Viewpoints
Political Representation
By +Oscar V. Cruz, JCD
THE fact of honest to goodness political representation only makes real sense in a truly democratic country that adopts the following principles: First, the governing sovereignty in fact categorically and officially resides in the people. Second, the people themselves in effect delegate their sovereignty to some individuals from their common interests and public concerns. Third, the people’s delegated representatives then honestly and continuously work for the common good and public welfare of the people they precisely represent.
It is good to note that all the above observation on political representation find their basis on the truth that just as “polis” means city, “polites” in turn means citizen. Free translation: As it is the people – “polites” – who make up the country – “polis” – so it is that the people themselves who chose their representatives – “politicians” – to govern them and their country. Politics and politicians may not nonchalantly shrug off the objective truth that they are for the people – and certainly not the other way around. Such is also the basic premise why public offices held by politicians upon the delegation of the people are categorically and concretely intended for public service in favor of the latter.
It is for the above composite reason that among the fatal deformities of the democratic system advocating and promoting political representation, is the phenomenon of political corruption – when there is then some kind of a disgusting transit from political to but self-representation, when service to people becomes service to oneself, families, and friends included. In the last analysis, it is this signal liability of corruption that undermines the nature and finality of democracy, that makes politics “dirty,” that makes most politicians the objects of disgust and resentment, the target of bad jokes.
Some of the more deplored and deplorable effects of political corruption are the following: It undermines the significance, worth, and validity of democracy. It cheapens politics in the same way that it makes a mockery of politicians. But above all its deleterious effects is that it betrays and tramples upon the principles of social justice – specially in terms of people paying their taxes to the government while government officials pay themselves extremely while forgetting to give back to the people what they deserve by mandate of distributive justice – such as giving them public service and working for their common good.
It is corruption in their government manned and ran by their own representative public officials – politicians in particular – that causes social discontent if not social upheaval. A basically corrupt government notwithstanding all its allegations and pronouncements to the contrary, can be rightfully considered as a social curse, with the people bearing all the evil and sorrows thereof.
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