y want a new parliamentary election? If a new election is to be held, according to a recent political poll in Ukraine, there would be some significant differences.
Party of Regions would achieve a majority with 242 seats; the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT) would receive 138; Our Ukraine would have 48 and the Communist party 22. The Socialist wouldn’t be able to meet the 3 percent threshold and would be out.
In March 2006, Our Ukraine presented a dismal campaign andnow appear to be even weaker. It is doubtful that they are capable of staging a more aggressive campaign.A select few expect to control the party/faction for their personal ambitions.Our Ukraine’s recent congress sessions failed to change the composition of their central committee.
Party of Regions is, at best, a business association, andmany of them are members because they are fearful not to be members.Yet, they are better organized and have more campaign savvy and money for campaigning.
BYuT is little more than “groupies” following a campaign dedicated to taking revenge for past government wrongs, rather than to a philosophical direction.Their leaders do have the ability to ‘excite’ certain sectors of the public. Unfortunately, BYuT demands regimentation and unquestioning allegiance; this does not allow a participatory public growth.
There are no “real” political parties in Ukraine — none with a political philosophy that identifies with the people.The nearest to such are the Communist and the Socialist parties.Most political parties are associations that are attached to individuals.
And, of course, there are the “fickle” politicians in Ukraine (as there are in all arenas, political and otherwise) who are willing to change “colors” whenever they think that it serves them and their personal ambitions.
It appears that most Ukrainian political parties become instruments for those politicians who found them and employ the party’s ‘central committee’ for their own personal political preservation.The true ‘test’ for a political organization (as with any organization) isthe ability,and capacity, of its central governing body to warranty diversity, encourage changeand energize new growth.
Whenever thephilosophy fails to represent the people (their needs and their aspirations)and/or whenever the central governing body rejects diversity and change, thatorganization begins to wither and shrink.
One element – diversity – requires elaboration.An organization that embodies ‘differences’ may appearcounterproductive. However, many of history’s most powerful leaders were of the mind that, “if two members of an organization always agreed, one was not needed.” Diversity actually energizes an organization; it keeps the members awake and alert.
Management of diversity is a difficult task; progress is achieved from consensus. The democratic process can, and does, facilitate both — diversity and consensus.James D. Hobbs is an American retired Business/Management Consultant.
