CIVILITY IN POLITICS

By Justice Osai Ahiakwo

In the wake of experiencing global evolution, the effect of interconnectedness of human existence has resulted in an unending quest for power and control over the affairs of all homospecians. 

Alas, it is a way of life applied in governance, which considerable efforts are made at taming  the damming consequences. 

There is no doubt suggestive of the fact that this is a departure from the act of barbarism and deprivation from good reasoning being by-products of the medieval or stone age era. 

The world is so diverse and complex filled with mainstream political actors playing out the scripts while leaving the apolitical class to remain indifferent about the wellbeing and collective welfare of the impoverished larger population. 

The polarization created in the society shows the level of disparity in life expectancy, raising the pertinent question, whether the evolution can even promote the desired civility in politics.

For sure, established norms define human rights, democratic values, and decorum, which have set the standards for leaders to adopt. 

Once there is a collaboration, the potentially designed ways and means of cross-fertilization of ideas and best practices enhance the practice of civilization by politicians.

The people are awashed with promisories of changing their future if the politicians are voted to govern them. Their rethorics are demeaning  of the highly respected positions they seek to occupy. 

Regrettably, some politicians pretend not to be exposed when playing the game of politics. These kind of politicians can not campaign without being abusive, bullying, and carrying out propaganda or falsehood against their opposites. 

An attempt to aid them with the collective sense of a shared humanity and responsibility usually meets brick walls. 

It is evident that they need to undergo the necessary training to help them become global citizens. They must leverage the use of modern technology  to facilitate dialogue, get information sharing, and civic engagement for them to improve their lifestyles.

Media outlets are readily available to stimulate the interest of educating them to provide balanced reporting, thorough fact-checking, and investigative journalism. 

Leaders of different civilized climes can inspire and guide some other politicians to apply the best international standard practices in governance and civic engagement. 

Cultural exchange programs can likewise facilitate understanding and people-to-people diplomacy on learning from being civilized. 

In embracing global evolution and its opportunities,  the introduction of more civil and democratic policies, aligning with global best international practices, sets the people and nation on the map of good governance. 

The working concept is demonstrated by the extent of respect, courtesy, and consideration accorded to other political leaders. This will help in creating an atmosphere where constructive dialogue, cooperation, and stability will break all barriers within the political global arena. 

Treating each other with respect and dignity can build trust, strengthen relationships, and work towards earning a peaceful resolution of conflicts and challenges.

Civility in politics is essential for a healthy democracy and there is nothing short of this expectation that should be tolerated, regardless of its enormous challenges.

The atmosphere might be engulfed with divisive rhetoric and actions, where politicians are sharply divided among themselves, civility remains the antedote. 

Even with the rate at which hate speeches and inflammatory remarks are altered on frequent occurrences, fueling tensions calls for grave concerns to minimize and/or eradicate such acts of incivility 

The advantage of this is to eliminate prejudices and avoid stereotypes that often overshadow the objective of going into discourse to achieve harmonious living.

In recent times, politics has been characterized by a lack of cordial dialogue. Personal attacks and name-calling have replaced substantive debates or discussions, thereby giving way for inadequate communicating skills in public gatherings. 

Some leaders are failing in their duties to model civil behavior, perpetuating a culture of incivility.The social cohesion erosion is the basic cause of social unrest in the society. This undermines family, communal, and national unity, hence breeds mistrust as political gridlock manifests in high dimensions amid inciting statements hindering common understanding amongst the actors. 

The resultant effect of conflict incendiary languages  can lead to violence and destabilization.

By prioritizing civility,  politicians will become social engineers equipped with the requisite experience of adopting a more proactive, inclusive, stable, and prosperous democracy whereby the society stands to benefit.

Civility in politics can help reduce tensions and conflicts between various political parties, leading to a more peaceful society. 

It helps in building trustworthy relationships. It enables politicians to honor their words and fulfill agreements as well as commitments made to the people. Acting rightly will create room for more stable and predictable relations at both domestic and international levels.

In strengthening international institutions and systems of governance, there must be a balance of interest on the scale of preference.  To endanger more effective mechanisms for addressing transnational issues, politicians must demonstrate civility in their interactions to set a positive example for their citizens and the global community alike. 

The benefits are not only for a particular family, community, or nation but can act as an enabler in contributing to a more harmonious and prosperous world for humanity.

On the aspect of gender, once there exists any form of neglect on women, the system of governance can run aground. 

Taking into cognizance, the role of men over the notion of discrimination. It is obvious to state the relevance of women. 

Women in politics often face gender bias that can affect their behavior. Their resilience and confidence may be labeled as aggressive, while, when men display similar behavior and are seen as assertive. This double standard can make it challenging for women to navigate political discourse with civility.

With a diverse representation in politics, including gender diversity, leadship  in its truest shape will be more nuanced alongside inclusive resolutions. 

Different perspectives and experiences can enrich conversations and help bring about a more civilized political environment. 

It is common knowledge that women in politics often introduce a different approach to leadership, emphasizing empathy, collaboration, and consensus-building. These qualities can contribute to a more civil discourse by promoting understanding and dialogue over confrontation.

Women leaders who demonstrate civility in their interactions can serve as role models for others, showing the possibility of engaging in robust debates while maintaining respect and dignity. Their leadership can inspire a more civil political culture for future generations.

As women face unique challenges in practicing civility in politics, they also have the opportunity to reshape traditional power dynamics and promote more inclusive and respectful political dialogue.  

Advocating for gender equality and fostering a culture of civility, women can conveniently contribute to a more equitable and effective political system.

Gender plays a complex role in shaping civility in politics, highlighting the importance of promoting diverse representation. Whilst, another aspect is the role of religious beliefs in improving civility within the political spheres. 

Religious teachings emphasize values like respect, empathy, forgiveness, and compassion. These are essential for civil behavior. It encourages tolerance, understanding, and acceptance of diverse perspectives, reducing polarization and conflict.

It provides a moral framework for decision-making, mounding  leaders and citizens to act with integrity and honesty.

Interfaith discussions and collaborations are other methods of promoting understanding and respect among different religious groups in order to project a culture of civility.

It is important to note that religion is a source of conflict and division if not properly managed. 

To scale up the awareness of describing politics as a game, civility remains the antidote for healing some politicians who  see politics as a do or die affairs. 

Therefore, politicians must demonstrate civility in playing modern-day politics rather than resort to harressment, intimidation, threat, and such other sundry actions that are enemical to natural justice, equity, and good conscience.