Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-14

stable for eight years while
suffered one revolution after an
other.
What is the cause for this al
most chronic instability in the
Middle East today? Obviously
resentment about Palestine is
not a sufficient explanation.
Mohandas K. Gandhi once re-
marked that reforms should be
built upon the foundation OF ma
tional institutions, which can be
modified from time to time as
modern conditions require. That
so wise a policy has been every
where neglected is the cause OF
most of our troubles in the Mid
die East.
When Woodrow Wilson in 1916
proclaimed the new gospel OF
freedom and democracy for all
the earth, he visualized demo-
craey in terms of the system OF
government then in existence in
Western Europe and the United
States. He can scarcely have
paused to consider the immen-
sely different systems already in
force all over the earth, or the
bewildering variety of religious,
moral and social backgrounds
behind them.
Systems Welcomed
It would not be fair to say
that Britain and the United
States have forced their system
of government on Asia and
Africa. In nearly every case, the
people of those continents have
welcomed these systems. For we
have created an atmosphere in
which no country considers it
self up-to-date or worthy Of
respect unless such a system has
been installed. In the many pro-
tected and Colonial territories
to which Britain has given
independence. a model British
constitution has invariably been
established before the change
of status has been effected.
This system can be briefly
summarized as government by
the people, through representa-
tives elected by them by secret
ballot. How just and democratic
1t sounds. Nobody, surely, could
be oppressed under such a sys-
tenn. But as soon as we look a
little nearer. the absurdities be-
gin to appear. How, for example,
can you conduct a secret ballot
when half the population can
not read or write? Obviously
there must be an official at the
ballot box to fill out the voting
papers for the illiterate. But
how easy would it be to arrange
for the officials in question to
give all the illiterate votes to
one candidate-for considera-
ton, of course.
Moreover, in theory at least,
the voter is not supposed to base
his decision on the personal
characteristic of the candidate,
but on the policy which he or
his party declare it to be their
intention to pursue. But how
can policies on public finance,
education or foreign affairs be
explained to illiterate peasants
who have scarcely ever left their
remote villages?
Duty to Govern
These are practical difficult
ties. But the intellectual comp
LEGATIONS are even greater, for
the whole selective principle is
foreign to most Eastern peoples.
Many cannot understand why
the government should consult
them. They regard it as the
duty of the government to gov
ern, whereas their job is to
plough, or milk COWS or drive a
taxi. They do not ask the gov
eminent to milk their cows. Why
should the government worry
them about what it should be
doing itself?
Sometimes, because members
of parliament are paid, member
ship is looked upon as a govern
ment job. Ahmed, they will say,
has got a job as a policeman,
and Mahmud has been made an
M. P. Lucky chaps, they both
get pay.
The result of the imposition
Of an alien system of govern
ment is that a small number Of