I STILL remember my first elections and how we celebrated them. This was just a few years after World War Two. Germany, completely destroyed by bombing and the impact of fighting with lethal weapons, was gradually rising out of the ashes.
By FR OSKAR WERMTER SJ
I was only seven years old; we had recently come from East Germany and crossed to German border. We were glad we had escaped from Russian troops and Soviet political pressure. Konrad Adenauer was immensely popular and people flocked to his rallies: he had survived 12 years of the dictator. He announced he would rebuild Germany within a peaceful Europe.
There were joyful, exuberant celebrations when South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique achieved their new status as independent countries. To be allowed to cast the vote, was an exciting experience for the large crowds.
The democratic vote means: we settle our political conflicts by peaceful means, without violence and aggression. Such an event we can celebrate joyfully. So why are people scared of elections, when they cast their ballots? Why do they feel scared, even threatened by voters who want to win and walk away with victory, whether or not they got the majority of votes, even at the cost of violence and bloodshed?
For democracy to triumph there must be an atmosphere of mutual respect between voters of different parties, a peaceful atmosphere and readiness for compromise and cooperation. If the vote is threatened by blood and injuries, even killings and disappearances, then we have not achieved our democratic aim: settling the political tension between rival movements and beginning a new political season between MPs with the setting up of a new Parliament based on a common purpose, a Constitution accepted by all and willingness to share what they have in common. Can we achieve this as voter of 1917 or 1918?
In 1980 and the following years all too often candidates for Parliament were so desperate to get a seat that hopeful candidates were even murdered, kidnapped and “disappeared”.
But we want elections that we all can enjoy, where we all play our part without being threatened or beaten, even injured.
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Many countries have this dilemma. We still have a long way to go until we learn to enjoy democracy. One precondition is that we can live with defeat or loss of the vote. I am not sure that I really like the word “democracy”. I think I prefer the word “participation”. In this new democratic order all the voters “participate” in the “public business” (The expression is Latin,
“Res Publica” – “public affairs” is the closest translation). A “Republic” is a public body from which nobody is excluded, everyone plays his / her part. If there is a systematic approach to manipulate the voters, then there is no general “participation”.
Not everybody can be an MP or elected member of Parliament. But everybody can be involved in articulating or formulating the problems and daily troubles the citizens try to cope with.
If only we could have the local MPs as our good friends, who are ready to discuss the nation’s problems and troubles with us and even laugh about them.
This would mean that we approach Election Day with a certain inner freedom. We vote for the ones we believe in. We may not win, but at least we have been able to be honest and sincere. And we will continue following the “public matters”. We will not opt for a neutral stance, but will be aware of what is happening. We will participate.
