What is a representative government?

Apologies for the lack of posts over the past few weeks. In part, this has been the result of a rather hectic schedule. But the delay is also due to the complexity of this issue. It has taken quite a bit of time for me to organise my thoughts on this.

What is a representative government exactly? Is it one that follows the will of the people? Or is it one that acts in their best interests?

The answer to this question is integral to understanding our current political climate.

It is quite obvious what the PAP as a whole thinks about this. The long term national interest trumps all other secondary concerns, and to this end, it is willing to utilize all necessary measures to ensure that our future is secure. Thus, it is more than happy to ram through unpopular measures (like raising the retirement age and changes to the CPF system) to protect the interests of future citizens.

But it know that this alone is not enough. Afterall, an unpopular PAP is ultimately one unable to effect change through the system. To resolve this contradiction, it uses its control of the legislature to rig the system in its favour (e.g. the GRC system etc).

The end result is a streamlined system that is capable of undertaking change where needed. But there is a catch. Dissent is discouraged or overruled (just look at the IRs). Slowly but surely, we the people simply lose interest in the process of governing. Afterall, if we can’t change it, why bother?

Through this, many have forfeited their stake in government. We effectively subcontracted our thinking to the higher authorities. So when they propose seismic changes to the nation (like the construction of new MRT lines), most fail to appreciate their significance. We become indifferent to the revolutions occurring around us, because we don’t feel like we owned it.

The current situation is due to the fear among the PAP that rule by people leads to populist policies that would ultimately sink our small and vulnerable country. The fear is justified and I do share their concerns.

But I think their approach in addressing this latent threat is wrong. If you are afraid that voters may elect a government that is detrimental to our interests, the solution is not by maintaining a permanent stranglehold on the corridors of power. For what gives you the supreme confidence that you are infallible?

Rather, we should focus on making our voters politically aware. For only then will we truly be safe from populism.

To this end, having only policy wonks in our government will not do. We need great communicators, leaders able to deftly shape the public discourse and to rally the populace towards unpalatable but necessary causes. Judging from the discontent in the heartlands, we still have a long way to go in this aspect.

We also need to open up the political system to encourage more participation among our citizens. I will detail my proposals in a separate post, but in short, there is a need to allow citizens means of expressing their will on government even after elections. Only then can our citizens feel invested in government decisions.

Finally, we need to provide means of educating our electorate about policy and government performance. Afterall, how can we reelect a MP that stands for you, if you don’t even know how he has performed over his past term? Again, a more detailed proposal would be forthcoming in a separate post.

To summarise, we need to have faith in the people. For they had faith in you to do the right things for them.

And thus, instead of having a government that focuses on the interests of current and future constituents, we need a government that gets everyone involved in the national effort.

A representative government is not one that blindly follows the people. Nor is it one that forces its proposals onto the nation for their own sake. It is one that convinces the people to do the right thing willingly, one that makes painful but right policy popular.

And sadly, that is not the government we have.