There comes a time in every nation when change is not only necessary but inevitable. Not merely change surrounding the social and economic development of that nation (as a collective), but also a unique philosophical change within the heart and mind of the individual citizen. This change, representing an evolutional progress and ignited by social chaos and the civil unrest of the present time, force the individual citizen to examine their living condition. Through an analysis of comparison between the lesser and the greater members within that society, the individual citizenry begins to gravitate toward the center - wherein the obvious difference between the rich and the poor becomes obscured and not easily recognized.
When Adam Smith (the father of Capitalism) and Karl Marx (the father of Communism) begin to conceive their individual philosophies, each held, within their heart and mind, a deep desire to not only change their personal conditions within their community, but also to change the living condition of every individual in the world. Although both men deeply held opposing views concerning the roll of the individual within society and toward the economy: The similarity between Adam Smith and Karl Marx was their unique approach in creating a pliable solution that have both engaged the rich and the poor in a unified effort toward the establishment of a new order. It is this unified effort which had cultivated dynamic development toward the betterment of the individual’s social and economic condition throughout the world; the same philosophical changes and unified efforts that had given birth to the super powers of the day (i.e., United States of America, China, Russia, etc).
Today, in The Bahamas; what is evident and inevitable is change. The ever increasing divide between the rich and the poor; the uncontrolled escalation of violent crimes and criminal activities; the rising perception of political and religious corruption, and the disintegration of the traditional family unit: These are the perfect ingredients for the creation of a new philosophy that will unify Bahamians in a meaningful effort toward political social and economic change for our nation. I envision a fusion between the philosophy of Adam Smith and Karl Marx – between Capitalism and Communism; the blending together of the positives within both philosophies can prove highly beneficial toward a significant improvement in the living condition of each citizen residing in The Bahamas. However, for there to be a progressive productive and enduring national change, this unified effort must first be embraced within the heart and mind of each individual Bahamian, regardless of political religious or social status.
To begin this philosophy toward a unified change, the collective consensus of the citizenry ought to be the prime motive; without this unified effort of the collective, the individual is restricted to rely upon his or her personal code of ethic – choosing between what is inherently motivated and what is learned as a product of a structured or non-structured environment; the latter more commonly outweighing the former. Therefore, the traditional rolls of government must equally evolve with the realities of modern time. The supreme law of the land ought to be viewed and collectively accepted as a living individual entity endowed with equal inherent rights and privileges afforded to the citizenry it protects. The legislators ‘then’ are not the principle architects of this new philosophical change but rather are the subordinates of the collectives - in whose image and likeness the supreme law represents.
Both Adam Smith and Karl Marx recognized the productivity of each citizen as superior to the supreme law of the land, and it is in this view: a law ought not to restrict or govern but to enable and guide. Both men acknowledge: for any meaningful success of a government, each individual citizen (as a collective) must equally succeed - the roll of an employee ought to have an equal weight with the roll of an employer. Both sharing diverse but common responsibility toward the productivity and growth of the local economy, therefore both ought to equally share the deficit and benefits thereof. In this sense: The collective (governmental administrators and citizenry) becomes a shareholding society, wherein each individual citizen equally is responsible for the many important functions that are necessary for the proper development of that state. The individual skill-set of each citizen determines their roll and placement as a functional and productive member of that state, regardless of inherent social status.
As afore mentioned: “There comes a time in every nation when change is not only necessary but inevitable. Today, in The Bahamas; what is evident and inevitable is change.” This view is echoed within the present tone of the political leadership, and in the increasing aggressive agitations of the electorate. It is seen by the lack of interest within an archaic educational system, and in the level of advanced technology utilized toward criminal activities. The mindset of the masses has evolved with the ever-changing times, yet, the vision of those chiefly responsible for initiating our development is shortsighted (to say the least). Therefore, if necessary, in a unified effort to create a new philosophical change for the betterment of the nation: rather than the dog wagging its tail, the tail will wag the dog. Through social upheaval and civil unrest, a collective and unified new order will begin to take shape and form a twenty-first century Bahamas geared toward a new breed of Bahamians.
The former imperialist structure of governance must be collectively recognized for what it was and had produced within the hearts and minds of our people - a rapidly ticking time-bomb that, upon detonation, has the destructive potential greater than any weapon of war imagined within the mind and formed by the hand of man. To mitigate ourselves against the erosive ideals of imperialism and its devastating power: the heart and mind of each Bahamian citizen must be renewed upon the philosophy of common awareness and social welfare; lest we, as one people, drift apart into an unrecognizable abyss of foreign interest and cultural obscurity.
This new order, as part and parcel of an evolving political social and economic philosophy, must become the constitutional foundation of a twenty-first century Bahamas, in which the growth and prosperity of the nation is equally measurable by the personal development of the individual citizen therein. The challenge thereof, although numerous, can and will be mitigated by an evolved educational system capable of producing the level of academic excellence expected from twenty-first century institutions. Coupled together with highly progressive and workable (short and long-term) visions, mandated to suit the emerging needs of our people: The challenges of this new order will not be fought by ignorance and inaptitude (as presently and in past-time), but by an equally prepared citizenry, united through a common welfare, and socially strengthened by a constitution which empowers and not frustrates and restricts the citizens rights and privilege in their own land.
Therefore, with willing and able hearts and minds, the establishment and integration of this new political social and economic philosophy toward meaningful change shall become a legacy of which all Bahamians can be proud. A rich cultural legacy founded upon the everlasting principles of Truth Justice and Equality for all, wherein the strength productivity and prosperity of the nation is measured by the quality of life afforded to each individual citizen therein.
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