How a Non-Democratic Ruled Government Can Be Effective
Part I – Introduction
This paper is about how a non-democratic ruled government can be effective. My position is that yes, non-democracies can rule effectively. To argue this position, this paper will examine how three different types of non-democratic governments work, then consider examples of countries that currently govern under each type, and finally specify the reasons that make each of them effective. This topic is important because a democracy is not the only type of government, and as it has its strengths, it also has its weaknesses and therefore should not be considered the only way to successfully and effectively rule over a country.
Part II – Argument
When considering what makes rule over a country effective, it is important to first define and understand what it is to be effective. Being effective is defined as being successful in producing a desired or intended result. Although, who’s desired or intended result must be produced in order to be considered successful, and therefore effective? In terms of a government, the answer is, whoever is in charge of that government. In a democracy, the political power is exercised either directly or indirectly by the people through participation, competition, and liberty[1]. In other words, the citizens are in charge. In non-democracies, the person or persons in charge varies greatly, and therefore the perspective of the party in charge must be examined in order to determine if the rule is effective. Three different non-democracies that will be examined in this paper are that of a monarchy, a communist government, and a dictatorship/totalitarian government.
Under monarchy rule, the state and society are commonly taken to be possessions of the leader, to be dispensed with as he or she sees fit. The ruler is not a subject of the state; rather, the state and society are subjects of the ruler[2]. Qatar is one the few remained absolute monarchies in the world. In an absolute monarchy, one person has an unrestricted political power over a state. In Qatar, officials have been elected by the people since 1999, but there is very little participation in these elections, hence making it insignificant and monarchic[3]. Currently, the Amir, known as His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, is the head of state and represents the country internally, externally and in all international relations. He is also the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, which he supervises with the assistance of a defense council, set under his direct authority. The judicial authority is vested in courts of law; and court judgments are proclaimed in the name of the Amir[4]. The Amir has made it known that his goal for his country was to become a global political and financial power[5]. Under the Amir’s rule, Qatar has enjoyed political stability, which is likely to stay into the foreseeable future as the country enjoys broad support from its citizens, which enjoy the highest GDP per head of the world (USD 145,000 at PPP), a very low unemployment (0.4% in 2014), and a high standard of living (Qatar ranks 31st on the Human Development Index)[6]. The country’s success and wealth speak volumes as to the effectiveness of its leader, the Amir, and therefore, Qatar’s monarchical government is an effective non-democratic ruled government, since its ruler has been successful in producing his desired goal.
Another non-democratic type of rule is communism, which is, at its most basic level, an ideology that seeks to create human equality by eliminating private property and market forces[7]. China is arguably the largest of all current communist states in the world. To determine if it is in fact an effective government, its leadership must be examined. Currently, it is run by a single party called the Communist Party of China, who has a tightened control over its population as they do not want China to be influenced by western ideologies[8]. President of the Communist Party of China is Xi Jinping, who in 2017, announced that China henceforth intended to lead the world. With his intent and desire for China clear, he proceeded to reassert the primacy of the Communist Party, and in the first five years in office, Xi fought government corruption, launched a global strategy of economic outreach and stoked Chinese nationalism while casting himself as a world statesman. Under his rule, China is now positioned to surpass the U.S. in the next world-changing technology: artificial intelligence. China also excels in covert operations, and by cultivating agents of influence at Western universities and in local politics. At home Xi has cultivated both a bourgeoisie and a cult of personality and has brought an iron fist down on advocates of free speech, an uncensored internet, civil society and human rights. In the process, he has dashed the hopes of the western governments that believed China’s embrace of capitalism would lead to democracy[9]. Clearly, this communist government has had success at producing results and moving towards reaching its leader’s goals, therefore making it an effective non-democracy.
The final non-democratic type of rule that will be examined is that of a dictatorship and totalitarian state. A dictatorship involves not only the abolition of the separation of powers, but also the subordination of the rule of law to the rule of human will. It assumes a highest authority, who holds the legal position to suspend law itself and commission or authorize the dictator to hold and use uncontrolled powers[10]. A totalitarian government is a system of government that is centralized and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state. North Korea, in its current political form, fits these definitions. Its current dictator, Kim Jong-un, became the supreme leader of North Korea in 2011, succeeding his father Kim Jong-Il. Although initially Kim Jong-un implemented some economic and agricultural reforms, human rights violations and brutal suppression of opposition continue to be reported under his rule[11]. Shortly thereafter, Kim made it known that it was his desire for his country to become a dominant nuclear power. In 2017, it was learned that over the course of the prior year, Kim Jong-Un unveiled an advanced capacity to threaten the American homeland with a nuclear-tipped long-range missile. Then on July 4, he launched the first of several missiles capable of reaching Los Angeles, Denver and Chicago. In September of that same year, he tested what the U.S. believed was a nuclear warhead that would fit on top of one of those missiles; it was more powerful than the bombs the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that ended World War II. Further, in the early-morning of November 29th, North Korea test-fired a missile capable of reaching Washington, D.C. and New York City. Its arc rose 10 times higher than the International Space Station[12]. With reports estimating that North Korea has anywhere from fifteen to sixty nuclear weapons with capabilities of reaching a potential range of 13,000 kilometers11, this dictator has produced his desired result in becoming a dominant nuclear power. He confirmed this, when, in April of 2018, he announced that he had completed one of his two parallel goals: building a nuclear arsenal. He then stated that North Korea would focus all national resources on rebuilding the economy[13]. By all accounts, the dictatorship and totalitarian run government continues to prove effective, as its leader has had success in obtaining his desired goals.
Be
it a monarchy, a communist government, or a dictatorship/totalitarian
government, the person or persons with the control are the ones that truly
determine the effectiveness of their government. Due to the fact that
effectiveness is determined by the success in producing a desired or intended
result, and a government is defined as the governing body of a nation, state,
or community, then it is the success in obtaining the desires of those in
charge of that government that determine whether or not it is an effective
government. Through the review of these three examples, it has been shown that
non-democratic rule can be effective; it is all dependent upon the desires of those
in command.
[1] (BOOK) O’Neil, Patrick H. “Essentials of Comparative Politics (Sixth Edition).” New York, New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2018. Pp. 138. Print.
[2] (BOOK) O’Neil, Patrick H. “Essentials of Comparative Politics (Sixth Edition).” New York, New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2018. Pp. 191-192. Print.
[3] (WEBSITE) Vashishtha, Pragya. “Top 12 Non-Democratic Countries in the World” Surge, 17 March 2016. Web. 9 October 2018. https://listsurge.com/top-12-non-democratic-countries-world/
[4] (WEBSITE) “About Qatar: The Amir” Hukoomi Qatar e-government. Web. 20 October 2018. http://portal.www.gov.qa/wps/portal/about-qatar
[5] (WEBSITE) Black, Ian. “Qatar’s emir Sheikh Hamad to hand power to son, crown prince Tamim.” The Guardian, 24 June 2013. Web. 21 October 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/24/qatar-emir-steps-down-son-tamim
[6] (WEBSITE) Hayat, Raphie. “Country Report Qatar” Rabobank, 2 December 2014. Web. 20 October 2018. https://economics.rabobank.com/publications/2014/november/country-report-qatar/
[7] (BOOK) O’Neil, Patrick H. “Essentials of Comparative Politics (Sixth Edition).” New York, New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2018. Pp. 270. Print.
[8] (WEBSITE) Vashishtha, Pragya. “Top 12 Non-Democratic Countries in the World” Surge, 17 March 2016. Web. 9 October 2018. https://listsurge.com/top-12-non-democratic-countries-world/
[9] (WEBSITE) Vick, Karl and Campbell, Charlie. “The Short List: No. 3 – Person of the Year 2017: Xi Jinping, China’s leader vies for global dominance” Time. Web. 20 October 2018. http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2017-xi-jinping-runner-up/
[10] (SCHOLARLY JOURNAL) Arato, Andrew. “Good-by to Dictatorships?” Social Research. Vol. 67, Iss. 4: pp. 925-955. Print.
[11] (WEBSITE) The Editors of Biography.com. “Kim Jong-un Biography.” Biography.com, 31 July 2018. Web. 20 October 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/kim-jong-un-21125351
[12] (WEBSITE) Pearlstine, Norman. “The Short List: No. 5 – Person of the Year 2017: Kim Jong Un: North Korea’s young dictator takes on the World.” Time. Web. 20 October 2018. http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2017-kim-jong-un-runner-up/
[13] (NEWSPAPER) “As Talks Stall, Kim Homes in On Prosperity.” New York Times, 20 August 2018: Pp. A1. Sang-Hun, Choe. Print.
