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By Shwan Zulal:
The Kurdistan Region Government (KRG) – or the same group of leaders – has run the northern region of Iraq for over 20 years and it has come a long way since. Fratricidal conflict and petty politics have taken their toll and hindered progress for years. The government has often been described as an infant and the public has made many concessions for its early stage of development. Meanwhile, more often than not, the ruling parties of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) have made excuses, saying that the Kurdish public is not ready for reforms and cultural barriers are in the way of progress.
The cultural factors stalling progress cannot be denied but recent developments in the region and the emergence of a strong opposition has changed the political landscape and people’s expectations. A cultural revolution led by the younger generation is taking place as people become more affluent and better-informed. The availability of information through the internet and media has accelerated cultural development. There is still a long way to go to fix the cultural dysfunctionalities in Kurdistan, but the cultural revolution has started in earnest.
Government has a crucial role in promoting good ethics and culture by introducing legislation and promoting cultural change. Take smoking as an example. Only five years ago, smoking in public in the UK was the norm but, following legislation to ban it, it has now become anti-social behaviour. Drink driving is another example.
A good example of moving in the right direction is last week’s approval of new legislation banning female genital mutilation by the Kurdish parliament. The law also has provision to deal with domestic violence. The legislation may have its critics, saying that the law will not be implemented fully and enforcing it will give the government a headache but, nevertheless, laws like this must be praised as they will slowly lead to cultural changes.
One of the major cultural changes needed is an end to dependency on government in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq as a whole. The start of the ration system and public subsidies in Iraq has exaggerated this cultural phenomenon. The system continued with the Food for Oil program after the Gulf War. It is arguable that the program saved many lives and the poor from starvation but the social and cultural consequences have been devastating. Nowadays the average person in Iraq thinks only about what the state can give him in remuneration and salaries, rather than thinking about making a difference and contributing to the country’s development.
Government needs to take urgent action and introduce policies to change the majority of the population’s attitude to the state. Otherwise this dependency will only lead to the demise of a once energetic and proud nation.
The KRG has come up with its own dependency system through patronage and state employment, which works in the ruling parties’ best interests. The government and the almighty and rich ruling parties of the PUK and KDP have employed many people. The rationale behind the employment spree is to boost support for their political parties and this may be their way of spreading the country’s wealth. The policy has lifted many out of poverty but the negative consequence has been a cementing of the culture of dependency on the state.
The policy of creating jobs in order to buy loyalty and instil a sense of fairness is a red herring, because in the process individuals are paid to do absolutely nothing but feel they are actually doing a job, albeit a fictional one. It may be good for self-esteem, but it is devastating to the future prospects of the Kurdistan Region’s economy.
In a recent proposal as part of the five-party talks, the incumbents have proposed to create a welfare system to care for the elderly, disabled and those less well off who cannot find jobs. This is one of the most significant proposals coming out the government so far and it could lead to the elimination of poverty once and for all.
However, these reforms must be planned very carefully and should not become another tool to buy loyalty. Otherwise, it will make people more dependent on government, irresponsible and less resourceful.
If the policy is drafted properly with good intentions, the KRG will have the option of transferring many superfluous employees from the public sector into the benefit system. This will allow the public sector to become more efficient and it would highlight the true unemployment figures in the Region. While this policy might appear demeaning and crude, it would have the potential to encourage people to become more resourceful and work rather than depend on government handouts. Moreover, when the true unemployment total becomes apparent, this should spur government into action and force it to find ways to create jobs and get the economy going.
Receiving welfare benefits is not the first option for many people, because generally there is a stigma attached to it. Therefore, switching people from the unproductive workforce to the benefit system may put off many who do not need the extra state benefit and stop them being a drain on public resources. In addition, such changes to the current de-facto handout system would inevitably lead to cultural change and an improvement in work ethics. Failing to think the policy through, and not having the right objectives by rushing it through to win support, could backfire and make the already idle workforce even more indolent.
This article first appeared on Kurdish Views
Well done for the excellent article.most important dossier in Kurdistan