Saving democracy

Social media and technology have a lot to do with how our election turned out, but do not explain everything. Sociology and economics played a big role too.

It all starts with the masa feeling victimized by the elite who took most of the benefits of a fast growing economy since EDSA. They, on the other hand, are still where they have always been, at the bottom. So, they are blaming the leaders of EDSA, mother and son, for failing to deliver perceived gains equitably.

Technology was expertly used to exploit this simmering resentment, which made it easy for the masa to identify with a candidate who also claims to be a victim of the same Aquino mother and son and their minions.

If the economic gains since EDSA were more equitably distributed and we had a more educated and larger middle class, maybe the resentment wouldn’t have been as extensive and sticky?

Cory kept on saying her mission was to restore democracy and that’s all. The rest was up to us. Maybe democracy shouldn’t come ahead of economic development?

I am reminded of the late Washington SyCip who thought successful tigers like South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore emphasized economic freedom ahead of political freedom.

SyCip believes that as income levels rise, democracy will come naturally when people are no longer hungry and are better educated. He cites the Philippines and India as examples of countries with all the democratic institutions while its masses remained poor.

Then again, in response to Mr. SyCip, we had our taste of authoritarianism during the martial law years, but it didn’t do us any good. We didn’t become a South Korea or a Singapore. We just got mired deeper into our tar pit of corruption and poverty.

We shouldn’t have to sacrifice political freedom to attain economic growth. But yes, it takes a certain kind of political leadership to make both happen at the same time. Unfortunately, we haven’t had that kind of leadership yet.

Last week, Sheila Coronel, a distinguished Filipina journalist who once led the journalism program in Columbia University, delivered a commencement address to the graduating class of an American college. She talked about saving democracy.

“I believe,” she said, “that freedom and democracy are not writ in our stars. They are not destined. They are instead the product of human striving…

“Democracy is vulnerable to authoritarian assault because it is a promise that is hard to keep. If people fall for the Golden Age fantasy, it’s because democracy itself seems like another fantasy. Democrats – with a small “d” – make lofty speeches about freedom and equality, but the reality falls far short.”

She points out this important lesson of May 9 for our democracy:

“lt requires the taming of self-interest and greed so there can be equity and inclusiveness, dialogue and mutual respect. Democracy cannot flourish if the soil from which it rises is poisoned by injustice and division. It requires constant tending, especially in the seasons of discontent.”

That, in one paragraph, explained what happened last May 9. Our country’s ruling class took it for granted that our democracy will take care of itself while they took care of their wealth.

According to Forbes magazine, the wealth of Philippine tycoons surged by 30 percent amid the pandemic, at a time when people lost jobs due to lockdowns and the ayuda from the government were late and inadequate.

Richard Heydarian, a political scientist, noted that countries such as the Philippines have been making clear economic progress at the national level, but have not distributed its fruits equitably.

In a Facebook post, Heydarian noted: “at the height of economic growth in the 2010s, the 40 richest business families in the country gobbled up 76 percent of newly-created growth.

“These extreme levels of inequality largely explain why, according to a 2020 Pew Research Center survey, almost half of Filipinos said that ‘most elected officials do not care’ about ordinary citizens.

“Unsurprisingly, one authoritative survey showed that only 15 percent of Filipinos are fully committed to liberal democratic politics, while the majority have expressed openness to authoritarian leaders, who have no regard for institutional checks and balances.”

Think about that. Only 15 percent of Filipinos are committed to democracy. That is what we are up against. The vast majority are sick and tired of democracy’s failure to improve their quality of life.

Social Weather Station has been sounding the alarm on poverty since 1983. The latest SWS self-rated poverty survey shows “43 percent of Filipino families feel poor; 34 percent feel borderline poor, 23 percent feel not poor.”

That’s 77 percent of our people feeling poor. That’s why Leni won in the gated communities and lost heavily in the “gilid” communities. Unfortunately for Leni, she represented the perceived failed EDSA promises of the “dilawans”.

The SWS poverty data clearly indicate that growth of the economy (gross national product per capita) takes decades to make an impact on poverty. In particular, despite the reported burst of economic growth in the first quarter of 2021, the April 2022 SRP of 43 percent is the same as its previous rate in December 2021.

In the meantime, populist politicians, that Sheila calls  enemies of democracy, seek power on “the promise of greatness, the assault on facts, the stoking of fear, and the erasure of memory.

“They are hyper-masculine and larger than life. Propelled to power by myth and lies, they do not live in the world of facts. They use our broken information system to deny their crimes and to propagate false narratives of victimhood.”

It will be terrible if the middle class and professionals who were all fired up during the campaign give up now.  Our business taipans and everyone up to the upper middle class of society must be convinced their lives and personal security depend on bridging this social and income inequality.

What are the chances the current idol of the masa will deliver or disappoint them again as every Filipino leader has? They seem hopeful now. But many are cynical about change and just want to deliver a strong message of disgust.

We should all listen and do something fast.

Boo Chanco’s email address is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco.