Somos+, Kaned Garrido,
We Cubans know that we want a democracy, and from now on we must chart the course for it to be one that we can be proud of, because not all democracies are of the same quality.
There are countries that hold elections to decide who will govern them, yet also suffer poverty, injustice and violence in the streets. Is the ability of the people to vote enough to make a nation great?
Many believe that because democracy coexists with hunger in poor countries, democracy is insufficient to solve the problems. The 2013 survey by Latinobarómetro* found that 19.2% of Latin Americans had no preference between a democratic or an undemocratic regime. Another 14.9% believed that in some circumstances an authoritarian government can be preferable to a democratic one.
This skepticism runs throughout the Third World. But instead of renouncing democracy, it is necessary to differentiate its forms and focus on building better ones. This has worked for the most developed nations, due to their having higher quality standards.
Mikel Barreda, a professor at the University of Catalunya, conducted a study to measure the quality of democracy in 19 Latin American countries. He found Chile, Uruguay and Costa Rica are the countries with the highest quality of democracy in the region.
What defines the quality of a democracy?
Political rights and civil liberties are fundamental. According to the reports of Freedom House, Europe ranks in first place in terms of freedom, with 86%, and the Americas in second place, with 71%.
Satisfaction with the system, and electoral participation, are critical factors; democracies where most people vote are better qualified. The turnout defines how included citizens are in the decisions of their governments.
Corruption and abuse of power seriously degrade societies, so mechanisms for accountability are essential. Institutions are needed that excercise political control over governments and oversee their management.
There is also vertical accountability. The press, citizens, and NGOs can make demands regarding the responsibilities of governments. So an underlying assurance remains that if the institutions are corrupt or unresponsive, the citizens can bring about justice.
How can we achieve a democracy of high quality for Cuba?
The literature on this topic is extensive, but clearly certain factors play crucial roles in determining the democratic quality of a country.
Freedom of expression and civil rights are essential to ensure the proposal and debate of ideas. No ruler, doctrine, or thought can be shielded from discussion. It will always be possible to reform what is wrong, to improve what should be changed.
The countries that often lead the worldwide democracy indexes are Scandinavian: Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Without obstructing freedoms they have facilitated the greatest possible equality among their citizens. Without major differences in political and economic power, democracy manages to be more equitable. When the interests of the people are more connected they often find common ground. Empathy and compromise flow in the debates.
Institutions should provide spaces for the spectrum of all political and social positions, ensuring the possibility of fair participation and competion in elections.
We also need a system of solid parties, that is, parties strongly institutionalized, with a vision and a commitment to the long term. This way there can be an effective accountability of work done by civil servants, because the parties assume responsibility to the voters.
We will have to work hard to create the institutions we want, so that it is not an isolated democracy, made for the elites. It must be built with the participation and opinions of all. We cannot repeat the history of other countries that imported their democracies without having the foundation of a political culture to support them.
We have to build it ourselves, with the acceptance and commitment of everyone, with their colors and differences . . . a Cuban democracy.
*A public-opinion survey of 20,000 people in 18 Latin American countries. The survey is on-line here.
Translated by Tomás A.
"""Somos+,"" Kaneda Garrido alisema, ""Wakuba tunajua kwamba tunataka demokrasia, na kuanzia sasa ni lazima tuangalie njia ili iwe ya kujivunia, kwa sababu demokrasia zote si za ubora sawa." Kuna nchi ambazo zinafanya uchaguzi kuamua nani atawatawala, lakini pia zinakabiliwa na umaskini, ukosefu wa haki na vurugu barabarani. Je, uwezo wa watu wa kupiga kura unatosha kufanya taifa liwe kubwa? Wengi wanaamini kwamba kwa sababu demokrasia inapatikana pamoja na njaa katika nchi maskini, demokrasia haitoshi kutatua matatizo. Uchunguzi wa Latinobarometer wa 2013 uligundua kuwa 19.2% ya Wamarekani wa Kilatini hawakuwa na upendeleo kati ya utawala wa kidemokrasia au usio wa kidemokrasia. "Wengine 14.9% waliamini kwamba katika hali fulani serikali ya kimabavu inaweza kuwa bora kuliko serikali ya kidemokrasia.""" Ushuku huo unaenea kotekote katika Ulimwengu wa Tatu. Lakini badala ya kuachana na demokrasia, ni muhimu kutofautisha aina zake na kuzingatia kujenga bora. Hii imefanya kazi kwa mataifa yaliyoendelea zaidi, kwa sababu ya kuwa na viwango vya juu zaidi vya ubora. Mikel Bareda, profesa wa Chuo Kikuu cha Catalonia, alitoa utafiti wa kuweza kupima ubora wa demokrasia katika nchi 19 za Amerika ya Kusini. Chile, Uruguay na Costa Rica ni nchi zenye demokrasia ya hali ya juu zaidi katika eneo hilo. Ni nini hufafanua ubora wa demokrasia? Haki za kisiasa na uhuru wa kiraia ni za msingi. Kulingana na ripoti ya Freedom House, Ulaya ina nafasi ya kwanza kwa uhuru, na 86%, na Amerika katika nafasi ya pili, na 71%. Kuridhika na mfumo, na ushiriki wa uchaguzi, ni mambo muhimu; demokrasia ambapo watu wengi kupiga kura ni bora sifa. Ujumbe hufafanua jinsi raia wanavyojumuishwa katika maamuzi ya serikali zao. Ufisadi na matumizi mabaya ya mamlaka huharibu sana jamii, kwa hiyo utaratibu wa kutoa hesabu ni muhimu. Taasisi zinahitajika ambazo zinafanya udhibiti wa kisiasa juu ya serikali na kusimamia usimamizi wao. Pia kuna uwajibikaji wa wima. Vyombo vya habari, raia, na mashirika yasiyo ya kiserikali yanaweza kutaka serikali iwe na daraka. Kwa hiyo, kuna uhakika kwamba ikiwa taasisi ni dhaifu au hazijibu, wananchi wanaweza kuleta haki. Jinsi gani tunaweza kufikia demokrasia ya ubora wa juu kwa Cuba? Maandishi juu ya mada hii ni makubwa, lakini ni wazi sababu fulani kucheza majukumu muhimu katika kuamua ubora wa kidemokrasia ya nchi. Uhuru wa kujieleza na haki za kiraia ni muhimu ili kuhakikisha pendekezo na mjadala wa mawazo. Hakuna mtawala, fundisho, au wazo linaloweza kuhifadhiwa kutokana na mjadala. Sikuzote itakuwa na uwezekano wa kurekebisha kile kilicho kibaya, kuboresha kile kinachopaswa kubadilishwa. Nchi ambazo mara nyingi huongoza viashiria vya kidemokrasia ulimwenguni ni za Skandinavia: Norway, Sweden, na Denmark. Bila kuzuia uhuru wao wamewezesha usawa mkubwa iwezekanavyo kati ya raia wao. Bila tofauti kubwa katika nguvu za kisiasa na kiuchumi, demokrasia inafanikiwa kuwa sawa zaidi. Wakati maslahi ya watu yanaunganishwa zaidi mara nyingi hupata msingi wa kawaida. Uelewa na makubaliano hutiririka katika mijadala. Taasisi zinapaswa kutoa nafasi kwa wigo wa nafasi zote za kisiasa na kijamii, kuhakikisha uwezekano wa ushiriki wa haki na ushindani katika uchaguzi. """Tunahitaji mfumo wa vyama imara, yaani vyama vyenye taasisi imara, na maono na kujitolea kwa muda mrefu." Kwa njia hii kunaweza kuwa na uwajibikaji wa kazi iliyofanywa na watumishi wa umma, kwa sababu vyama huchukua jukumu kwa wapiga kura. """Tutahitaji kufanya kazi kwa bidii kuunda taasisi tunazotaka, ili isiwe demokrasia iliyojitenga, iliyoundwa kwa ajili ya wasomi." Ni lazima ijengwe kwa ushiriki na maoni ya wote. "Hatuwezi kurudia historia ya nchi nyingine ambazo zilipeleka demokrasia zao bila kuwa na msingi wa utamaduni wa kisiasa kuunga mkono.""" Ni lazima tuijenge wenyewe, kwa kukubalika na kujitolea kwa kila mtu, na rangi zao na tofauti zao. . . Demokrasia ya Cuba Uchunguzi wa maoni ya umma uliofanywa kwa watu 20,000 katika nchi 18 za Amerika ya Kusini Uchunguzi huo uko mtandaoni hapa. Ilitafsiriwa na Tomás A.