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STRAIGHT LINE

The political economy of disorder

Muhammad Nurul Huda
There is a strong association between violent conflict and low human development. Therefore, there is a need of security framework which recognises poverty, social breakdown and civil conflict as the core components of the security threat.***
Concerned citizens are worried at the increasing scale and dimension of our confrontational politics. The fearsome postures of the actors and the operatives inject a sense of helplessness in the minds of the ordinary people and no wonder the disorder and inconvenience caused by political confrontation could breed public apathy towards political protest. That, without doubt, is an unwelcome scenario.
The 2005 Human Development Report devotes special attention to the analysis of violent conflict and brings the real threat into focus. It identifies violent conflict as the most brutal suppression of human development. Every civilian death linked to conflict is a violation of human rights. The risk is heavily weighted against people living in least developed countries like ours.
Humanity cannot enjoy security without development or development without order and security. The framework for security calls for safety from chronic threats and protection from sudden disruptions in the patterns of daily life. Violent conflict undermines human security in both dimensions.
There is a strong association between violent conflict and low human development. Therefore, there is a need of security framework which recognises poverty, social breakdown and civil conflict as the core components of the security threat. Logically, the prevention of conflict must be at the centre of planning for poverty reduction. Consequently, comprehensive risk assessments must be taken up to evaluate how specific conflicts affect policies.
Structural weaknesses in countries prone to conflict and disorder range from weak capacity to provide basic services, to contested legitimacy and deep horizontal inequalities. Threats to security and order arise from civil violence, terrorism, organised crime and also from poverty. While there is no necessary link between poverty and civil conflict, the violence that we see are outcomes caused by deep polarisation, weak institutions and chronic poverty. The fight against terror and disorder cannot be won unless human security is extended and strengthened. The deficit comes from underdeveloped human security response.
A considered view is that human security in developing countries like Bangladesh must occupy the centre of the international agenda for the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
Despite the fact that disorder and the accompanying lawlessness have a significant impact on economic development, a rigorous analysis of the linkages between the two remains conspicuous by its absence in the general economic literature. However, of late, some studies have come to focus on the relationship between political instability, one obvious manifestation of law and order situation, and economic growth. Paradoxically, the issue of the linkage between law and order and economic development has generally remained neglected both in theoretical and empirical literature concerned with the identification of sources of development.
There is a strong suspicion that Bangladesh could not reap adequate benefits from global economic linkage possibly owing to its internal political turmoil and disorder. No in-depth and systematic study of the impact of disorder and lawlessness on our economy has been undertaken so far. The problem has not been examined in any coherent way from the standpoint of national economy as a whole.
There is no denying that certain forms of disorder and crime can hamper the political, economic, social and cultural development of people and threaten human rights, fundamental freedoms, peace, stability and security. Therefore, crime prevention and criminal justice should be considered in the context of economic development, political systems, social and cultural values and social change. The system is expected to be fully responsive to the diversity of political, economic and social systems and to the constandy evolving conditions of society.
Disorders are now being fomented and created by organisations, quite distinct from individual responsibility for individual acts. Traditional law enforcement approach will not be able to adequately face the challenge. One has to be cognisant of the nationally harmful crimes including economic crimes, environmental offences, illegal drug trafficking and terrorism that affect development.
Disorderly situation as a sequel to confrontational politics creates a favourable environment for terrorism, which is a form of low intensity war; and such terrorism is a political act. The terrorist's objective is to adversely alter the political calculus of the country.
It is pertinent to point out that no development can take place without the protection of life, liberty and property. For providing order it is necessary to adhere to the rule of law. This is important to appreciate the significance of disorder and lawlessness in impeding economic development.
When a society suffers from a law and order situation, the basic propensities such as to develop science to economic ends or to accept innovations are blunted and the society is deprived of the important stimuli and catalysis of growth, which have greater effectiveness and impact in the long-term perspective.
The imperatives of security, welfare and the constitutional order will clash among themselves but each involves potential conflict and choice: war versus the possible costs of not fighting: welfare versus growth including individual freedom versus order.
The execution of security, welfare and constitutional tasks requires resources. Resources are inherendy scarce and must be drawn away from private consumption and private investment. One has to appreciate the critical role that the rule of law and equitable enforcement of legislation play in effecting lasting economic reforms and building democratic institutions.
Economies function within a broad institutional setting and one has to focus on the role institutional settings play in determining the character of economic performance.
The government being an indivisible entity, its developmental and administrative roles cannot be separated. It is now being widely recognised that without maintaining rule of law and creating conditions of peace, no developmental activity can take place in either the public or the private sector.
The writer is a Columnist for The Daily Star.