Ammon News - By Hassan A. Barari

Nowhere on this planet has the “culture of complacency” been as dominant as in our part of the world. Unelected governments act on behalf of the people on matters that affect their daily lives without bothering to consult them.

Luckily enough, from a government perspective, no one can protest effectively as existing laws disempower the people and make political participation an extravagant luxury that only few would dare think of. The political game, for a while, has remained confined to a closed club of well-off persons who are not necessarily incapable of ruling. Still fresh in my mind are the conversations I had with many of the would-be ruling elite on a wide range of issues that ranged from environmental issues to politics. Frankly, they are impressive when it comes to how much they know. This should not be surprising as they have graduated largely from renowned western universities and they must have a firsthand knowledge of how a democratic system functions.

Yet, things change when these people are catapulted into political positions and there is no rhyme or reason for how they acquire these positions. The same persons who take pride in gaining education from the best institutions on earth seem to forget everything once they are in the driving seat in the government. They appear as though they have an entirely different mind-set that is not only autocratic but also intolerant. The irony is that they leave office and criticise the system in which they have actively participated.

Historically speaking, what made the task of ruling easier has been the existence of the culture of complacency. By and large, people are not organised to protest in an effective way and there is inaction because the vast majority of the population feel powerless.

A quick glance at Jordan over the past year reveals a different story. Indeed, it does not take an expert or a sociologist to notice that the culture of complacency is no longer there. This time around the protests do not only come from well-organised professional associations that are accustomed to making an occasional just to remind everyone that they still count. On the contrary, we are also witnessing grassroots protests that are ringing alarm bells. An example is the teachers’ crisis.

The old tools of governing are no longer enough to placate emboldened activists who are fearless. It is a huge mistake on the part of the government to rule almost a year without a Parliament. The absence of Parliament makes every step the government takes suspicious. It is not because Cabinet ministers are not good or lacking integrity, rather it is because there is no way to make sure the government is transparent.

The latest move to limit access to news portals by civil servants only fuels suspicion that the government does not want to hear any criticism.

With the spread of the Internet, the government should be a part in the debate as it will not succeed in imposing a monopoly on the public space in this country.

While Jordanians understand the economic challenges that lie ahead, they want to debate the issues thoroughly and speak their minds freely.

hassbarari@gmail.com

* Jordan Times