| Submit your comments on this article |
| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| The absurdity of Lebanon's opposition |
| 2008-01-30 |
| By Ghassan Karam The concept of "Rationality" has evolved over the past three centuries or so to become the most important attribute of modernity, enlightenment, personal liberty, societal make up, political science and economic behavior. This Age of Reason is an age that promotes reason, common sense, logical thinking and optimal solutions. Any other kind of human behavior that does not comport to the above is deemed to be irrational and thus misguided and needs to be rejected since any model that is based on irrationality is essentially a fiction, it is an exercise in non scientific thinking and thus irrationality is harmful and leads only to deleterious outcomes. It is unfortunate, but Lebanon seems to be suffering of a double whammy: a tremendously high level of irrationality in the political thinking of its opposition parties and another level of extreme irrationality in the economic expectations of certain factions led, or at least inspired, by the same politically bankrupt opposition parties. In a democracy, critics have often warned about the potential of allowing a “tyranny of the majority” to prevail. Such concerns are not to be dismissed lightly, especially in countries whose make-up is similar to that of Lebanon, Switzerland or Belgium. Most democracies have addressed these fears and allayed them through the adoption of clear rules that protect minority rights or, as in Switzerland through adopting a system that requires participation by all societal groups that calls for tremendous grass root participation and a balance of power between the legislative and the executive. Lebanon, which aspires, at least in the minds of some, to become a modern democratic state, has already adopted a representational system for its Chamber of deputies. Such a system is the best guarantor that concerns from various groups can be heard especially when these constituent groups insist on the practice of the semi- tribal ritual of identity politics. However, under no circumstance a minority political opposition group is to be accorded a veto power in the executive branch and also given the privilege of short circuiting the constitutional procedures of forming a cabinet. The irrationality of the Lebanese political opposition is so absurd that its demands do not deserve to be even considered. Paradoxically this irrationality is not confined to the political arena. It has manifested itself more and more in the economic field as well. It should be no secret to anyone that economic prosperity cannot thrive and will not inhabit an environment that is politically unstable, risky and unaccountable and where the rule of law does not exist. Political stability is a prerequisite for investments of all sorts and thus for job creation and welfare enrichment. Very few rational people will place high expectations on economic performance when they simultaneously choose to implement a policy of economic disruptions, risk enhancement and increased instability. The Lebanese opposition, however, have adopted exactly such a policy. They create unstable conditions, promote acts that disrupt economic activities, encourage actions that discourage investments, contribute to lower level of economic welfare and a lower level of tax revenues collected by the authorities. Yet they martial their forces to demonstrate against the governments inability to provide services that they have obstructed through their own activities. Go figure. It is true that humans do not live by bread alone but it is equally true that humans cannot live without any nourishment for long. Lebanon has been paying a dear price for the political instability that has reined over the past thirty years. The easiest and simplest illustration of this phenomenal economic failure can be clearly seen in comparing the real GDP per capita for 1974 to that in 2007. During 1974 Lebanon enjoyed a per capita income of almost $2980.00 (measured in 1974 dollars). Most of the preliminary studies for last year, 2007, estimate a per capita income of around $5700.00 (measured in 2007 dollars). This $5700, measured in current terms, translates into only $2240 in 1974 dollars under the very conservative assumption that the 2007 CPI =250 while the 1974 =100. As a result the question that needs to be asked by every responsible Lebanese: Where have the last one third of a century gone? The typical Lebanese citizen failed to run on the spot and actually lost 25 % of his/her income. Put differently, the Lebanese citizen is 25% worse off during 2007 than the citizen of 1974. That is one of the worst economic performances in the world. The most recent economic performance is not any better. During 2006 Lebanon ranked as the 204th (out of 214 countries) worst country in the world in its rate of GDP growth, just behind the Seychelles and Zimbabwe. Alas the opposition persists in creating political, social and economic instability and then rushes to hold others accountable for its egregious acts. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 IIRC, JPOST OP-ED > LEBANON's CRISIS - ABBAS IS TRAPPED??? D *** ed iff he does, D **** iff he don't, and ONLY THE SHADOW KNOWS [the truth]. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-01-30 22:09 |
| #1 Alas the opposition persists in creating political, social and economic instability and then rushes to hold others accountable for its egregious acts. Modern leftism in a nutshell. More interested in destroying than creating. |
| Posted by: gromky 2008-01-30 06:39 |