Party is only on the side of a politician, FASHIONING THE MASK

Party is only on the side of a politician, FASHIONING THE MASK

By Dr. Sohail Ansari

Conceived and worded by DR Sohail Ansari (originality of concepts and originality of words).

He believes that there can never be a zero scope for improvement and appreciates criticism if it is not for the sake of criticism.

·       The essay that analyzes a philosophy must be the succinct statement of the meaning of it.   

Party is only on the side of a politician 

o   An actor walks into a character and leaves an actor behind. People identify with a character without ever knowing actor. Rich identify with character breezing through life with non-cha.lance flamboyancy and poor admire the sacrifices of a character for the down. trodden. Actor is anyhow devoted to himself, he is paid for every character; he becomes richer even for becoming poor (paid to have the character of a poor man). Politician has to be an actor to be a great politician; he has to agree with everyone so that he agrees with no one. Voters relate to politics through party identification, party of a genius politician appears to be closely articulated to entrenched cleavages of social structure in a way that haves vote it as much as have nots; but the party is on the side of a politician who is simply performing his role as an actor.   

     FASHIONING THE MASK

o   Social cultural and economic context of pre-industrial societies conditioned human association typical of that era. But advent of market-industrial system changed everything. Traditional social collectivities rooted in pre-modern economic conditions and formed by regional, religious, ethnic, linguistic, craft, and other local customs could not sustain the blow delivered by sustained technological innovation; the division of labor, and mass migrations from rural to urban areas. This erosion of traditional customs rent the fabric of social collectivities and a new type of human association was stitched together by shared problems and aspirations. 

In consumer society, familiar objectives were replaced as ethos of consumer culture set new targets; known solutions to familiar problems were no longer workable as problems were different. In earlier societies, individuals became acquainted with leaders through culture and customs who in turn solved their problems or helped them met their aspirations; but urban life had its own culture and requirements therefore, in a consumer society, parties and their manifesto had to be introduced by some other means.

Political Marketing became the chief matchmakers. The burgeoning array of new challenges that emerged from urbanization (jobs/security) and globalization (cultural problems) presented politicians with the challenge of ‘binding’ solutions (of such problems) to culturally sanctioned formats for the satisfaction of voters. Political Marketers had to start constructing props for the ball_ sets of masks for leaders _ using whatever media technologies and persuasive or ‘appeal’ formats were available to them.

But partners at the masked ball needed melodies, not words, for dancing; they also needed instruction in forming gauge to evaluate right leader. The music and the choreography for this dance came from ideology and service (or promise of service) of party.

Political marketing strategies seek with ever greater efficiency ways of crafting relation between leaders and voters; but the work of political marketing consultants is never over. Political culture of consumer society brings into a being on a notion that individuals can regard their affiliation with political party as a fluid milieu of temporary associations. A choice of leaders is based on credibility.  No one is bound permanently to particular leadership originating in accidents of birth or fortune___ that pave the way for the emergence of leadership that transcend ethnic and regional limitation___ on the contrary, everyone can participate in an eternal process whereby groupings are dissolved and regenerated.

The cultural/social/ political/ economic problems provide frame for fashioning the masks for leaders that highlight what is distinctive and unique about them; and as frames change so the masks.