What's wrong with dynastic politics?

[uberkoen]

I see a lot of posters here talk about the Bhutto's and the Sharif's and there has been a lot of backlash on the forum regarding dynastic politics.

I'd like to understand the perspective of these people and what they see wrong with dynastic politics. Again, not taking into account the corruption but just plainly discussing dynastic politics and what they believe is wrong with it.

In my opinion, I don’t see what people have against dynastic politics if the person is elected by the people fair and square.

Two of the finest British PMs were Pitt the Elder and Pitt the younger. The Nehru Gandhi dynasty in India, bad as it was, delivered a semblance of secular democracy albeit majoritarian.

Bandranaike in Sri Lanka, Mujib and Haseena Wajid, Khalida Zia and Zia ur Rahman, John Adams and John Quincy Adams, Perons in Argentina, Pierre Trudeau and Justin Trudeau in Canada, Bush sr and Bush jr, JFK Bobby Kennedy and Ted Kennedy.

Is there any major democracy left?

Had Fatima Jinnah been elected in 1965 Pakistan would have had Jinnah dynasty as well but sadly that was not to be.

Even the Muslim Caliphate was dynastic yet people here see it as some sort of a problem.

 

[transparent opacity]

First of all, it kills meritocracy
Secondly, it instills slave mentality
Thirdly, it breeds incompetence
Fourthly, it gives rise to a feudalistic mindset
Fifthly, it undermines any incentive to improve performance
Lastly, it's a recipe for disaster

 

[Buffet]

I barely passed in medical exam, but I am appointed as a brain surgeon because my dad was too.

Would you like to come to me for brain surgery?


------------------

Hey, I am not good enough, but I am going to represent the Olympics because my mom was on the Olympic team too. Let's fill the entire Olympic team with people who had parents representing in Olympics as well.

----------------

Family dynasty in politics means society is run far less efficiently. Just like you won't like brain surgeons or Olympic athletes due to family dynasty, there is no rational reason to extend the same to politics. In fact, I strongly think that career politicians shouldn't exist. A family dynasty is manyfold worse than a career politician.

 

[MenInG]

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers held a protest demonstration in Multan on Friday against the party’s vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi for giving a party ticket to his daughter Meher Bano Qureshi as a candidate for the by-election in NA-157.

The constituency was vacated by his son, Zain Qureshi, who contested in Punjab Assembly’s PP-217 as MPA and defeated the PML-N’s candidate Salman Naeem in the recently held by-election.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has released the schedule for the by-poll in NA-157 Multan, PP-139 Sheikhupura and PP-241 Bahawalnagar to be held on Sept 11 while Aug 5 was announced as the last date for submitting the nomination forms.

More than 18 candidates, including Meher Bano Qureshi, former prime minister and Senator Yusuf Raza Gilani’s son Syed Ali Musa Gilani, Engineer Waseem Abbas and Saifur Rahman Qureshi, have submitted their nomination papers for the by-poll in the NA 157.

The constituency is considered a stronghold and home seat of Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Musa Gilani also won the seat in the 2012 by-election.

A large number of PTI workers led by the party’s local leader Engineer Waseem Abbas lodged a protest outside the ECP office in Multan against Mr Qureshi and his family for promoting dynastic politics in the party. The workers were chanting slogans and carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against Mr Qureshi and his family. They said Shah Mehmood Qureshi had fielded his son Zain in PP-217 Multan and now he had given the ticket to his daughter.

“Did Mr Qureshi not see any other candidate to contest the by-election,” they questioned.

PTI local leader Waseem Abbas said the PTI was launched under a slogan to challenge dynastic politics and the workers would not allow turning the party into a conventional and dynastic party.

He said he had requested the party chairman Imran Khan to give him a ticket to contest the by-election for NA-157.

“I will contest the election as an independent candidate if I don’t get a party ticket,” he declared.

About her candidature, Meher Bano Qureshi tweeted on Friday, “Since announcing my candidacy for by-election in #NA157, I have come across so many spreading fake news, doctored images and posters and attributing false statements to me. I wonder if it would have been different had I been a man. Anyhow, happy to work hard and prove myself”.

In an audio statement, shared on her twitter account, she argued that “the PTI and my father selected me (for the by-election), against the traditions of my family, to keep the narrative of Imran Khan alive. I am not just a voter of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf but I have remained connected with the party and worked along its social media team since 2018”.

A twitter user, criticising her candidature, said, “As a staunch PTI supporter, I really respect and admire your dad SMQ. But I am totally against dynastic politics.”

Ms Qureshi replying to the user said “I respect your opinion but I was selected by my halqa (constituency) to fight this election. I wasn’t given a party position or leadership. This isn’t a reserved seat. I have to fight for it. This is a very tough election but I will fight to keep my Kaptaan’s vision alive”.

Pro-PTI analysts and party supporters criticised Imran Khan’s decision of allotting a ticket to Meher Bano and called it hypocrisy. Some of them tweeted that they were clueless as to why Mr Khan, who has been raising a voice against dynastic politics in Pakistan, would give a ticket to Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s daughter. They also criticised Meher Bano Qureshi for taking advantage of her father’s position in the party.

“Workers are only for Zindabad Murdabad. Tickets are for baap, baita and baiti (father, son and daughter),” a twitter user commented. Others wondered why three seats in an area (Multan) would be occupied by the members of the same family.

On Thursday night, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, addressing a press conference to introduce his daughter’s candidature, said the PTI had decided to field Meher Bano Qureshi for the NA-157 by-poll.

“There are rules for all political parties to field 5pc women.” When asked if he was promoting dynastic politics, he claimed the party had sought opinion from the party workers in NA-157 who supported her.

In 2018 general election, PTI Zain Qureshi had won the NA-157 by securing more than 77,000 votes and his opponent, the PPP’s Ali Musa Gilani, had got around 70,000 votes.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2022

 

[sweep_shot]

I am against dynasty politics.

A ruler should be selected on merit. Not due to bloodline.

 

[Stewie]

I see a lot of posters here talk about the Bhutto's and the Sharif's and there has been a lot of backlash on the forum regarding dynastic politics.

I'd like to understand the perspective of these people and what they see wrong with dynastic politics. Again, not taking into account the corruption but just plainly discussing dynastic politics and what they believe is wrong with it.

In my opinion, I don’t see what people have against dynastic politics if the person is elected by the people fair and square.

Two of the finest British PMs were Pitt the Elder and Pitt the younger. The Nehru Gandhi dynasty in India, bad as it was, delivered a semblance of secular democracy albeit majoritarian.

Bandranaike in Sri Lanka, Mujib and Haseena Wajid, Khalida Zia and Zia ur Rahman, John Adams and John Quincy Adams, Perons in Argentina, Pierre Trudeau and Justin Trudeau in Canada, Bush sr and Bush jr, JFK Bobby Kennedy and Ted Kennedy.

Is there any major democracy left?

Had Fatima Jinnah been elected in 1965 Pakistan would have had Jinnah dynasty as well but sadly that was not to be.

Even the Muslim Caliphate was dynastic yet people here see it as some sort of a problem.

In a polished/mature democracy like UK/US it may not be an issue but an immature, fragile, weak democracy like Pakistan’s it leaves a lot of gaps. We are not like those countries. Politicians use ethnic background, linguistic differences, etc to exploit people.

 

[sa88]

If Nawaz Sharif and the Bhuttos were some amazing leaders who had implemented visionary policies or won a Great War, then maybe you could see some merit in the argument their kids might have inherited some ability.

But the fact is Nawaz and Bhutto were third rate leaders. Their children are an embarrassment.

Surely in a country of 200m people someone more competent can be found to run the country than these nikamay.

 

[IMMY69]

If Nawaz Sharif and the Bhuttos were some amazing leaders who had implemented visionary policies or won a Great War, then maybe you could see some merit in the argument their kids might have inherited some ability.

But the fact is Nawaz and Bhutto were third rate leaders. Their children are an embarrassment.

Surely in a country of 200m people someone more competent can be found to run the country than these nikamay.

They are not third rate leaders.
They are crooks and murderers

 

[Browncaps]

They are not third rate leaders.
They are crooks and murderers

I would add traitors as well.

 

[sweep_shot]

Was dynastic politics ever corruption-free anywhere in the world? I don't think so. It simply doesn't work.

 

[insurge]

You are confusing dynastic parties with political families. There is nothing inherently wrong with a child of a parent who is a policitian following the same path, and is common in other careers too (doctors, engineers, etc).

It is a problem when a political family converts a party into their own family business, wherein it becomes a dynastic party.

If tomorrow there needed to be successors for PML-N and PPP who would they be? Certainly a Sharif or Bhutto.

You gave Pierre and Justin Trudeau as an example, this is a political family, not a dynasty. There is no birthright of a Trudeau becoming leader of the Liberal party like how Bilawal and Maryam have. Justin Trudeau got to the leadership position through nominations each time.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/trudeau-wins-montreal-riding-nomination-1.657245
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/justin-trudeau-seeks-new-chapter-for-liberal-party-1.1183956

Compare this with Bilawal's CV (copied from his instagram page):

Youngest Chairman of a political party at 19
Youngest Parliamentary leader at 29
Youngest Chair HR com 30
Youngest Foreign Minister of Pakistan at 33

How many of these roles did he earn vs. were handed to him because he was born in the right family?

Bringing in Muslim Calpihates is also a bad example. Pretty much all major empires historically have been monarchies. But you highlight a good point. Despite being a "democracy", Pakistan is still a pseudomonarchy with these two political parties. If you look at a place like Sindh (minus Karachi) it basically is a feudal system from the bygone era with PPP as the monarchs ruling the peasants.

 

[JaDed]

Dynasty politics is terrible similar to Monarchy, if a person supports one dislikes the other the bias is obvious and shouldn’t be taken seriously like a poster above who would go on one leg to praise Monarchy of a particular religion.

 

[MenInG]

PTI Vice Chairman and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday defended his decision to field his daughter Meher Bano Qureshi as a candidate for the by-election in NA-157, saying he would not have done so if they party had a "better candidate" to compete against PPP's Ali Musa Gilani.

The by-polls in NA-157 Multan, PP-139 Sheikhupura and PP-241 Bahawalnagar will be held on Sept 11. More than 18 candidates, including Meher Bano, former prime minister and Senator Yusuf Raza Gilani’s son Musa Gilani and Saifur Rahman Qureshi, have submitted their nomination papers for the NA-157 by-poll.

The constituency is considered the former foreign minister's stronghold. Musa Gilani also won the seat in the 2012 by-election.

"I did not take this step willingly. We made this difficult decision in pursuance of the vision of Imran Khan," Qureshi said on Monday while speaking to reporters in Multan.

The ex-foreign minister remarked that his daughter was an educated girl, adding she that she was involved in the field of journalism. "She can present her case properly," he said, adding that Meher Bano would also take part in canvassing.

Qureshi said that the nation's daughters have to play their role in times of crisis. "Women make up half of our population," he noted, adding that they played an equally important role in the national mainstream.

Qureshi said he would apprise party leaders of the situation, adding that "all leaders will back the narrative of Imran Khan and respect the party ticket".

In response to a question, Qureshi said the PTI would hold Aug 14 rally at another venue if permission was not granted for the Parade Ground.

NA-157 was vacated by Qureshi's son, Zain Qureshi, who contested Punjab Assembly’s PP-217 as a MPA and defeated the PML-N’s candidate, Salman Naeem, in the recently held by-election.

PTI workers protest Meher Bano's candidature

Qureshi's remarks come after a large number of party workers protested against his daughter's candidature. Last week, a large number of PTI workers led by the party’s local leader Engineer Waseem Abbas lodged a protest outside the ECP office in Multan against Qureshi and his family for promoting dynastic politics in the party.

The workers were chanting slogans and carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against Qureshi and his family. They had said Qureshi fielded his son Zain in PP-217 Multan and now he had given the ticket to his daughter.

“Did Qureshi not see any other candidate to contest the by-election,” they had questioned.

PTI local leader Waseem Abbas had said the PTI was launched under a slogan to challenge dynastic politics and the workers would not allow turning the party into a conventional and dynastic party.

About her candidature, Meher Bano tweeted on Friday, “Since announcing my candidacy for by-election in NA-157, I have come across so many spreading fake news, doctored images and posters and attributing false statements to me. I wonder if it would have been different had I been a man. Anyhow, happy to work hard and prove myself”.

In an audio statement, shared on her twitter account, she argued that “the PTI and my father selected me (for the by-election), against the traditions of my family, to keep the narrative of Imran Khan alive. I am not just a voter of the PTI but I have remained connected with the party and worked along its social media team since 2018”.

A twitter user, criticising her candidature, said, “As a staunch PTI supporter, I really respect and admire your dad SMQ. But I am totally against dynastic politics.”

Replying to the user, Meher Bano said: “I respect your opinion but I was selected by my halqa (constituency) to fight this election. I wasn’t given a party position or leadership. This isn’t a reserved seat. I have to fight for it. This is a very tough election but I will fight to keep my Kaptaan’s vision alive”.

DAWN

 

[MenInG]

India breaks the mould...

Shashi Tharoor - India's Congress elects first non-Gandhi chief in 24 years

 

[Rana]

India breaks the mould...

Shashi Tharoor - India's Congress elects first non-Gandhi chief in 24 years

Good

I hope he also becomes the PM of India

 

[daytrader]

Junaid Safdar (Maryam Nawaz's son) is moving back to Pakistan to help his mother with party duties. The next one in line has been selected

 

[Sherazkhalid]

Well it is as wrong as Monarchy or Feudalism, simple as that.

 

[Sherazkhalid]

In a polished/mature democracy like UK/US it may not be an issue but an immature, fragile, weak democracy like Pakistan’s it leaves a lot of gaps. We are not like those countries. Politicians use ethnic background, linguistic differences, etc to exploit people.

Even in the US Obama/McCain election was hailed as the first one in 28 years that was free of a Clinton or a Bush.

 

[Bewal Express]

Junaid Safdar (Maryam Nawaz's son) is moving back to Pakistan to help his mother with party duties. The next one in line has been selected

It gives Noora a new face to worship.

 

[JaDed]

Even in the US Obama/McCain election was hailed as the first one in 28 years that was free of a Clinton or a Bush.

Whose son was Bill Clinton? He was a Rhodes Scholar boss

 

[Major]

Depends country to country.

In USA, whatever the presidents son studies, you also study the same thing in school. Yes, you might be rich but life wont be as segregated as it is in some other countries. You will hang out at the mall and go to the places where common people go to.

Issue is, 30 years back, dynasty politics won't had been a bad thing as the gap between rich and poor wasnt that much and politicians children went to the same school as common people.

Public will always look at these families with disdain as they see that these families live in their own bubbles and dont have to deal with the effects of economy. Its funny because, while Bilalwal and co haven't lived amongst the people, Nawaz and his families has. Yet, both families are not liked anymore.

Dynasty parties dont allow other leaders to come forward with their ideas. Look at Miftah Ismail, was a good enough economic minister yet has to tow the line of Nawaz Shareef, whose kids will get to be in prominent positions no matter what. His kids dont have to prove themselves.

However, dynasty politics isnt what destroyed out politics, it was the removal of student politics and misuse of student politics by ISI that destroyed our politics and allowed dynasty politics to exists.

In Pakistan, student bodies were political bodies. ISI was funding MQM which was an educated group of people from Karachi University. We see ALtaf Hussain as a joke but back in the day, him and his group were educated people who were growing in the masses. ISI used to fund them so that they could gain power and remove the influence of the PPP who the ISI disliked. Eventually they would succeed and than we all know how MQM acted.

Govts would than ban student politics which stopped producing politicians and proper leaders. You dont become a politician by studying political science, you need to be part of a student group. Today, we dont have those. Infact, these student political wings are actually fight clubs which are used to call one another to beat up another group on petty issues like fighting over a girl.

Dynasty politics has helped in surviving the party, but the whole parties ideology gets damaged and doesnt stay the same. Bhutto was a socialist, Yet Bilawal doesnt have the guts to back worker unions, increase minimum salary rate or even support legt wing parties that are fighting for basic human rights like the ones in Baluchistan.

 

[JaDed]

Depends country to country.

In USA, whatever the presidents son studies, you also study the same thing in school. Yes, you might be rich but life wont be as segregated as it is in some other countries. You will hang out at the mall and go to the places where common people go to.

Issue is, 30 years back, dynasty politics won't had been a bad thing as the gap between rich and poor wasnt that much and politicians children went to the same school as common people.

Public will always look at these families with disdain as they see that these families live in their own bubbles and dont have to deal with the effects of economy. Its funny because, while Bilalwal and co haven't lived amongst the people, Nawaz and his families has. Yet, both families are not liked anymore.

Dynasty parties dont allow other leaders to come forward with their ideas. Look at Miftah Ismail, was a good enough economic minister yet has to tow the line of Nawaz Shareef, whose kids will get to be in prominent positions no matter what. His kids dont have to prove themselves.

However, dynasty politics isnt what destroyed out politics, it was the removal of student politics and misuse of student politics by ISI that destroyed our politics and allowed dynasty politics to exists.

In Pakistan, student bodies were political bodies. ISI was funding MQM which was an educated group of people from Karachi University. We see ALtaf Hussain as a joke but back in the day, him and his group were educated people who were growing in the masses. ISI used to fund them so that they could gain power and remove the influence of the PPP who the ISI disliked. Eventually they would succeed and than we all know how MQM acted.

Govts would than ban student politics which stopped producing politicians and proper leaders. You dont become a politician by studying political science, you need to be part of a student group. Today, we dont have those. Infact, these student political wings are actually fight clubs which are used to call one another to beat up another group on petty issues like fighting over a girl.

Dynasty politics has helped in surviving the party, but the whole parties ideology gets damaged and doesnt stay the same. Bhutto was a socialist, Yet Bilawal doesnt have the guts to back worker unions, increase minimum salary rate or even support legt wing parties that are fighting for basic human rights like the ones in Baluchistan.

Mr.Bhutto was himself supported by Establishment initially if not the rightful election winner would had been the PM back then.

 

[Major]

Mr.Bhutto was himself supported by Establishment initially if not the rightful election winner would had been the PM back then.

what are you on about? He was never supported by the establishment.

Ayub Khan and Bhutto would fall out and Bhutto would create his own party which never really had the support of the establishment.

As for the rightful winner, he was never gonna given power as he rigid against his points. The rightful winner was asking for things which would never had been granted to him and shouldnt had been granted to him

 

[JaDed]

what are you on about? He was never supported by the establishment.

Ayub Khan and Bhutto would fall out and Bhutto would create his own party which never really had the support of the establishment.

As for the rightful winner, he was never gonna given power as he rigid against his points. The rightful winner was asking for things which would never had been granted to him and shouldnt had been granted to him

He was an opportunist(rightly so for a Politician),he could had accepted Mujib but instead played a victim later to be arrested, My point was on that.
He supported and back Establishment when needed the similarities between him and IK are uncanny but that's just my naïve interpretation of events.

 

[SentOff]

what are you on about? He was never supported by the establishment.

Ayub Khan and Bhutto would fall out and Bhutto would create his own party which never really had the support of the establishment.

As for the rightful winner, he was never gonna given power as he rigid against his points. The rightful winner was asking for things which would never had been granted to him and shouldnt had been granted to him

1. Ayub Khan had already resigned and been replaced by Yahya Khan by the time 1970 elections came around.

2. PPP/ZAB refused to acknowledge that Mujib/Awami League had won the elections.

3. Yahya Khan made it seem like he was working towards a settlement between the two parties but then went ahead and arrested Mujib under Operation Searchlight.

4. ZAB seized his opportunity with Bangladesh's independence and turned on Yahya Khan eventually leading to him resigning and ZAB taking over.

 

[Major]

He was an opportunist(rightly so for a Politician),he could had accepted Mujib but instead played a victim later to be arrested, My point was on that.
He supported and back Establishment when needed the similarities between him and IK are uncanny but that's just my naïve interpretation of events.

You are absolutely right that is your naive interpretation

 

[RajBan]

You are absolutely right that is your naive interpretation

Nah. There is enough history written on this. He might have been the popular politician among the masses and may have been the best option in the then West Pakistan, but he was not exactly a saint. He had his own aspirations for power and played his part in understanding with army in the events that led to the turmoil of early 70s and eventual split of Pakistan. In that sense there are certain similarities with another current politician who is extremely popular amongst youth today, ready to take the army by it's horn unless they support his cause and does not mind going to any length to become the prime minister even if that means at the cost of stability of his country. The Messiah complex and the cult following in Pakistani politics is not a novel concept if one reads history objectively.

 

[Major]

Nah. There is enough history written on this. He might have been the popular politician among the masses and may have been the best option in the then West Pakistan, but he was not exactly a saint. He had his own aspirations for power and played his part in understanding with army in the events that led to the turmoil of early 70s and eventual split of Pakistan. In that sense there are certain similarities with another current politician who is extremely popular amongst youth today, ready to take the army by it's horn unless they support his cause and does not mind going to any length to become the prime minister even if that means at the cost of stability of his country. The Messiah complex and the cult following in Pakistani politics is not a novel concept if one reads history objectively.

Again nope.

Its funny how indian posters are trying to be experts on our politicians...

 

[RajBan]

Again nope.

Its funny how indian posters are trying to be experts on our politicians...

Because many of us read history objectively, going beyond our political affiliation. Anyways you are free to disregard it.

 

[Major]

Because many of us read history objectively, going beyond our political affiliation. Anyways you are free to disregard it.

So you are telling me that you read pakistans history from 47 onwards and read what was happening with Bangladeshis and all our leaders

 

[RajBan]

So you are telling me that you read pakistans history from 47 onwards and read what was happening with Bangladeshis and all our leaders

I have a fair idea of the then politics. Many Indians have , particularly those who are from that region.

 

[Major]

I have a fair idea of the then politics. Many Indians have , particularly those who are from that region.

so you have a fair idea? But you have not study Pakistan history in depth and or how we were dealing with the Bengalis and how some our politicians came forward?

Again, you claim MANY of us read history objectively, but here you are saying you have a fair idea.
That's a contradiction.

 

[RajBan]

so you have a fair idea? But you have not study Pakistan history in depth and or how we were dealing with the Bengalis and how some our politicians came forward?

Again, you claim MANY of us read history objectively, but here you are saying you have a fair idea.
That's a contradiction.

There is no contradiction in my mind who did what. You can believe what comforts you.

 

[Major]

There is no contradiction in my mind who did what. You can believe what comforts you.

you did not answer the above question

 

[SentOff]

1. Ayub Khan had already resigned and been replaced by Yahya Khan by the time 1970 elections came around.

2. PPP/ZAB refused to acknowledge that Mujib/Awami League had won the elections.

3. Yahya Khan made it seem like he was working towards a settlement between the two parties but then went ahead and arrested Mujib under Operation Searchlight.

4. ZAB seized his opportunity with Bangladesh's independence and turned on Yahya Khan eventually leading to him resigning and ZAB taking over.

To add to this point and to counter Major's suggestion that the establishment didn't help ZAB. Yahya Khan initially helped ZAB and offered him the prime minister role so he could continue being president. But ZAB was an opportunist and power-hungry himself so he turned on Yahya Khan. ZAB more or less manipulated Yahya to do his dirty work and get rid of Mujib before usurping power himself.

 

[daytrader]

Maryam Nawaz defends ‘dynastic’ politics
Maryam Nawaz has defended the dynastic politics and came down hard on those censuring her recent promotion

Days after being awarded the party’s top position, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) Senior Vice-President and Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz has defended the dynastic politics and came down hard on those censuring her recent promotion.

“A lot of people are furious over dynastic [politics]. The nation’s love is not called a dynasty, it is a democracy,” she said while addressing a charged crowd of supporters during the PMLN workers convention in Bahawalpur on Wednesday.

Maryam — the scion of the Sharif family’s political dynasty, during her recent months-long trip to London — has been tasked with “reorganising” the party by her father, PMLN supremo and three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The PMLN stalwart’s remarks on “dynastic politics” came following party leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s resignation from the senior vice-president post earlier on Wednesday. The development was confirmed by Mohammad Zubair, spokesperson for Nawaz Sharif. “He [Abbasi] is a big leader and quitting the post will have no effect on him,” Zubair, who also served as Sindh governor, told the media.

...
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/10...-resignation-maryam-defends-dynastic-politics