Social justice

Editorial

Yerkir/am
October 15, 2004

The efficiency of the political system is determined by the
qualitative and quantitative characteristics of demands presented to
the system and the system’ s ability to find operational solutions to
the demands presented.

Any material and political support to the existing political system
can contribute to the reproduction if that system if it is transformed
into a socially useful political decision.

However, experience shows that mutually beneficial cooperation between
the economic elite and the political leadership results in pressure
exerted by various interest groups on the political decision making
thus making it biased and failing to represent the interests of
economically weak and vulnerable segments of the society.

The institutional structures and processes of decision making are
under the influence of large businesses and social groups. As a result
of this the price for supporting the political system does not match
the benefits gained from the decisions being made.

The society pays a higher price. If we take into consideration that
the civil society institutions that can serve as interest groups for
the more vulnerable segments of the society do not work in Armenia, we
can say that the majority of the society does not have any impact on
the political decision making in return to the support it gives to the
political system.

In Armenia, the support to the political system (in the form of paying
taxes and public services fees, participation in the elections,
abiding by the laws, etc) is not commensurate to the feedback from the
political system (in the form of social security, ensuring equality
under the law, paying pensions, etc.).

In addition to this, an opinion prevails in the Armenian society that
the social-political elite provides less support to the political
system (by understating their incomes, avoiding military service,
etc.) while at the same time taking advantage of certain privileges.

Social justice is the pre-condition for constructive cooperation
between the political leadership and the citizens. Transition period
is sometimes used to justify political manipulations and failures.

When social justice is violated certain segments of the society are
deprived of the opportunity for material and spiritual
reproduction. In this case, such segments resort to isolationist
approach of interaction with the political system – they refuse to
participate in the political processes.

The social-economic and spiritual-cultural life of the country is
always influenced by the problems the nation is facing. Today, the
solution to these problems implies self-restriction, readiness for
sacrifices, unity and most importantly, organization at the level of
the state. Nothing is more dangerous for the country than the
privileged status of certain groups and classes against the general
background of self-restriction and sacrifice of the larger society.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress