Role Of Pakistani Literature In The Uplift Of Democracy

[Sara Arshad]

Democracy will not come
Today, this year
Nor ever
Through compromise and tear

I have as much right
As the other fellow has
To stand
On my two feet
And own the land

I tire so of hearing people say,
Let things take their course.
Tomorrow is another day,
I do not need my freedom when I am dead
I cannot live on tomorrow’s bread

Freedom
Is a strong seed
Planted
In a great need

I live here too
I want freedom
Just as you


Democracy has been best defined as the “government of the people, by the people and for the people” the emphasis is on people’s participation, the definition implies that the state should be governed by the people, or their representatives, and according to their wishes.
Democracy is basically run by the thoughts of the people, and the best way of displaying their thoughts is literature, it not only shows the thoughts of the people but also share ideas with each other to keep them informed. Without different forms of literature democracy is almost impossible to practically implement democracy in the country, as literature is the form of expression, it is meant to be read and express the thoughts of an author.
Thoughts and thinking process is the most useful and beneficial gift of Allah to mankind, as thinking is always the basis of strong decision making. Freedom of speech gives the human brain the advantage of thinking in more refined way, when he has the privilege that whatever he is thinking will get a positive response the thinking process will automatically get improved,
The best quoted example can be of French revolution, before revolution the people of France lived in a confined society with no freedom of speech or the freedom to express their feelings. The government of the time imposed very rigid and unfair laws on the common man. They felt this was very necessary in order to induce a stable government with a strong sense of individuality among their people and to induce a strong economy in France. In general the literature of any country is affected by the lives of its citizens. At this period of time the French people were divided into two sections, the privileged and the non-privileged classes.
French revolution (1789-1799) was a period of radical social and political upheaval in French and European history. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years, French society underwent an epic transformation as feudal, aristocratic and religious privileges evaporated under a sustained assault from liberal political groups and the masses on the streets. Old ideas about hierarchy and tradition succumbed to new enlightenment principles of citizenship and inalienable rights.
France once the most powerful nations of Europe, faced economic crises in 1789, mostly concerning the equitability of taxation, after King Louis (XVI) it was the debt that led to the long run fiscal crises of the French government ,on the evening of the revolution France was bankrupt, extravagant expenditure on luxuries of king whose rule began in 1774, compounded by debt that was run up during the regime of his even more profligate predecessor, Louis XV (who regime from 1715-1774. heavy expenditure to conduct the loosing seven years war against Britain and the France’s spiteful attempt to poke fingers in the eye of British by backing up the American’s in their war of independence.
Louis and his minister were unhappy from the victory of Britain so they began drawing up the plan that would involve constructing a large navy and building an anti British coalition of Allies in theory that eventually lead to a revenge and see France regain its colonies from British. In practice it resulted in mountains of debt. And as a consequence created many other problems like economic and social instability, crop failure,. In summary a number of factors led to the outbreak of the French revolution. Deep structural causes combined with factors peculiar to the period. Revolution was not due to a single event but a series of events that together, created a huge explosion and shockwave large enough to change irreversibly the organisation of political power, the nature of society and the exercise of individual freedoms.
After this long lasting crisis, the whole world felt the need to aware the ordinary people about the odds and evens of the world, for that purpose the best way was the writings of the creative people, in that category the most well known name is “Anton Pavlovich Chekhov” was a Russian short story writer, playwright and physician, considered to be one of the greatest short story writers in the history of world of literature, his career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics, he considered literature as his mistress. “The seagull” in 1896 is the mot well known play of Anton Chekhov his writings influenced the people very strongly not only in that era but also for the coming generations.
The twentieth century was the dynamic epoch for ideology. Some of the most invigorating (and controversial) ideological experiments were conceived and implemented, reaching a peak in the 1970’s. Twentieth century ideology was a product of modernism a direct off-shoot of the “age of enlightenment” (in Europe) where science and reason were established as primary systems of thoughts over superstitions, organised religion, feudalism, and monarchism. Rational humanistic ideologies such as maxims/communism, secularism, democracy and socialism were all early products of modernism that looked forward to world powered by rational thoughts, science, and industrial development
Also emerging from these set of modernist criteria was the concept of nationalism and capitalism that replaced monarchism and feudalism,
In this regard the contribution of writers cannot be ignored, as one of the remarkable name in the history is of Ghulam Abbas, a short story writer , his stories had a distinct style in Urdu literature his stories Aanandi and Overcoat, earned him international fame, his stories shows that he was fascinated the most by the human nature and its actions in different conditions, taking into observation “Overcoat” it has a very different and unique expression that no other writer has, the story is based on a gentleman who was not rich, but his appearance always showed him, belonging to a well bred family, it showed a very deep aspect of human nature, that man always try to hide his origin, until death gets him, and everything gets unwrapped, in fact man needs freedom of thought, freedom of speech.. and freedom in every season of life, this is the basic crux of the story given by Ghulam Abbas, who was the great admirer of Russians and was greatly inspired by the work of Chekhov and Gorky
He was a Muslim and loved his heritage, but was not an ardent practitioner of the faith. In fact he was deeply suspicious of religiosity which he regarded as a particularly dangerous form of educated ignorance. He believed in the right of people to live out their lives as they wished to so long as they did not infringe on the lives of other people. For this reason he disliked theocracy of any kind as he felt it would eventually lead to political dictatorship and intellectual darkness.
Another very contributing name is of “Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi” a Pakistani poet, short story writer, a journalist, a literary critic and a dramatist. In his long career as a writer and editor, Qasmi Sahib had the distinction of editing several prominent literary journals, including Phool, Tehzeeb-i-Niswaan, Adab-i-Lateef, Savera, Naqoosh, and his own brainchild, Funoon. He also served as the editor of the prestigious (now defunct) Urdu daily Imroze. For several decades Qasimi contributed weekly columns to national newspapers; a classic example was "Rawan Dawan" in Daily Jang, which focused on current issues.
Naqoosh was the most popular magazine of its age, and even now available in libraries, having a vast flow of knowledge for all ages, showing the pathway towards individuality and freedom of speech. In that era the journalists and writers were having reasonable authority in the society due to which people had self awareness, and due to the deep roots of this self awareness gained by this literarily material we owned the Great Islamic Republic of Pakistan,
One, most honourable name that must be mentioned while discussing the role of literature in democracy is of Habib Jalib.
One of the most renowned Pakistani revolutionary poets. A left wing activist and politician, he was a staunch democrat who opposed martial law, authoritarianis and state oppression.
Habib Jalib was first imprisoned during the martial law regime of Ayub Khan due to his defiant views on Ayub Khan's capitalistic policies. He wrote his legendary poem Dastoor during those days.
Criticizing those who supported Ayub Khan's regime he said:
Kahin gas ka dhuan hae
kahin golion ki baarish
Shab-e-ehd-e-kum nigahi
tujhay kis tarah sarahein

The night of the period of short-sightedness) A humble man with limited means of livelihood, Jalib's character was above board. He could never reconcile with the dictatorship of Ayub Khan So when Ayub enforced his tailor-made constitution in the country in 1962, which a former Prime Minister Chauhdary Muhammad Ali likened to the Clock Tower of Lyallpur, Jalib wrote his famous poem:
Whose light shines only in palaces
And carries the joys of only a few people
That derives its strength from others' weaknesses
That system, like a dawn without light
I refuse to acknowledge, I refuse to accept
Due to his daring revolt against the order of the day, Jalib was banned from official media but he remained undeterred. He rather started a tirade against the tyranny with more resolution. It reached its peak when Fatima Jinnah decided to contest elections against Ayub Khan. All democratic forces rallied around her and at her election meetings, Jalib used to recite his fiery poems in front of an emotionally-charged crowd. His most popular poem at that time was:
Maan kay paon talay jannat hai idhar aa jao
(The paradise is under the feet of the mother. So come into her fold).


Democracy and its revival from the emergence of literature has a very strong history, taking into consideration the basic elements of democracy
It has four basic elements:

1. A political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections.
2. The active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life.
3. Protection of the human rights of all citizens.
4. A rule of law, in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens.

I. Democracy as a Political System of Competition for Power
Democracy is a means for the people to choose their leaders and to hold their leaders accountable for their policies and their conduct in office.
The people decide who will represent them in parliament, and who will head the government at the national and local levels. They do so by choosing between competing parties in regular, free and fair elections.
Government is based on the consent of the governed.
In a democracy, the people are sovereign—they are the highest form of political authority.
Power flows from the people to the leaders of government, who hold power only temporarily.
Laws and policies require majority support in parliament, but the rights of minorities are protected in various ways.

The people are free to criticize their elected leaders and representatives, and to observe how they conduct the business of government.
Elected representatives at the national and local levels should listen to the people and respond to their needs and suggestions.
Elections have to occur at regular intervals, as prescribed by law. Those in power cannot extend their terms in office without asking for the consent of the people again in an election.
For elections to be free and fair, they have to be administered by a neutral, fair, and professional body that treats all political parties and candidates equally.
All parties and candidates must have the right to campaign freely, to present their proposals to the voters both directly and through the mass media.
Voters must be able to vote in secret, free of intimidation and violence.
Independent observers must be able to observe the voting and the vote counting to ensure that the process is free of corruption, intimidation, and fraud.
There needs to be some impartial and independent tribunal to resolve any disputes about the election results.
This is why it takes a lot of time to organize a good, democratic election.
Any country can hold an election, but for an election to be free and fair requires a lot of organization, preparation, and training of political parties, electoral officials, and civil society organizations who monitor the process.
II. Participation: The Role of the Citizen in a Democracy
The key role of citizens in a democracy is to participate in public life.
Citizens have an obligation to become informed about public issues, to watch carefully how their political leaders and representatives use their powers, and to express their own opinions and interests.
Voting in elections is another important civic duty of all citizens.
But to vote wisely, each citizen should listen to the views of the different parties and candidates, and then make his or her own decision on whom to support.
Participation can also involve campaigning for a political party or candidate, standing as a candidate for political office, debating public issues, attending community meetings, petitioning the government, and even protesting.
A vital form of participation comes through active membership in independent, non-governmental organizations, what we call “civil society.”
These organizations represent a variety of interests and beliefs: farmers, workers, doctors, teachers, business owners, religious believers, women, students, human rights activists.
It is important that women participate fully both in politics and in civil society.
This requires efforts by civil society organizations to educate women about their democratic rights and responsibilities, improve their political skills, represent their common interests, and involve them in political life.
In a democracy, participation in civic groups should be voluntary. No one should be forced to join an organization against their will.
Political parties are vital organizations in a democracy, and democracy is stronger when citizens become active members of political parties.
However, no one should support a political party because he is pressured or threatened by others. In a democracy, citizens are free to choose which party to support.
Democracy depends on citizen participation in all these ways. But participation must be peaceful, respectful of the law, and tolerant of the different views of other groups and individuals.
III. The Rights of Citizens in a Democracy
In a democracy, every citizen has certain basic rights that the state cannot take away from them.
These rights are guaranteed under international law.
You have the right to have your own beliefs, and to say and write what you think.
No one can tell you what you must think, believe, and say or not say.

There is freedom of religion. Everyone is free to choose their own religion and to worship and practice their religion as they see fit.
Every individual has the right to enjoy their own culture, along with other members of their group, even if their group is a minority.

There is freedom and pluralism in the mass media.
You can choose between different sources of news and opinion to read in the newspapers, to hear on the radio, and to watch on television.
You have the right to associate with other people, and to form and join organizations of your own choice, including trade unions.
You are free to move about the country, and if you wish, to leave the country.
You have the right to assemble freely, and to protest government actions.
However, everyone has an obligation to exercise these rights peacefully, with respect for the law and for the rights of others.
IV. The Rule of Law
Democracy is a system of rule by laws, not by individuals.
In a democracy, the rule of law protects the rights of citizens, maintains order, and limits the power of government.
All citizens are equal under the law. No one may be discriminated against on the basis of their race, religion, ethnic group, or gender.
No one may be arrested, imprisoned, or exiled arbitrarily.
If you are detained, you have the right to know the charges against you, and to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to the law.
Anyone charged with a crime has the right to a fair, speedy, and public trial by an impartial court.
No one may be taxed or prosecuted except by a law established in advance.
No one is above the law, not even a king or an elected president.
The law is fairly, impartially, and consistently enforced, by courts that are independent of the other branches of government.
Torture and cruel and inhumane treatment are absolutely forbidden.
The rule of law places limits on the power of government. No government official may violate these limits.
No ruler, minister, or political party can tell a judge how to decide a case.
Office holders cannot use their power to enrich themselves. Independent courts and commissions punish corruption, no matter who is guilty.
V. The Limits and Requirements for Democracy
If democracy is to work, citizens must not only participate and exercise their rights. They must also observe certain principles and rules of democratic conduct.
People must respect the law and reject violence. Nothing ever justifies using violence against your political opponents, just because you disagree with them.
Every citizen must respect the rights of his or her fellow citizens, and their dignity as human beings.
No one should denounce a political opponent as evil and illegitimate, just because they have different views.

People should question the decisions of the government, but not reject the government’s authority.
Every group has the right to practice its culture and to have some control over its own affairs, but each group should accept that it is a part of a democratic state.
When you express your opinions, you should also listen to the views of other people, even people you disagree with. Everyone has a right to be heard.
Don’t be so convinced of the rightness of your views that you refuse to see any merit in another position. Consider different interests and points of view.
When you make demands, you should understand that in a democracy, it is impossible for everyone to achieve everything they want.
Democracy requires compromise. Groups with different interests and opinions must be willing to sit down with one another and negotiate. In a democracy, one group does not always win everything it wants. Different combination's of groups win on different issues. Over time, everyone wins something .If one group is always excluded and fails to be heard, it may turn against democracy in anger and frustration. Everyone who is willing to participate peacefully and respect the rights of others should have some say in the way the country is governed.

[newindividual]

hi
it was a good effort though it lake uniformity in itself cozz it just jumped out of topic.
the literature s role was almost subsided and just democracy got a high hand in your essay.
well even it was an effort worth mentioning.
keep writting you d be successful in handling the topic and you d also learn to be specific.

best wishes.