Political behaviour, whether
categorized as conventional or unconventional, refers to any action or lack of
action in relation to authority. Conventional political behaviour, such as
voting, affiliation with political parties or campaigns, has been steadily
declining. However, based on the levels of political participation,
unconventional political behaviour, for example protest participation,
involvement in demonstrations, roadblocks or riots, has been rapidly
increasing. Unconventional political participation has undoubtedly become
widespread to a great extent.
There has been an increased
manifestation of unconventional political behaviour towards national
institutions such as the government of a country and toward supranational
institutions such as The World Trade Organization (WTO) and The International
Monetary Fund (I.M.F). As the September 23, 2000 issue of the Economist
magazine indicated in an article entitled “Anti-Capitalist Protests”, the
number of anti-capitalist and anti-elitist and other protest movements continue
to grow and more persons are getting involved in such movements voluntarily.
The proliferation of the size and number of protests, protestors and protest
movements is indeed remarkable.
In the Jamaican society and
Caribbean region the trend is not different. While on the one hand voter
turnouts at elections have been decreasing, on the other hand the number of
roadblocks (which is one the most prevalent forms of unconventional behaviour)
has increased tremendously. According to Trevor Monroe’s book
Renewing Democracy, only sixty-six percent of the eligible
persons turned out to vote in
the 1997 General
elections but number of roadblocks in Jamaica had increased from twenty-three
in 1986 to approximately two hundred and seven in 1997. (pg. 116 &118)
However, not only have the number of
roadblocks elevated but also the magnitude and gravity, as in the case of the
“Gas Riots” in Jamaica in April 1999.
This was a week of
protest actions which began with small barricades of wreckage set up in a few
areas which diffused to many other communities across the island. There was
mass destruction of private and public property, businesses and schools were
closed and so forth. As a result, the already struggling economy was further
weakened.
The great extent to which
unconventional modes of political behaviour is widespread is confirmed by the
fact that it has extended itself across the classes in both industrialized and
developing nations. Protests, demonstrations, riots, revolts were largely initiated
and propelled by members of the lower classes. However, Europe’s fuel-tax
“revolt” which had a purely middle class character indicates something
different. In addition, the idea that unconventional political behaviour is
purely a lower class phenomenon is challenged by the involvement of a new class
of educated persons and members of the professional upper classes who have
become founders and agents of reform movements lobbying for specific causes
using unconventional methods.
The manifestations of unconventional
modes of political behaviour to such a great extent in the Caribbean and
elsewhere is attributed to several factors, chiefly a worldwide change in
political cultures, the evolution of modern technology and the proven
efficiency of the use of these unconventional methods.
Political culture, according to
Gabriel Almond on his book The Civic Cultures, refers to “the
political system as internalized in the cognitions, feelings and evaluations of
its population”(pg14). That means, it is the totality of the ideas and
attitudes towards authority, government and its responsibilities as well as
associated culture transmitters like the education systems and religious
organizations. There is a notable change in political culture in the Caribbean
and other parts of the world. People’s attributes towards political
institutions, political representatives and social authorities such as the
church have become even more negative.
Undoubtedly, there has been a great loss of confidence in political
institutions like political parties, aspects of the states including armed
forces, parliament, legal system and civil service. According to the article
“Critical Citizens: Global Supports for Democratic Governance”, surveys carried
out in several European countries, Japan and US reveal that in 1980 an average
of 59% of the people expressed confidence in the previously mentioned
institutions. Ten years later this figure fell to 53%. Similarly, there has
been a significant loss of confidence in religious institutions. For Example,
in Nigeria during the period 1990-1996 the number of persons who had confidence
in the church fell by 17%, in Korea 11% and in France by 5%.
The average individual in the society feels neglected by those with
political authority. It is believed that the politically elected do not care
about those who have elected them. The public’s concerns are not being
adequately addressed, if at all considered. They have no influence or hardly
any influence on decisions made at the national and international levels
although it pertains to them. For example, an article from the July 17, 1999
issue of the Economist magazine entitled “ Politics Brief: Is there a Crisis?”
a large proportion of the people in Sweden agreed with the statement “Parties
are only interested in people’s votes, not in their opinions.” Likewise, 84% of
the Italians agreed “ Politicians don’t care what people like me think.” As a
result, the electorate has resorted to unconventional methods to ascertain that
their voices are heard.
The evolution of modern technology has also contributed to the
widespread use of unconventional political behaviour globally. We are living in
what is referred to as “The
information Age”. As a result, information is more available and accessible to
individuals. Even persons who may be illiterate can know what is happening in
their country or other parts of the world through the electronic media like the
radio and more often television. Also, thanks to modern technological innovations,
such as the Internet, people can be more informed about events around the
world. Some protest movements have set up websites, for example “M26”, so that
present and prospective protestors can be updated with the latest information
like dates, times and venues of upcoming events. In addition, improved
technology in the area of transportation has been a factor because it has
facilitated the rapid movement of people to and from different countries around
the world. On seeing the lifestyles of citizens living elsewhere, some people
are inspired to lobby for changes in certain aspects of their own society. For
example, a Jamaican might visit the United States of America and observes how
courteously civilians are dealt with by the police, in contrast to what he sees
occurring in his country, he feels compelled to try and bring a change to the
situation existing in his country.
The widespread use of untraditional
forms of political behaviour is owed largely to the fact that such actions have
proven to be and continues to be effective means of gaining the attention of
the relevant authorities, articulating one’s views against an issue or a
decision and causing problems to be dealt with more urgently. Anti-capitalist
protest movements have organized protests at various meetings of the World
Bank, World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The threats posed by these demonstrations have certainly gotten the attention
of the officials to the extent that officials had to tighten security in and around
the designated venues of the meetings. Suffice it to say, if nothing else,
demonstrators have surely made it clear to officials that they are serious
about the issue of anti-capitalism and are determined to purse it. Likewise,
through protest action, the guild of students of the University of the West
Indies got the administration to sign an agreement saying that the students
security concerns would be addressed promptly. Therefore, whatever happens the
protestors have won a kind of victory.
In conclusion, unconventional political behaviour is undoubtedly
becoming more widespread in Jamaica, in the Caribbean and around the world.
This has been confirmed
by local and
international statistical information, some of which has been presented in this
essay. Also, members of the various levels of the social strata have been
involved in
unconventional
political participation and this indicates that unconventional political
behaviour is becoming
prevalent not only among the lower classes. This dramatic increase in
unconventional political behaviour may be attributed to various things
but chiefly to a
significant change in political culture, the availability of information and
the usefulness of modern technology in its transmission to people in many parts
of the world as well as the effectiveness of using unconventional methods.
Almond, Gabriel and
Sidney Verba. The Civic Culture: Political Attitudes and
Democracy In Five Nations. Princeton: Princeton
University Press;1963.
“Anti-capitalist
Protests”. The Economist. 23 September 2000
Monroe, Trevor. Renewing
Democracy In The New Millenium: The Jamaican Experience
In Perspective. Kingston: The Press of The University of the West
Indies;1999.
Norris, Pippa. Critical Citizens: Global Support For Democratic
Governance
London: Oxford Press;1999.
“Politics Brief- Is There A Crisis?”. The
Economist 17 July1999