1. Introduction:
(i) Democracy is the rule of majority.
(ii) Accountability is the writ of majority.
Thesis statement: Accountability is lifeblood of democracies.
2. Accountability – a strong pillar on which democracy is built
(I) In governance, accountability is the answerability and liability.
(ii) Accountability means surrendering before law and let law rule.
(iii) Successful democracies like America have established a robust system of check and balance that have ensured their progress in every field of life.
3. Characteristics of an accountable society
(i) Politically aware and educated masses ensure across the board accountability.
(ii) Peace, development, rule of law and respect for human rights are the touchstones of an accountable society.
(iii) Turkey’s public struggle to save the country from coup was because of majority’s belief in the democratic system (that is strengthened by accountability).
4. Misuse of accountability – a tool against democracy
(i) Democratic system in developing countries (Pakistan) has occasionally been disrupted on the pretext of accountability.
(ii) Accountability institutions are under the auspices of political parties in developing countries.
(iii) Accountability is a means of political victimization as well.
5. A global democratic system can only sustain by across the board transparent accountability
(i) Dodging accountability at United Nations may usher a disastrous trend against democracy.
(ii) USA – a transgressor of human rights is answerable to no one.
(iii) Democracy of weaker states is at stake because of unaccountability of powerful nations.
(iv) Non-availability of check and balance can lead the world into the darkness of authoritarian rule again.
6. Hindrances to an accountable democratic society
(i) Powerful nations like UN permanent members are immune to accountability.
(ii) UN Peacekeeping Forces were not taken into account for their involvement in cholera outbreak in Haiti in 2010.
(iii) No one got punished for chemical attacks in Syria in April 2017.
(iv) Accountability is exercised on poor people only.
(v) Absence of a powerful world organization.
7. An era of hope
(i) Recent Panama drama in Pakistan (a developing nation) has given a spur to accountability system.
(ii) A former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was impeached and removed in August 2017.
(iii) Iceland’s newly elected Prime Minister Bjarni Ben called for new election after an allegation on his father of a pedophile rehabilitation.
8. Way Forward
(i) Governments should evolve a trend-based approach to democracy.
(ii) A robust framework for accountability should exist at global as well as national level.
(iii) Conduct of free and fair elections should be guaranteed.
(iv) There must be equal, independent and transparent accountability system.
9. Conclusion
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