By: Odey Joseph Ogbinyi PhD
Utilitarianism as espoused by Bentham and popularized by JS Mill connotes the GREATEST HAPPINESS FOR THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE. This inference subjects the JUSTIFICATION of every ACTION to the level of SATISFACTION derived by a MAJORITY of the population.
In modern climes, Utilitarianism forms the cornerstone for governance as even the debate on American leadership has always revolved around who would be capable of SECURING THE GREATEST PLEASURE FOR THE HIGHEST NUMBER. The pragmatic ascendancy of this theory is intricately intertwined with the very nature of Politics and Government
We have been long reminded that government is “of the PEOPLE, by the PEOPLE and for the PEOPLE” (Abraham Lincoln, 1865).
This can only mean that a government REPRESENTATIVE that tolerates the pestilence of hunger, disease, illiteracy and unemployment to ravage his/her CONSTITUENCY is in effect, reneging on the social “CONTRACT” and securing the GREATEST PAIN FOR THE HIGHEST NUMBER. This is where Utilitarianism appeals to the very nature of man (survival) regarding the CHOICE of CANDIDATE(s) that would guarantee the GREATEST HAPPINESS for the GREATEST NUMBER. The ELECTORATES must UTILize maximally, the POWER of the CHOICES, or forever remain silent on whether or not this power is WRONGLY or RIGHTLY used!
In CRS Northern Senatorial District, it is an open secret on the discourse on which potential Candidates (PDP) would be more practically inclined to take CONSISTENT actions (as opposed to periodic election year shows) to GUARANTEE the GREATEST HAPPINESS for the HIGHEST NUMBER. Will “The SENATOR” dictate over proceeding (as usual) or will a younger generation possibly the #JUDENATION potency spoil the party? Who is going to take the famous snapshot with the RETURN CERTIFICATE come May 2019? These and many more are the fortune of the future yet it is possible to draw OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS based on several methodologies including, THE HISTORICAL ANALYSIS and or TREND ANALYSIS.
A comparative analysis of #JUDENATION and “THE SENATOR” reveals some reveling FACTS. While the young man having served as COS in the last dispensation and currently redeployed as SSA is CONSTANTLY and PERSISTENTLY PRESENT back in the northern part of CRS as opposed to the latter, and has opened a channel to assist others through charitable schemes and programmatic initiatives in Health and Educational services “THE SENATOR” has remained incurably DISTINGUISHED from the ORDINARY people she represents, DISTANCING HERSELF from the ORDINARY events and functions that ORDINARILY, every REPRESENTATIVE would oblige a people!. As little as these may seem, they touch on the very essence of the individual and bother on the ACTUAL, TANGIBLE PHENOMENA rather than the UNIMAGINABLE, BOGUS and MYSTERIOUS proclamations of the latter.
Oh! It gladdens me when indigent but brilliant students tell of a scholarship they received through the IKABA foundation as opposed to the imagery of the latter. In the strict sense of an application of the Utilitarian School, #JUDENATION does PORTEND a GREATER HAPPINESS for the HIGHEST NUMBER.
DR. ODEY JOSEPH OGBINYI JR
Department of Political Science
University of Calabar, Calabar.
No comments:
Post a Comment