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Power vs Humanity

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• GS Paper 2 Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries, India, and its neighborhood- relations.
• Tags: #democracy #Constitution #IsraelPalestineWar #GS2 #UPSC

Democracy, Power, and Morality

Winston Churchill once remarked, “Democracy is the worst form of government — except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” This cynical but insightful comment underscores the challenges inherent in democracy.

Lord Acton’s Warnings: In 1887, historian Lord Acton warned that “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” He also noted that “despotic power is always accompanied by corruption of morality.”

• The Check of Electoral Accountability
  • Democracy incorporates electoral accountability as a foundational safeguard.
  • However, elections occur only every 4-5 years, granting leaders considerable latitude in the interim.
• National Security and Self-Serving Policies
  • In the interim between elections, leaders have substantial freedom to wield their power, often under the banner of ‘national security.’
  • It is often invoked to justify policies that may be self-serving.
  • The democratic system can be used to provide a veneer of legitimacy for such policies.
• Length of Leadership and Despotism
  • The longer a leader remains in power, the greater the potential for despotism.
  • Recent events have highlighted the consequences of immoral leadership.
• Power and Humanity Compatibility
  • The question arises: Are power and humanity fundamentally incompatible?
  • It is imperative for the global community to strengthen sanctions against the breach of basic human principles to address such challenges.

Self-Serving Decisions and Humanitarian Consequences

• The October 7th Attack: The subset of Hamas responsible for the October 7th attack may have done it to maintain their grip on power.
  • Improved relations between Israel and Arab nations, especially Israel and Saudi Arabia, posed a threat to these brigades.
• Disrupting Normalization Talks: The attack’s purpose could have been to disrupt the normalization talks by provoking an inevitable Israeli retaliation. This retaliation could dissuade Arab governments from continuing the normalization process.

Historical and Political Context

• The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine has deep-rooted historical and political explanations.
• Numerous experts have analyzed and attributed blame for this latest round of violence.
• The author refrains from assigning blame or delving into these historical and political aspects.
• They explain their stance, citing a lack of comparable expertise or interest in that area.

Humanitarian Impact of Recent Events in Israel and Gaza

• A humanitarian crisis has persisted for the past four weeks.
• It began with the Al Qassam brigades of Hamas targeting civilians in Israel.
• In response to these events, Israel launched severe retaliatory bombings in Gaza.
• These bombings have resulted in a significant number of casualties, particularly among children.
• The predictability of child casualties is due to the fact that 50% of Gaza’s population is below the age of 18.
• The author is troubled by the apparent erosion of morality by Netanyahu who seem to have lost the support of the majority of the population they claim to represent or act on behalf of.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s Political Landscape

• He is the leader of Israel, a divisive and unpopular figure.
• In the November 2022 national elections, his Likud party secured only 23.41% of the votes, indicating his waning popularity.
• His leadership has formed the most ultra-right coalition in Israel’s history, with a strong stance against Palestinian land rights, particularly in the West Bank.
  • The ultra-right coalition has a majority in the Israeli parliament, not due to a higher percentage of votes than the Opposition but due to the nuances of the proportional representation system.
• The prevailing sentiment in Israel appears to include a desire for retaliation due to the widespread impact of the ongoing conflict.

Netanyahu’s Political Situation

• Netanyahu has served as Prime Minister intermittently for 17 years and is now facing the end of his political career.
• His decision to engage in significant military actions in Gaza can be influenced by the belief that his position as PM justifies his actions and serves as a last-ditch effort to regain lost political ground.
• The potential consequences, including civilian casualties, seem to be of secondary concern in this context.

Public Sentiments

• Many Israeli families have been affected by the conflict, leading to a “rally around the flag” effect.
• However, it’s challenging to ascertain whether the majority of Israeli citizens genuinely support the actions that have resulted in the deaths of numerous innocent young Palestinians.

Understanding the Complexity of Hamas

• The perpetrators of the October 7th incident are not seen as representative of the Palestinian population.
• It’s important to avoid equating these individuals with the broader will of the Palestinians.
• Insights from Journalist Paola Caridi:
  • She is an authority on Hamas, providing valuable insights.
  • She highlighted that Hamas is a multifaceted organization with political and military branches.
• Structure of Hamas
  • Hamas is structured with a political wing operating in Gaza, the West Bank, and abroad, while the military wing is predominantly in Gaza.
  • Historically, the political wing influenced Hamas’ policies, while the military wing executed actions.
• Autonomy of Al Qassam Brigades
  • Since 2017, there has been a separation of authority between the political and military wings.
  • The Al Qassam brigades, responsible for the October 7th attack, have gained more autonomy in their actions.
• Political Wing’s Lack of Sanction
  • According to Caridi and other experts, the political wing likely did not sanction the October 7th attack.
  • It’s even possible that they were unaware of the impending event. 

Historical and Political Context

• The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine has deep-rooted historical and political explanations.
• Numerous experts have analyzed and attributed blame for this latest round of violence.
• The author refrains from assigning blame or delving into these historical and political aspects.
• They explain their stance, citing a lack of comparable expertise or interest in that area.

Recent Other Invasions

• Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine: President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine had unclear motives. It may have been to create “Imperia Rus” or to bolster domestic support, but the consequence has been the death of thousands of innocent people.
• US Invasion of Iraq: President George W. Bush’s decision to invade Iraq was seen as a case of overreaching hubris. The invasion didn’t lead to a stable “democratic” Iraq but exacerbated social, religious, and internal divisions.
• Afghanistan’s “March of Folly”: In Afghanistan, leaders focused on playing the “Great Game” but brought about the country’s ruination. Their actions neglected the long-term consequences and stability of Afghanistan.

Source: The Hindu

Mains question

Discuss the recent Israel-Palestine conflict, its underlying causes, and analyze its global implications, including its influence on international relations and peace efforts.