GoWhereMeant

Who or What is the Government? Is it the bureaucracy? Is it the cabinet? Is it the Prime Minister? Is the President? Is it the Constitution?

 We would all agree, I suppose, that the Bureaucracy and cabinet are nothing but a set of musical chairs with the occupants changing, moving and shifting. They are entrusted to execute duties of a Government but are not Government unto themselves. Then what is the Government? The Prime Minister or the President are not The Government either, they are at best leaders, protectors or saviors of one. Then, is the constitution the Government? Certainly the Constitution of any country lays the foundation of how the Government should function but again is not the Government per se. Even if it was, the Constitution, at the very core, is nothing more than a Concept, a concept proposed by the founding fathers of any state and ratified by consensus. So, I conclude that, Government is nothing more than just a concept! The rest of the paraphernalia we call, the ministry or bureaucracy or armed forces is only to protect and give continuity to this concept. 

Undoubtedly, this is a very powerful concept that we all believe in and willingly submit to. Our link to this concept is similar to the thin rope that prevents an adult elephant from escaping. Because the Government is just a concept, it is open to many interpretations. Some form of interpretation has led to violence and atrocities which are, in a way, acts of terror. Instances of people being accused for sedition or getting arrested for FB posts, or for more benign acts are victims of this act of terror. Why do we surrender our authority to Governments when we don’t know what or who the Government is? Why do we, so called common man, surrender our empowerment so willingly to the safeguards of a Concept? 

 

A concept, can’t give legitimacy to people. It is people who give legitimacy to a concept. Like all of us have given to Government and entrusted it with enormous power my surrendering our individual powers. Without the legitimacy, the taxes that we pay are in no way different than rents paid to mafia. Here, I think, there is merit in the idea of Voluntary Taxation regime where, I should have the right to protest by refusing to pay tax or have the option to pay taxes only for a particular cause. If I am being forced to pay taxes, I fail to see the difference between Government and a Mafia. Anyway no matter what Mafia still exists due to flaws in the existing Concept.

The moot point is that, it is ‘WE’ who matter, it is ‘WE’ who give power to Governments and it can never be the other way round. Government is just a concept, morality and ethics don't apply to a concept, it only applies to people who form that concept like us. We have the power to make changes. Unless we standup and make those changes ourselves nothing concrete will happen. I am sure we don't believe ourselves to be criminals waiting to commit crimes if not supervised, and can decide and act as per what is the right thing to do.