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CONVENTIONAL wisdom tells us it is “easier” to
achieve economic reform and political change than moral renewal.
Philosophers, teachers, intellectuals, bureaucrats, priests,
politicians and self-anointed moralists have pondered the question
of ethical rebirth, as it relates to government corruption and
private-sector graft. None has succeeded in motivating the
authorities and the citizens to unite and mobilize their energies to
root out dishonesty in the name of a moral revolution.
Some countries have tried social
engineering to change people. Singapore, for example, has a yearly
campaign on almost every aspect of human behavior, from basic
courtesy to avoidance of rot in public and private lives.
Foreign policy, national
holidays
China has a slogan for efforts at
nation-building and character improvement. Most slogans carry a
number for easy memorization.
Some governments have used their
foreign policy to mobilize their people toward a central goal.
Alien-bashing and xenophobia are put to good use to rally the people
for a cause, from unity-building to moral transformation.
National holidays are a good
occasion to remind the citizens about their past, the current
challenges and their stake in the future. Patriotism is a nice flag
to wrap around the national shoulders.
Lee Kwan Yew
Some nations also will themselves
to a culture of honesty, civility and ethics. When the father of
Singapore, Lee Kwan Yew, for example, started to build the
city-state’s government, he had three priorities: building a
strong military, making the city clean and green, and insulating the
bureaucrats from corruption, by giving them handsome salaries and
other incentives.
Transparency International Inc.
and other global rating groups have consistently recognized
Singapore as an almost graft-free economy.
Note, however, that countries
that rejected “corrupt capitalism,” waged war on democracy and
strove for people’s moral rebirth are currently beset by
increasing corruption. China and Vietnam, two of the fastest-growing
economies in Asia, have to battle graft on many fronts.
Culture of modernization
A culture of honesty,
modernization and growth seems to inhabit certain countries while it
has eluded others. Filipinos would wish they were born in Singapore,
Japan, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Israel or Canada.
But these countries did not
achieve their status in a year’s time or even in a decade.
Planning, foresight, investments in human capital and, yes, that
good old political will, launched them on their way to modernization
and to enjoy the blessings of prosperity and civilized living.
Reeducation campaigns, slogans
and social movements have their limits. We need a belief system that
shapes our cultural and moral norms and that teach us to take
responsibility for ourselves. That takes time, an inordinate amount
of time, to grow.
Council for Moral Revolution
So how will former Speaker Jose
de Venecia’s Council for Moral Revolution fit into our ethical
climate, how does it address the national “outrage” over
corruption?
“To cleanse our politics of its
corruption, our economy of its crony capitalism and national society
of its material poverty, we must do no less than foment a moral
revolution in public life,” the former speaker said.
“Over the next few years, we
must set in place a cluster of radical reforms in public policy
that, taken together, will set off revolutionary changes in our
politics, our economy in the whole of national society,” he
announced, adding:
“What we’re looking for is a
nationwide cleansing in government and in society.”
The test of success
Who is going to lead the
revolution? The speaker and the founding fathers. How will they
carry out their program? We do not know.
What are the gauges for success?
How are we to know the moral revolution is succeeding?
Chief Justice Reynato Puno is
wise to turn down the offer to head the council. We suspect it’s
not because of conflict of interest, as he pleaded, but because he
knows the pitfalls of a character-building and graft-busting drive.
Leadership by example
Reading from Archbishop Angel
Lagdameo’s call for a modified people power, we gather that even
the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines is not prepared
to fight corruption or wage a movement to combat graft.
Meanwhile, Executive Secretary
Eduardo Ermita has announced that Malacañang is planning to create
its own National Reform Council as a countervailing force to de
Venecia’s crusade.
It’s a game called holier than
thou. Ask Filipinos and they will say they prefer to see leadership
by example. Or having a strong state that has the courage and the
will to enforce the law, all kinds of laws, without fear or favor.
Or a return to the “good old days” when honor and decency
mattered. Or a responsible opposition party that gives the people
not expedients but honest options and principled programs.
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