politicians we admire from the past are probably more like the politicians of the present age than we would like to admit. I think the qualities (or lack of them) we most frequently complain about in politicians - the dishonesty or the partisan wrangling - are the very qualities that we most dislike in ourselves. It's true we know all this but we still elect them and expect them to do a nearly impossible job for which we then level our criticism. Nevertheless, that shouldn't stop us from expecting our politicians to act with an extra measure of integrity, wisdom and hope.
If that means political ethics... then that is what we all want to experience during the coming electoral campaign and beyond!
matyas@maltanet.net