Afghanistan and the Goddess of Democracy

 
As Afghans go to the polls, Western democracies would do well to question the state of their own secular democratic institutions, notes Dallas Darling.

 
When reports surfaced that officials in the Obama Administration were "crowing" over Afghan President Hami Karzai's agreement to a runoff vote, it reminded me of Socrates' final words. Just before taking hemlock, and right before committing autonomous, or political, self-immolation, Socrates reminded Crito to give Asclepius a rooster to pay his debt. Socrates, you see, had been arrested and put on trial by a democracy. And as a citizen of an independent state, he merely felt obligated to accept the verdict of the Athenian majority.

Socrates is also one of the first recorded individuals to think for himself, to ask difficult questions, and to follow his conscience. This included defying the Athenian gods of war, and challenging Athens goddess of democracy. For these reasons, Socrates was brought before a jury of his peers. A democratic majority found him guilty of corrupting the youth and sentenced him to death. Just as troublesome, though, are modern messianic pretenders who try and spread messianic democracies. Most often they start wars, occupy nations, and impose their own political culture onto others. (Which is not very democratic!)

But democracies, like other types of governing systems, have their problems. Who should be eligible to vote and at what age? How well-informed are the voters? How much money should political parties and their contenders be allowed to spend? Who, or what, is financing them and why? Does everyone have equal access to the mass media, and is the coverage and time given to each candidate fair and balanced? And then there are issues over security, voter intimidation, and turn-out. Finally, who counts and reports the results? How fair is the counting and reporting? And what should be done with spoiled ballots?

Because Socrates did not worship the goddess of democracy, he was sentenced to death. Peter Galbraith, deputy of United Nations envoy to Afghanistan, found this out when he questioned Afghanistan's recent election. By claiming the elections were a mistake and fraudulent, he was accused of eroding the Afghans' confidence and was fired. But he was only questioning the goddess of democracy, just like some Afghans are now doing. They know how easily elections can be interfered with and rigged. For others who believe in the bullet, instead of the ballot, they are simply resembling their counterparts-militant democracies that have opted for more bloodshed and war.

Concerning Afghanistan's election on November 7, the United Nations plans to replace more than half the top officials involved in the last election due to fraud. Making excuses, such as Afghanistan is a young democracy, only exacerbates the obvious: democracies are problematic, especially when there is poverty, injustice, corruption, illiteracy, oppression, unemployment, and incompetent leaders. Is this why Mohammad and Jesus commanded their followers to first pursue justice, mercy, forgiveness, peace, and compassion, and then build an egalitarian political and economic order?

As Afghans go to the polls, Western democracies would do well to question the state of their own secular democratic institutions. Socrates chief preoccupation was not only examining the soul and morality, but relentlessly questioning beliefs and myths, including the goddess of democracy. If the unexamined life is not worth living, then neither is an unexamined democracy that exports fear and terror. Specifically, the kind of democracy that is fueled by a market economy based on greed, consumerism, superiority, and war.

Later-and after Socrates said, "Crito, I owe a rooster to Asclepius. Will you remember to pay the debt," and after witnessing the execution of Socrates-Plato wrote that Socrates was the wisest, most just, and best of all he has ever known. Unfortunately, even in the most "civilized" democracies, animal and human sacrifices were required, just like they still are today.

Dallas Darling is the author of Politics 501: An A-Z Reading on Conscientious Political Thought and Action, Some Nations Above God: 52 Weekly Reflections On Modern-Day Imperialism, Militarism, And Consumerism in the Context of John‘s Apocalyptic Vision, and The Other Side Of Christianity: Reflections on Faith, Politics, Spirituality, History, and Peace. He is a correspondent for www.worldnews.com.You can read more of his articles at www.beverlydarling.com and wn.com//dallasdarling.

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