Externalities in politics

In economics, externalities mean the spillover or side effects of a firm’s operations. Pollution is a classic example of negative externality – a factory sends carbon and other particulates into the air which then descend on farmlands. Or a factory dumps toxic chemicals into the sea causing huge problems for bio-diversity and health.

Education, on the other hand, produces positive externalities. Besides empowering individuals, it produces good citizens – so if you open a school, you close a prison.

Political activities, too, have positive as well as negative effects on society. The Panama leaks, which have created stir in Pakistan, seem to be a blessing in disguise for us. Let us start with its immediate benefits. The prime minister has started touring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and blessing it with mega projects in healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

And in a knee-jerk reaction, the KP government appears to be waking up from its slumber of about three years to reform bureaucracy, boost economic activities, and present KP as a model for other provinces to emulate.

More promising are the long-term effects of the Panama leaks. With corruption now being framed and recognised as an existential problem for the country, one can safely assume that it would no longer be business as usual for politicians to plunder the public exchequer as and when they found an opportunity to do so. As the nation stood united after the APS tragedy and developed a National Action Plan to root out terrorism, it is hoped that the Panama leaks would provide an impetus for a powerful and independent accountability mechanism to eliminate corruption once and for all.

Accountability is the essence of democracy. Without check and balance, democracy is no different from dictatorship and monarchy. Unfortunately, from day one, our rulers have abhorred accountability. If they were true to the ideal of accountability, which is the sine qua non of governance in Islam, our rulers would never choose to gloss over it so blatantly. They would lead by example like Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), Hazrat Umar (ra) and others who never used public office and resources for personal aggrandizement.

Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), in his first address said, “cooperate with me when I am right but correct me when I commit error; obey me so long as I follow the commandments of Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) but turn away from me when I deviate.” Similarly, Hazrat Umar (ra) had established a specific office for holding public administrators accountable to the public. Hazrat Ali (ra) had directed his governor in Egypt to arrange public audience for people where they could express their grievances against the state freely, and to take action against the culprits.

Our rulers are even no match to their counterparts in the Western world. Muhammad Abduh, an Egyptian scholar, used to say, “I       went to the West      and saw        Islam, but      no Muslims; I got back to the East and saw Muslims, but not        Islam.”

The ascendance of the West is mostly due to honest leadership and credible institutions. It is not possible for rulers in the West to play with institutions for their advantage. Free media, independent judiciary, and powerful oversight parliamentary/legislative bodies make it impossible for anyone to misuse authority as is done in this country of ‘pure’ people.

We assume the PM is innocent in the Panama leaks but like the old lady, who questioned Hazrat Umar (ra) to explain why he had two blankets instead of one, we are justified in asking Nawaz Sharif to justify his wealth here and abroad.

Is accountability an insult to his status as a democratic leader or is it the core value of democracy that he should safeguard through personal example?                

The writer teaches at the Sarhad University. Email: zebkhan.ba@suit.edu.pk