Oh, Politics! No no no
"Oh Politics, no no no, I have no interest in it whatsoever", comes the refrain. "Oh I absolutely hate it", isn't uncommon either. The idea that someone is very interested in politics, even arouses a certain suspicion of the person, as argumentative, ideological, or at best, delusional.
Well, the cynicism isn't without grounds. The so called "politics" we are fed everyday, resembles the food served in the name of Chinese at many Indian restaurants. Not only does it taste nothing like what it is supposed to, it is made so hot that one would end up enjoying the Indian Chinese over the original.
The endless fight between political parties, the infinite farragoes and lies, that are served in the name of "politics" in television and media, seem unfair to the concept of politics, in my opinion. But perhaps, it is also an indictment of it's own failure to better itself.
So Mr. Chung, what is the real recipe of politics then? What is politics?
Good question. Let's find the answer in an Indian restaurant, shall we?
Three chad Indians sat at a restaurant and looked at the menu. None of them was too hungry to eat a whole meal, so they decided to share the food between themselves. What to order, remained the only question.
Whatever is ordered must be had by everyone. None can be kept from eating it, nor can anyone eat so much as to earn everyone's ire. So everyone gains utility from the common good/food and is affected by it's choice. Two dishes, three people! Whose preference to exclude?
Politics, begins at the dinner table.
Oh nice try! How is it anything like politics anyway?
This situation is like politics because a common good(or in fact a common food) is at stake(steak), just like a foreign policy move or water supply. Everyone gains from better foreign policy or better water supply, none can be excluded from their benefits, even when not paying for it. But there is more to it.
One guy definitely wants to have Chinese, after all, they've come to the restaurant for it's "Special Chinese Cuisine". The second lad however, wants to have some delicious Mughlai. The third is still figuring it out. Conflict and disagreement, is an essential part of politics. What do you think is Arnab's secret ingredient?
Had it been Three chad Chinese, they would've let the one with a sickle(or a table knife) in his hand decide the dishes. But the Indians, recently having felt cheated dining with a British, decide to vote between themselves, and find the answer. Our lads are smarter now.
Or are they?
As it turns out, the third lad suddenly recalled the last time he had Pasta with the guy bent on Chinese. Out of nowhere, he changes his mind to Pasta too. Two dishes and two guys want to have Pasta now, with one still dreaming of Biriyani. Should they order 2 pastas or in fact, order at least one Biriyani for the poor third wheel? A show of hands would elect the former. They are not very great friends, you see.
Come to the point, I am hungry!
The point being, Power. The third chad, was able to convince the first lad, about Pasta. The second lad, let's just say, should have gone boarding school. Maybe if he nicked a cigarette under the table, could things have turned in his favor?
What is politics? I'm, 6'1", but this is an answer I am too short to clearly see. But standing on the wise shoulders of Mark Warren(1999), we can see that "politics is the subset of social relations characterized by conflict over goods in the face of pressure to associate for collective action, where at least one party to the conflict seeks collectively binding decisions and seeks to sanction decisions by means of power".
A definition that holds pretty close to the familiar setting of a restaurant.
We as a nation, a state and a ward, have choices to make about resources which are for the common good. The deal is, there will be more often than not, a conflict between what to do with it, and the zeal among few to ensure it goes their way, hook or by crook.
Politics, does at this point, seem like a necessary bad. It must be done, but in itself is slightly dehumanizing. That some must suffer for the many and have their wishes compromised. But it can be uplifting too. Being aware of one's collective ownership, and taking responsibility to ensure decisions are taken rationally, such that no one is left out and that everyone gets enough, be it by ideological or monetary compromise, is a moral achievement. Politics, can be an experience in public service and self service both, because after all, better common goods are better for everyone.
Politics, is necessary and must be done. How do we do it, is a question we have choice in, in a free country. One man's rule, few men's rule or the rule of the many people.
Reference: Warren ME. What is political?. Journal of Theoretical Politics. 1999 Apr;11(2):207-31.
Well, the cynicism isn't without grounds. The so called "politics" we are fed everyday, resembles the food served in the name of Chinese at many Indian restaurants. Not only does it taste nothing like what it is supposed to, it is made so hot that one would end up enjoying the Indian Chinese over the original.
The endless fight between political parties, the infinite farragoes and lies, that are served in the name of "politics" in television and media, seem unfair to the concept of politics, in my opinion. But perhaps, it is also an indictment of it's own failure to better itself.
So Mr. Chung, what is the real recipe of politics then? What is politics?
Good question. Let's find the answer in an Indian restaurant, shall we?
Three chad Indians sat at a restaurant and looked at the menu. None of them was too hungry to eat a whole meal, so they decided to share the food between themselves. What to order, remained the only question.
Whatever is ordered must be had by everyone. None can be kept from eating it, nor can anyone eat so much as to earn everyone's ire. So everyone gains utility from the common good/food and is affected by it's choice. Two dishes, three people! Whose preference to exclude?
Politics, begins at the dinner table.
Oh nice try! How is it anything like politics anyway?
This situation is like politics because a common good(or in fact a common food) is at stake(steak), just like a foreign policy move or water supply. Everyone gains from better foreign policy or better water supply, none can be excluded from their benefits, even when not paying for it. But there is more to it.
One guy definitely wants to have Chinese, after all, they've come to the restaurant for it's "Special Chinese Cuisine". The second lad however, wants to have some delicious Mughlai. The third is still figuring it out. Conflict and disagreement, is an essential part of politics. What do you think is Arnab's secret ingredient?
Had it been Three chad Chinese, they would've let the one with a sickle(or a table knife) in his hand decide the dishes. But the Indians, recently having felt cheated dining with a British, decide to vote between themselves, and find the answer. Our lads are smarter now.
Or are they?
As it turns out, the third lad suddenly recalled the last time he had Pasta with the guy bent on Chinese. Out of nowhere, he changes his mind to Pasta too. Two dishes and two guys want to have Pasta now, with one still dreaming of Biriyani. Should they order 2 pastas or in fact, order at least one Biriyani for the poor third wheel? A show of hands would elect the former. They are not very great friends, you see.
Come to the point, I am hungry!
The point being, Power. The third chad, was able to convince the first lad, about Pasta. The second lad, let's just say, should have gone boarding school. Maybe if he nicked a cigarette under the table, could things have turned in his favor?
What is politics? I'm, 6'1", but this is an answer I am too short to clearly see. But standing on the wise shoulders of Mark Warren(1999), we can see that "politics is the subset of social relations characterized by conflict over goods in the face of pressure to associate for collective action, where at least one party to the conflict seeks collectively binding decisions and seeks to sanction decisions by means of power".
A definition that holds pretty close to the familiar setting of a restaurant.
We as a nation, a state and a ward, have choices to make about resources which are for the common good. The deal is, there will be more often than not, a conflict between what to do with it, and the zeal among few to ensure it goes their way, hook or by crook.
Politics, does at this point, seem like a necessary bad. It must be done, but in itself is slightly dehumanizing. That some must suffer for the many and have their wishes compromised. But it can be uplifting too. Being aware of one's collective ownership, and taking responsibility to ensure decisions are taken rationally, such that no one is left out and that everyone gets enough, be it by ideological or monetary compromise, is a moral achievement. Politics, can be an experience in public service and self service both, because after all, better common goods are better for everyone.
Politics, is necessary and must be done. How do we do it, is a question we have choice in, in a free country. One man's rule, few men's rule or the rule of the many people.
Reference: Warren ME. What is political?. Journal of Theoretical Politics. 1999 Apr;11(2):207-31.
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