DEMOCRACY OR DICTATORSHIP

Zaid---Yesterday in our talk, you were extolling Hitler and holding a brief for dictatorship as a form of
Government. I feel that it I one of the worst forms of Government since it denies the people their basic
right of participating in the affairs of their country.

Bakar---In my opinion the people have no such right. You forget that the common man is generally
ignorant and uneducated. He has no political acumen whatsoever, and iss therefore, not in a position to
look at the pro and cons of any issue. Dont you think it would be most dangerous to allow such people
to rule?

Zaid--- I know that true democracy cannot be established without education. Education of all is an
essential prerequisite of democracy because it gives to the people a greater foresight and helps them to
develop a scientific attitude of mind which steers clear of emotional approach to life. But democracy
without education is not so dangerous as you think. However ignorant a people happen to be, they have
enough sense to differentiate between good and bad.

Bakar---they might be having this sense but they do not seem to make use of it. In a democracy the
people allow themselves to be influenced by political parties; they even accept bribes and vote for
candidates irrespective of their capabilities. This not only shows that the people have no sense of their
own good but also that the system of elections in a democracy is great farce. In a dictatorship, there is
no such thing as election. This means an end to all the election propaganda and expense,, the bribery
and corruption and the mudslinging and vilification which go on during this period in a democratic
Government.

Zaid---I agree that the people often misuse this system of election but that does not mean that there
should be no election at all and an arbitrary dictator should be allowed to install himself. If the people
make a mistake in choosing their representatives, they have also an opportunity to right their wrong in a
democratic system of government. On the other hand, a dictator can only be got rid of by one method
and that is force.

Bakar---In other words, you mean that in democracy the people can choose good representatives for bad
ones and that too by peaceful means.
Zaid---Exactly

Bakar---But my dear Zaid, you fail to realize how these frequent changes in Government , this flexibility in
democracy can harm the country. It causes instability and weakens the country especially in time of war.

Zaid---History will bear out facts to the contrary. Let me tell you that is spite of this flexibility, in every
important war since 1700 the victory has gone to the more democratic side. Recent examples of this
view are the two World Wars.

Bakar---That is true, but I still maintain that dictatorship means a strong government. The uniformity of
opinion that it ensures, the effective manner in which it crushes all disruptive forces, all lead to a stable
and strong Government.

Zaid---You are extolling this uniformity of opinion and crushing down of disruptive elements in a
dictatorship whereas, in my opinion, these are the most heinous aspects of dictatorship. What you
euphemistically describe as uniformity of opinion is, in reality, steamrolling of all public thought. It is , in
fact , a camouflage for the intellectual rape of the masses. The so-called uniformity of thought is not a
natural consensus of opinion resulting from free debate but an artificial state of affairs brought about by
the fear of third-degree methods applied by the dictators. The arbitrary ruler gathers a band of sself
seeking sycophant around him and they liquidate all independent thought by taking recourse to a
nefarious and subtle propaganda in support of the dictator. This uniformity of opinion, as you call it, is
achieved by suppressing the peoples right to think, speak and write freely. I think it is mot inhuman to
deny the people their right to express themselves.

Bakar--- I think the people should be denied this right in the higher interest of the state.

Zaid---And what is the higher interest of the state? Is it the interest of the selfish and power-hungry
dictator? In order to promote his own interest and perpetuate his own power, he I out to crush all
opposition and silence all criticism.
Bakar---But dont you realize that criticism and opposition cause strife, jealousies and rivalries in a
country?

Zaid---Never. Healthy criticism and opposition though the media of radio, Press and television help the
people to air their grievances without resorting to force or bloodshed. It is one of the greatest merits of
democracy that it allows varieties of opinion to flourish. Every person is free to think, speak or write
according to hios desire. He is free to order his life as he wants. Even God Almighty is not a dictator. He
has given man free will Every person----

Bakar---Stop your haranguing Zaid and just listen to me. I think----

Zaid---By interrupting me Bakar, you have proved my point. Do you realize now, how strong is the urge in
man top express himself? If I had been a dictator, I would never have allowed you to interrupt me thus or
listen to your opinion. As I am not, I will give ear to what you have to say most willingly.

Bakar---If every person is allowed to have his way, wont the result be chaos and anarchy?

Zaid---Democracy does not mean license. There is liberty under democracy and that means respect for
law, the rights of others and duly constituted authority. If, on the other hand, no right are recognized as
in dictatorship, the result is complete stagnation and frustration. Suppression of individual liberty and
initiative is most antagonistic to the development of human personality.

Bakar--- I grant that, this argument of yours goes in favour of democracy but you cant deny that in
dictatorship more importance is attached to quality than to numbers. In democratic countries all those
whop gain a majority come into power irrespective of that their real capabilities as statesmen are. This is
just counting of heads instead of evaluation of ability and merit. Iqbal has placed his finger on the sore
spot when he says:

Beware of democracy and give full allegiance to a seasoned leader because the brain of two hundred ae
put together cannot produce the thought of a human being.
Zaid--- once again, I shall repeat that democracy demands active, alert, and honest citizenship from the
people. If they fulfill these conditions they will know the qualities of their candidate and choose them on
that basis alone. As to your argument that dictatorship is founded on quality, I think you are wrong. Does
a totalitarian regime establish itself on the basis of its quality and administrative ability? On the contrary,
it comes into power by force and retains its position by force.

Bakar---Nevertheless you cannot deny that dictators even though they come into power by force have
managed to administer their states most efficiently. The example of Hitler is before you. He solved all the
post-war problems of food,, starvation and unemployment and made his country one of the greatest
nations of Europe.

Zaid--- yes, but the method that he employed in making Germany great was wrong. He was inculcating in
his people a wrong trend of thought with his conception of the German people as the super-race and
with his intolerance toward the Jews. He was crushing their personalities by denying them their
fundamental rights of free speech and thought. Frustration would have been the inevitable result of all
this but to divert the attention of the people and to retain his hold upon them he tried to achieve
spectacular result by embarking on a policy of ruthless aggression and militarism towards other nations
which plunged his own country and, in fact, the whole world into an unprecedented blood-bath and
destruction.

Bakar--- But what about hi efficient handling of the post-war problems after the first European war?

Zaid--- He succeeded in that sphere but in my opinion the supreme test of excellence in a government I
not the abundant supply of food to the people. It is the character that a healthy form of political
constitution tends to create in the citizens by whom it must be sustained.

Bakar---After weighing the pro and con of the issue I feel like gravitating to your point of view. Your
arguments are highly convincing. Hurrah for democracy! Long live the government of the people, by the
people, for the people! Let U forget the rough and tumble of this debate and part as friend. (Total words
1464)
 MEANING OF DIFFICULT WORDS
Extol= to praise somebody/ something very much
Holding a brief for=To support or defend a position by argument
Acumen= The ability to understand and decide things quickly and well
Prerequisite= Something that must exist or happen before something else can happen or be done.
Foresight= The ability to predict what I likely to happen and to use this to prepare for the future
Steer= To take control of a situation and influence the way in which it develops
Farce= A situation or an event that is so unfair or badly organized that it becomes ridiculous
Mudslinging=The act of criticizing somebody and accusing them of something in order to damage their
reputation
Vilify= To say or write unpleasant thing about somebody/ something so that other people will have a low
opinion of them.
Arbitrary= (of an action, a decision, a rule etc) not seeming to be based on a reason, system or plan and
sometimes seeming unfair
Bear out= To show that somebody is right or that something I true
Disruptive= Causing problems, noise etc so that something cant continue normally
Uniformity= The same in all part and at all time, Not varying
Euphemism= An indirect word or phrase that people often use to refer to something embarrassing or
unpleasant , sometimes to make it seem more acceptable than it really is.
Steam roll= To defeat somebody or force them to do something using your power or authority
Bull-doze= To destroy buildings, trees etc with a bulldozer
Discordant= Not in agreement; combining with other things in a way that is stranger ort unpleasant
Camouflage= A way of hiding solders and military equipment using paint, leaves or nets so that they
work like part of their surrounding
Sycophant= A person who praises important or powerful people to much and in a way that is not sincere,
especially in order to get something from them
Recourse= The fact of having to or being able to sue something that can provide help in a difficult
situation
Nefarious= Criminal; immoral
Subtle= Organized in a clever way
Perpetuate= To make something such a bad situation, a belief, etc continue for a long time
Strife= Angry or violent disagreement between two people or group of people
Flourish= To develop quickly and be successful or common ; synonym= Thrive
Harangue= To speak loudly and angrily in a way that criticizes somebody/ something or tries to persuade
to do something
Chaos= A state of complete confusion and lack of order
Anarchy= A situation in a country an organization etc in which there is no government order or control
Antagonistic= Showing or feeling opposition; synonym= Hostile
Statesman= A wise, experienced and respected political leader
Sore= A painful, often red, place on your body where there is a wound or an infection;synonym = wound
Allegiance= A persons continued support for a political party, religion, ruler etc
Seasoned= Having a lot of experience of a particular activity
Asses= Estimate
Totalitarian= (of a country or system of government ) in which there is only one political party that has
complete power and control over the people
Starvation= The state of suffering and death caused by having no food
Inculcate= To cause somebody to learn and remember ideas, moral principles, etc especially by repeating
them often
Conception=An understanding or a belief of what something is or what something should be
Spectacular= Very impressive; synonym= Breathtaking
Embark on/upon something= To start to do something new or difficult
Ruthless= (of people or their behaviour) hard and cruel
Unprecedented= That has never happened been done or been known before
Gravitate to /towards somebody/ something= To make towards somebody/ something that you are
attracted to
Tumble of something= An untidy group of things