Democracy deficit was used probably to connote the absence of salient features of democratic system of a certain society. The term democracy bankruptcy is more serious in terms of the degree of the decline of a democratic system. Indeed, there is what can be termed political insolvency before democracy bankruptcy. Insolvency is a financial term used in business when a person owed so much debt that he or she could not payback the outstanding sum despite the sale of all the assets he or she possessed. In such a case, the person may be declared bankrupt by a court order. A bankrupt person is financially half dead for he or she cannot conduct business as usual. He or she cannot guarantee for any other person as far as financial deal is concerned. He or she cannot enter into a juristic act. In other words, he or she is just half a human being as far as business and financial matter is concerned.
Along the same vein, people under a dictatorial political system will be deprived of thefundamental rights enjoyed as citizens. He or she will be barred from engaging in political activities of all sorts and may even be forbidden to say anything that is deemed harmful tonational security. Indeed, it is hilarious but non-laughable when a person in a certain society cannot even eat sandwich or raise three fingers symbolizing the salute of a boy scout because some paranoid people interpreted as a declaration of “liberty, equality and fraternity,” Under such a situation, the political system can be said to become insolvent, democratically speaking. Democratic insolvency means a total absence of rights and freedom, equality, human rights and human dignity. Once this situation prevails, there will be a total collapse of an open political system leading to a democracy bankruptcy.
A democracy bankruptcy denotes and connotes a pathetic situation in which a small group of people audaciously violated the principle of the rule of law, abused political power and defied democratic righteousness. The system oppressed the citizens overtly or covertly by depriving them of the fundamental rights as stipulated in the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. These high-handed political deviants defied the sacrosanct tenet of political free spirit and human dignity bestowed upon by the Almighty. They audaciously slighted fellow human beings who were created in God’s image. This can be taken as a cardinal political sin against democracy. It is a blatant political persecution. Indeed, one Thai writer, Sri Prach, who was politically persecuted, wrote this poem, which was translated by M.R. Seni Pramoj, before being executed.
Bear me witness Ye Earth,
Spite not God’s image in men,
If wrong I am let this sword fall true and sharper,
If wronged I was let it strike back the striker.
Whoever caused the people to lose their human dignity by depriving them of democratic rights has committed a heinous crime. Abuse of power and depriving the people of their rights and freedom, and human dignity would turn the perpetrators of the political crimes to become insolvent politically leading to democracy bankruptcy. Causing democratic bankruptcy is indeed an unforgivable political crime. Such a heinous crime cannot be condoned but condemned. But as it is said, what goes around comes around. The sword may eventually strike back!