Friday 8 July 2011

who let the dogs out

While most countries move forward with the passage of time ours seems to move in the backward direction with each passing day. With times the countries stabilize, we however have decided that nothing can change. Countries like China, Malaysia and numerous others, which were liberated in almost during the same era, have gone through massive constructive changes, we have seen nothing but a country put into the reverse gear since the death of its liberator. Three marshal laws, several failed democratic governments later we see our country on the list of the failing states. 12th on the failed states list to be specific.
And why shouldn't we be there? Pessimistic though it is, it is true. While I sit here writing this article, sweating, and in a foul mood millions in my country can’t even afford the basic facilities of health, education and shelter. They wait earnestly for someone to tell them that they might just survive, that they might just make it. Unfortunately, it’s not even just a lack of resources; it is the general attitude of the people. Somehow we have all internalized that this country is going to the dogs anyways and like hungry dogs we should all fighting for a bigger share. We keep blaming our leaders for their follies, but what we do not register is the fact that these leaders have come from amongst us.
Yes, one can certainly argue that our leaders are a different class altogether: landlords, industrialists, military personnel. One can also argue that since the creation of Pakistan, it has been run as an oligarchy, the power changes hands very rarely and even if it does its still influenced by a certain echelon. The stratum that reigns over this country, its constitution and its judiciary is the one that has more riches. As the wealthy keep getting wealthier their influence grows and it’s only the opulent class who can run for elections so it follows logically that they are not the true representatives of the population. We are a country where the middle class is fast diminishing, and that truly is a dangerous sign. It is a harbinger to the difficult times ahead. The unidirectional flow of wealth is creating a plethora of problems today which will have devastating effects for our future generations, if there are any. 
The solution to this predicament in my humble view is a just distribution of wealth. One might wonder how we might snatch and distribute in an egalitarian manner from this insanely corrupt, self-centered and egocentric pack of ravenous wolves. The answer lies in the method that was adopted millenniums ago: taxation. It is true that this is easier said than done and it is almost impossible to collect it from the most influential class of people of the country and it is also true that it would be imprudent to let the wealthiest class of the country off the hook since they are the ones which would make a significant contribution to the collecting tin.
We therefore have to tweak the system in such a way that wealthy can be taxed. We need to enforce tax on those who always shy away from it through proper check and balance. The proper distribution of wealth might allay some of the problems that this country is facing, it might appease those who are hopeless and it might make those optimistic who have lost all faith in this country and its future.

http://www.pakistantoday.com.p​k/2011/07/our-political-woes/

4 comments:

  1. I wish I could ACTUALLY read what you wrote here except the font size and the color makes it impossible for me to do so..

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  2. hey am sorry for the font and the color....i hope now you can read it.

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  3. Well said Junaid but I wouldn't refer to them as ravenous wolves, why disrespect the wolves instead refer to them as dirty pigs and keep those thought-provoking posts coming.

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  4. thanks for the complements rabia :)
    and u are right they are pigs..i was just trying to be subtle...

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