Business & politics: highly questionable relationship

States are run on compassion not commissions and kickbacks. People come before profits. Businesses must be profitable otherwise they go under. Businessmen watch the colour of the bottom line, always focused on avoiding the red.

While I was studying in Arizona, a car salesman managed to become the governor of the state. Evan Mecham decided to introduce the concept of profitability in all government institutions much beyond the limits of financial discipline and accountability.

He issued letters to universities to generate their own funds, some national holidays were cancelled. Alarm bells started to ring at headquarters of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Mecham had crossed the red line; civil liberties that play an important role in civilized nations had been violated.

He had to go. A nation-wide call was given for workers of ACLU to reach Phoenix, the capital city of Arizona. While the founding fathers of the United States of America (USA) had incorporated a constitutional mechanism for removal of the President through legislative impeachment, but no such arrangement existed to remove the Governor of a federating state.

Legal experts were called in to study the state constitution. Finally, it was discovered that the Governor could be recalled if 51% registered voters signed a recall petition. It took the valiant comrades of ACLU two years to reach out for voter signatures. History was created: Mecham was the first Governor to be recalled. Fresh elections were held to elect a new leader. Normalcy returned to the state.

In Italy the menace of Silvio Berlusconi continued for decades till he perished in June 2023 at the age of 86. He was a media tycoon who managed to become Prime Minister (PM) four times as he kept coming back. Till his death he remained a Senator. With net worth of $ 6.8 billion he was the third wealthiest person in the country.

When he passed away there was a sigh of relief. For healing of the wounds, a Socialist government came into power. Berlusconi era was finally over. Business of state returned to normalcy away from the corporate cut-throat money cantered approach. No Indian Prime Minister current or past owns an inch of land outside the country or operates foreign currency accounts abroad mainly because they were focused on serving the people not building their business empires.

Only poor Narendra Modi sold tea for a living. It was honest and honourable hard work for survival nothing more. Till today he takes pride in his labour. George Bush Sr. was in the oil business when he was elected President of the US. To avoid conflict of interest he formed a board of trustees to take over. There were no financial scandals or reports of impropriety. As President he kept away from his personal empire.

As a nation we started off well. Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan as the first PM was a symbol of honesty and integrity. He declared that he would not own a house in the new land till every Pakistani had one. Even our national villains; governor general Ghulam Muhammad and the first President, Iskander Mirza, were financially above board.

During the latter’s period of forced exile, he had to work for a living in London till he died and was buried in Tehran. Khan Qayyum Khan and Adbul Wali Khan, the two heavyweights of their times, had divergent political views. One stood for strong centre while the other believed in provincial autonomy.

In the words of Wali Khan, we never accused each other of corruption as the political arena was relatively clean. Corrupt practices on the top started with the first Martial Law in October 1958 but it was the third usurper who turned the tables by inducting businessmen into politics through the party-less elections in 1985.

It is argued that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his close companions were all traders but when they started running the state, they had to totally disconnect from their personal businesses. Conflict of interest and accountability were the hallmarks of the state they created.

Riasat-e-Madina was the first Welfare State of the world in which every citizen was catered for. Perhaps Free Market approach is the biggest hoax of the 21st century as it has inflicted poverty and widened the gap between the rich and the poor.

A new more humane economic order is needed to remove the imbalances created by politico-business empires. De-corporatization of state is needed in Pakistan for course correction and inclusion of the masses. People’s representatives are elected to serve not earn. Business of the state is to facilitate and promote common good not individual gains as has been the case in the land of the pure. There is a straightforward recourse, money trail or end of the political journey.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024