Comments on The Bureau of Counterpropaganda: The greatest beneficiary

There are two issues related to the survey. Firstl...

2007-12-18T01:47:00.000+11:00

There are two issues related to the survey. Firstly, it is assumed in the capitalist value of democracy that a representative of the people should have been elected by the majority of the people. It is further assumed that a reprenstative could represent the people as long as he/she enjoys support of the people. How on earth could a person remain in power when he had not enjoyed the support of even a fraction of the population despite the claims of strict adherence to democratic values? What was the source of General Musharraf's power in the absence of a popular support? Secondly, what stops the opinion leadres (if this breed exists in Pakistan), especially the leftists (I consider myself a leftist)to count on the resentment against the general to raise a popular movement for revolutionary changes in the superstructure?

Yes, Musharraf is a nasty piece of work. I noted ...

2007-12-17T22:04:00.000+11:00

Yes, Musharraf is a nasty piece of work. I noted the following:

A majority of Pakistanis want Musharraf to resign from office, with 67 percent wanting his resignation and 25 percent opposed.

How many of the 25% oppose resignation because they want him arrested & tried?

A "democracy" where the President can sack the judiciary when he fears it will rule against him and then return to "constitutional" rule with a new Supreme Court of his choosing is no "democracy" at all. The laws simply do not bind the Government. The only rule is that there are no rules.

Sadly, opinion polls are not a foolproof indicator...

2007-12-17T19:16:00.000+11:00

Sadly, opinion polls are not a foolproof indicator of mobilisation, as with the US attitudes to the war in Iraq and the mostly moribund US peace movement.

The point that most of the observers tend to skip ...

2007-12-17T17:47:00.000+11:00

The point that most of the observers tend to skip while quoting the survey (it has been widely dessiminated here) is that despite the opposition of two-third Pakistanis to the rule of General Musharraf, the people did not come out to challenge a decade long stay of the General in power. It seems that two-third Pakistanis are gainst simple transition (as they call it) with no sunbstantial chnage in economic relations and the supersrtucture, there seems to be no indication of a popular movement of the toiling masses across the country.