A Dream About Government and the Common Man

.. by Najeem Shah

Last night, I had a strange dream. I discovered that a government had been formed in the country that was actually governing. There was no noise of celebrations, no lists of opponents, and no announcement every other day that the country had left the rest of the world behind. The rulers were quietly doing their work. That was the most suspicious part of the dream.

I pinched myself and it hurt. That convinced me that I was dreaming, because in real life, to see such scenes, you sometimes need more than a pinch—you only need an electricity bill.

On its first day, the dream government announced that instead of giving people an immediate solution to every problem, it would first try to understand the problem. Hearing this, I became certain that it was truly a government from a dream.

In our country, the solution is often prepared even before the problem appears. Later, we discover that the problem was something else. During elections, promises are made like those shop signs saying, “Everything at half price.” Once the shopkeeper gets your attention, you discover that not only is the price not half, the sign itself was probably rented.

In government offices, an order was issued that files should not merely travel from one desk to another but should actually reach a decision. An old file heard the news and probably could not believe its eyes.

In our offices, some files have seen so much of the world that new officers could learn from their experience. Sometimes they wait for a signature, sometimes an explanation, sometimes approval, and sometimes another explanation. The dream government announced that a file would now wait only as long as an ordinary person has to wait for his turn.

The economy was also governed by a strange principle: development does not simply mean beautiful figures and impressive statistics. It means making life easier for ordinary people.

Hearing this, the economists in the dream looked at one another.

The government said that if the economy was really growing, some of its benefits should also be visible in the household budget. A citizen immediately asked, “Will we see this effect in the market as well, or only at press conferences?”

The minister replied, “In the market.”

There was applause in the dream. Perhaps even the shopkeeper had reduced his prices.

In education and health, the dream went even further.

Teachers were present in schools, students were present, and the syllabus had also arrived on time. In hospitals, patients were getting beds and doctors were actually seeing them.

A young man asked the government, “Where are the jobs?”

The answer was, “Here.”

The young man asked in surprise, “Really?”

“Yes,” came the reply, “but don’t get too happy. The dream is not over yet.”

The young man immediately closed his eyes, afraid that the job might disappear along with the dream.

The political atmosphere was also different. There were disagreements, but no hatred. There was criticism, but no revenge.

The government listened to the opposition’s speech, and the opposition listened to the government’s speech. Nobody said that the country was taking its last breath.

Yesterday’s allies could become today’s opponents, and today’s opponents could become tomorrow’s allies. But in this dream, everyone also remembered what they had said in the past.

Perhaps that was why, before forming an alliance, some people were watching their old videos to remember what they had said yesterday.

A cabinet meeting was held. The Prime Minister asked every minister to name three achievements and three failures of his ministry.

One minister nervously asked, “Failures too?”

“Yes,” the Prime Minister replied, “so that we do not repeat them.”

The minister thought for a while and said, “Then perhaps it would be better if I don’t mention the achievements either.”

Everyone in the meeting burst out laughing.

I felt that there was now room for humour in government. Perhaps this was the point where the dream government had come dangerously close to reality.

The most beautiful scene in the dream came when a government convoy passed along a road while the lives of ordinary citizens continued normally.

No road was blocked. No patient’s vehicle was stopped. No student’s examination was disturbed.

A rickshaw driver asked, “Whose convoy was that?”

The passenger replied, “The government’s.”

The rickshaw driver looked surprised and said, “Oh! We didn’t even notice.”

In the dream, this was declared a sign of good governance. In reality, perhaps it would be given some other name.

The government announced that from now on there would be fewer promises and more work. Every project would have a completion date.

A journalist asked, “What if the work is not completed by that date?”

The spokesperson replied, “We will explain the reason to the people.”

The journalist asked, “And what if the reason is not acceptable?”

The spokesperson remained silent.

Even in the dream, there were some questions for which the government had no answers.

I thought perhaps this silence was the reason the dream was still beautiful. Otherwise, reality would have started from that point.

Suddenly, I woke up.

The dream government was gone, and reality was there as usual. Problems were still there, promises were still there, and hopes had once again been pushed into the future.

I wondered: What was the strangest thing in the dream?

Was it the files actually moving? The hospital functioning? Jobs being available? Or rulers working instead of praising themselves?

Then I realized that perhaps the real dream was this:

The common man remembered the government’s work, not its speeches.

And there is certainly no harm in continuing to dream this dream even while we are awake.