myth 17

'One party govt is bad.' This is a very familiar saying. Throughout the election, all the opposition parties and individual citizens were calling for a multi party govt, vote for more oppositions in Parliament. We have practically a one party govt for 40 years. The legacy of these 40 years is growth and growth and more growth. The standard of living of the people has been spiralling all the way up. Even after the latest financial and oil crisis, generally the lives of the average people are still resonably comfortable. There will be pockets of desperate cases that need assistance. But on the whole, things are manageable and still looking good. Compare this to the world, we are second to none in terms of progress and development over the last 40 year period. Then why the call for a multi party system? The one party system has done us well. People getting richer. The able and well position just get more and better than the not so well placed. But crumbs aplenty for those who are prepared to pick them up. Not that a one party system is all virtues. The fear of a one party system turning bad is there. The effectiveness and dominance of a one party system, under clean, honest and enlightened leadership, can do a lot of good to the nation and people. This same effectiveness and dominance can do equally or more harm to the nation and people if it is turned against the people. We have seen and heard nuances of how to fix, deal, manage or regulate those who disagree. This is what power can do. The question is how far it will go and when will things go bad. If the govt continues to be in the hands of good people, people who have a heart, selfless and not selfish people, magnanimous and not petty and mean people, there is nothing wrong with a one party government. But can anyone guarantee this happy state of existence to continue into the future?