HOTSPOT
Philippine elections are not as simple as some would like us to think, and there’s no better (or worse) example than this 2022 edition.
The conventional wisdom in certain circles is that this is merely a battle between the smart and the stupid, or the educated and the uneducated. According to them, the only thing campaigners need to do is to find and neutralize the stupid, by turning them into smart ones. For them, the only smart vote is a vote in favor of their candidate.
This is a troubling approach to politics because it paints the voters as the problems when they are historically and factually the victims of the political situation. It sends such a message to voters. It magnificently fails in properly identifying the real problem in politics.
This analysis nearly totally skips the Three G’s of Philippine elections — guns, goons and gold, and the institutions and structures that pre-ordain the people’s choices. Challenges to democratic participation are swept under the rug: wealth and income inequality, political dynasties, elitist political parties, the undue advantage and abuse of power by the incumbents, laws rigged in favor of the powerful, and the collapse of institutions of accountability, and foreign intervention.
Moreover, the refusal or inability to go beyond the traditional political way — adopting a new color, creating a new political superhero, and painting the voters as a mass of people needing to be rescued — is in itself a problem. For many voters, this may not seem that different from the modus operandi of other traditional politicians known for changing political colors, for portraying themselves as saviors and for blaming the people for their sad fate.
Many of the factors that are skipped in conventional political analysis could show logical, historical, factual and compelling explanation for the rise of populists and fascists as frontrunners in the 2022 race, and the apparent weakness of the political opposition.
Neither does the convention wisdom capture the impact of the rise of populism and fascism domestically and worldwide.
In places where populists and fascists were beaten in the elections, the democratic forces underwent a period of internal debate and introspection. They held themselves accountable for their shortcomings that provided the populists and fascists fodder for undermining democracy. They re-committed themselves to the rule of law and human rights. They offered platforms and programs that addressed the people’s needs, especially those of the working class and the poor, to wean them away from the embrace of the populists and fascists.
The victorious democratic forces also focused on community and political organizing. They built organizations at the neighborhood levels, and mobilized people by fighting for what’s important to them. They also recruited and fielded candidates in all positions up for grabs in elections. In short, they prepared themselves for victory, and to thwart attempts by populists and fascists to perpetuate themselves in power.
Disinformation wasn’t viewed as mainly a people problem. It was viewed as a social problem that society as a whole needed to address, because it is backed by Big Tech, Big Business, and Big Politics that profits from them. The response was a powerful mix of grassroots response, media activism, and political action to persuade institutions and structures to curb the networks of disinformation.
The shape and direction of the 2022 election campaign could still shift and change, as in past elections. In other words, the leader could lose the lead by his own fault and also by the rising strength of his competitor. Alliances could be redrawn. Some combatants could also withdraw and endorse others. Organizations could be set up. Campaigns could be repurposed, redrawn, and redirected.
Most importantly, the conventional wisdom could be discarded into real wisdom that could enlighten not just the people, but those who profess to be enlightened and those who wish to achieve victory not just for a candidate, but for democracy, human rights, press freedom, accountability and social change.