What Democracy is Not

Debates over what constitutes democracies are popular these days.  Some put emphasis on elections, governance, or liberty, others emphasize public services, fairness, or inclusiveness.  Amid the differing opinions, it seems that defining democracies by what they are not is easier than figuring out what they are.  But the greatest problems arise when the understanding of democracy between citizens and government diverges to the point where they are on the different ends of the spectrum.

Josephat Juma gives some compelling examples of what democracies are not in this piece in the African Executive.  Consider this one, for example

Ugandans are already agitated by the government’s spending of over 50 billion Uganda shillings to fuel a luxury fleet of 11 000 fuel guzzling vehicles. The Health Ministry, which is the leading victim, has cars that are often used for personal business. Ironically, most health centers have no ambulances, according to The Sunday Monitor.  Ezra Suruma, the Finance Minister, rubbishes these complains against extravagance and says that “democracy is not cheap.”

But here is the view from someone on the outside of government:

“If democracy is spending a huge portion of the country’s resources on the military and buying each of the President’s daughters and sons in law vehicles, then we are doomed,” says Mutamba, a taxi driver at Entebbe Airport.

There are a few other examples in the article. 

I am always puzzled by some governments’ abilities to spend resources on projects that have little effect on countries’ development prospects, while the funds could be better invested to build a growth platform or improve public services.  Of course, scholars in the public choice field of economics would not be surprised, as they model governments as a collection of bureaucrats and politicians who are interested in improving their economic welfare.  And this does not have to take place directly – through things like cash transfers – you can just buy a nice car that you can use for personal benefit as a government official.  If you apply this kind of thinking, the statement by Ezra Suruma and other examples begin to make sense. 

So here is one: Democracy is not a system where Health Ministry officials buy luxury vehicles with public funds while health centers have no ambulances.  There is something wrong with such a system.