Elections And The Future Of Free Society
The philosophical premise of my transition from an Indian Muslim to an American Muslim is my understanding of what
America stood for. I believe that if being an American means believing in a free society — democracy, civil rights, free
trade, free markets and freedom of religion — then even though I was born in India, I was born an American. The day I
started thinking like this, that day I understood the fundamental relationship between freedom and humanity. It is only
in free societies that we can be all that we can be — just, moral, ethical, creative, conscientious and rich. Therefore
when I came to America a dozen years ago, I took to it like a fish to water. I testify that, thanks to God and thanks to
America, I am living the life of my dreams.
But lately I am beginning to feel a little disquiet. Are we entering an era when America may no longer be able to afford
American values?
Honey, I shrunk Democracy!
Since September 11 we have experienced a steady shrinking of American democracy and economy. The USA Patriot Act and its
attendant controversies are all too familiar. The problem is not just the act itself but the environment that
facilitated such sweeping legislation that limits freedom. The acceptance of the act by a majority of Americans has
heralded a new period in American history when security fears are rolling back hard-earned constitutional provisions
that protect individual rights in America.
The act is indicative that Americans are so frightened of the Bin Ladens of this world, that they are ready to comprise
their most sacred value — freedom and democracy. It is a matter of concern that when attacked we did rally behind the
flag (literally displaying it every which way) and behind the president whose approval ratings reached great peaks, but
not behind our constitutive values of freedom and democracy.
One would have thought that once the Americans had time to realise that the USA Patriot act had dealt a real blow to
their values and maimed the constitution, we would use the coming election as a referendum to restore the full majesty
of our constitution and its crown jewel — the Bill of Rights.
The possibility that the entire act will be repealed is minimal. At best one can hope that some of the most egregious
provisions in the act that specifically violate due process will be repealed. The spectre of anti-American terrorism
continues to grow. Ironically it seems that terrorists and not American citizens will determine the health of American
democracy. Has the fear of global terrorism forced us to accept lower democratic standards? Are we living in an era when
democratic freedoms at home will always be determined by fears, real and imagined, of external enemies?
I do not think so. It is time for us to have a public debate on the utility of reduced freedoms. We can blame
intelligence failures, security failures at airports, foreign policy errors for our inability to prevent September 11,
but certainly not the Bill of Rights?
In case you hear someone scream, “Honey, I shrunk our Democracy!” you should realise that the voice does not belong to
George W Bush or Osama Bin Laden but the common American, who has allowed freedom to take the rap.
Who slipped the nation, the pink slip?
The second pillar of free society — which is based on free government and free markets — is the arena of trade and
commerce. The last three to four years have not been good for American economy, the recent jobless recovery not
withstanding.
We have consistently lost jobs –when the info-tech bubble burst and then through outsourcing. First through NAFTA
America has allowed thousands of its manufacturing jobs to go overseas. And now through WTO we are outsourcing ‘business
processes’ (BPO — business process outsourcing). In simple terms the service and info-tech related jobs that were to
offset the loss of manufacturing jobs are also being exported.
Since January 2001 the US economy has lost 3.2 million private sector jobs including 2.5 million fewer manufacturing
jobs. In the next ten years we could lose three million more jobs.
In my home state of Michigan, we have lost over 162,300 manufacturing jobs, roughly one-fifth of our entire
manufacturing base and unemployment not stands at 7.4 per cent, fourth highest in the country. And now we are witnessing
companies such as Syntel Inc. and Covansys Corp resorting to outsourcing. Their higher profit margins are indicative of
the lucrative nature of this global business strategy, but it also underscores the fact that even service and tech jobs
are fleeing Michigan. We could eke out a living by selling burgers and fries, but people need jobs to be able to buy
burgers and fries.
We are experiencing an economic recovery, but without job creation. Whatever the reason for the recovery, low interest
rates, tax cuts or reduced value of the dollar, can we continue to allow our economy to lose jobs.
As things get worse, the US government will have to intervene to make adjustment for market failures. Already the Senate
is considering a bill that seeks to plant hurdles in the path of companies resorting to BPOs. The senate has already
passed a bill that restricts federal contractors from outsourcing work overseas. The president had made an attempt to
impose tariffs on steel imports that had to be reconsidered when faced with retaliatory sanctions by the European Union.
As the pressure mounts, the government will have to intervene and impose limits on free markets and free trade. We have
seen how other nations, Malaysia and Argentina, have chosen to restore control on capital mobility when faced with
economic crises stemming from the ill effects of rapid globalisation. As globalisation turns out to be a double-edged
sword that cuts both the Third World as well as the advanced economies, will we also learn to live in a less free
economy as we are learning to live in a less free polity?
I worry that terrorism and globalisation, Al Qaeda and WTO may in tandem, shrink our free society. We cannot allow that.
The coming elections provide us with an excellent opportunity to discuss the fundamental challenge that America faces
today — the threats to democracy and free markets.
Let us abstain from making this election a petty dispute over military records or a cultural war over gay marriages. Let
this election be what it must always be — a democratic ritual that works towards strengthening the free society. Let us
make it a debate about how America will restore its democratic and economic health.
The author is non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution and assistant professor at Adrian College
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M. A. Muqtedar Khan, Ph.D. Director of International Studies Chair, Political Science Department, Adrian College
Non-Resident Fellow, Brookings Institution URL: http://www.glocaleye.org URL: http://www.ijtihad.org