Discussion with= the

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PARTY

Robert Dahl &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; 17 October 2009

Selamat Pagi.=

Thank you very much for = this opportunity to visit Brunei and to meet with you.

I have been to the islan= d of Borneo before. I traveled to both East and West Kalimantan within several l= ong trips to Indonesia from 1999 to 2004. During that time, I served as election law consultant in Indonesia f= or the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, known as IFES. I am currently serving in the same capacity for IFES in Pakistan.

I am fortunate to travel= and work in this interesting field of political and democratic development throughout the world. It is the result of my being interested in politics my entire life. I became involved as a volunteer in political party and electi= on campaign activity in my home state of Iowa when I was in high school and college. I later managed candidate campaigns and also worked for a national political party committee in Washington, D.C.

Before attending law sch= ool, I received a Masters degree in American Government and Political Behavior. I served as Executive Assistant for a member of the US Federal Election Commission. And I practiced law in the area of elections and political fund= ing regulation.

So you can see that poli= tics has always been in my blood. I owe many of the opportunities in my life to = my early involvement in political party activity.

I wish to share my polit= ical party and democracy work experience with you today. I acknowledge that the subject of political party purpose, organization and recruitment is difficu= lt to discuss without the institution of democratic elections as the background. = Political parties are commonl= y defined as a political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political pow= er within government, usually by participating in election campaigns. Parties often form a coalition among different segments of the community for winning elections by expressing a party philosophy or vision supported by a platfor= m of their ideas and goals.

Participating in democra= tic elections and seeking to obtain government office, however, is not the sole purpose of political parties. Many legitimate parties exist for reasons oth= er than winning elections, including issue advocacy. Many political parties in= the world or over the course of history do not seek votes.

I am certainly aware of = the distinctive political situation here in Brunei and the challenges facing = the National Development Party. The Constitution of the National Development Pa= rty makes absolutely clear your unwavering support for the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Ruler of the Nation State = of Brunei Darussalam. You want to assist his government in maki= ng the nation better. You are not an opposition party, but a partner for engag= ing people in civic affairs. You pose no threat, but challenge old ways of thinking.

This creates a complicat= ed environment for performing the usual functions of a political party and a d= ifficult task for membership recruitment. To know what to do next requires that you clearly understand what you are, what you can do and what you want to be.

My work in many countries has taught me that each country has a unique history, culture and political environment. That is why no single approach to political and democratic dev= elopment works everywhere.

But there are some good principles and practices gained from experience that can be adapted. We will need to try creative thinki= ng in our discussions today, especially during the Q & A time. And we should begin by thinking positively. The NDP is to be congratulated for your high ideals, your ambition and the success you have already achieved.=

Let us talk about the na= ture of political parties, which varies widely around the world and through times past. Learning about how political parties have evolved over time may help = you decide where your starting points should be, the practical goals you can se= t, and new strategies you may pursue. But I am sure you know that you cannot a= ttempt to immediately emulate other political parties in other countries – a= nd certainly not American political parties, which are quite unique, and reflect the his= tory and culture of the US. You have your own circumstances to fit into.

In modern nations, it is difficult to imagine politics without political parties. That does not mean parties are alw= ays respected and loved institutions. In many countries there is a long-standing distrust of parties. Any suspicion shown toward your party here in Brunei is not unusual.

Anti-party sentiment was very strong at the time of the founding of the United States in the late eighteenth century. Our first president, George Washington, was very distrustful of the formation of political parties. Washington’s opini= on was shared by many of his fellow Founding Fathers. They worried about two opposing sides developing in the country, with the party leaders motivated = by ambition and personal animosity.

Of course, the men who l= ed our Revolution and established our nation and drafted our Constitution had a great cause to unite them. Once the nation was formed, differences of opini= on about the role of government and the wisdom of different policies were inevitable.

It became obvious that t= o be successful at influencing government, and at winning elections, you must organize people. = By the 1830’s, political parties were recognized in the US as the best vehic= le for people of the same general opinions about contemporary issues to have a voice in governing the nation.

Today, it is impossible = to imagine government functioning in the US without political parties. Our vigorous debate about public policy improves our national life and is facilitated by political parties. Americans share basic principles about the foundation of our democracy and, like you, do not challenge our fundamental system of government. But we have many views about how government can best serve our citizens and the national interest.

Thus, it is not divisive= for people to openly discuss their needs and concerns. Discussion does not undermine the u= nity or stability of a nation. Suppression of dissent or of new ideas is more dangerous for the health of a country in the long run. Political parties ar= e a vehicle for fair and honest discussion about the future and what citizens w= ant from their government.

Later we will discuss the need for a party to have organizing principles to guide their purpose and define their message. Perhaps an organizing principle of the NDP is the very right to organize. Since democratic elections do not serve as the background for our discussion today, perhaps our background is based on respect for universal rights.

Those include ‘fre= edom of assembly’ – the right to join together to promote a common c= ause – and ‘freedom of speech’. “Freedom of speech” not only means the right to speak and express your opinion, but the right t= o be spoken to – freedom for your fellow citizens to express their opinion= s to you and ask you to help. Usually included within these universal rights is,= of course, ‘freedom of the press’. That is a freedom that the press must itself fight for. The new media deserve such freedom when they serve t= he public, by facilitating honest discussions about public concerns and alternative solutions.

The value of universal rights and freedoms are understood by people. They know that these are not abstract concepts, but affect how competently and fairly their nation and l= ocal communities are governed. Freedoms of assembly and speech are not political issues. They provide a foundation for addressing political issues, in a civ= il manner that shows respect for everyone’s opinion. So when we talk later about your party’s message and the need for a strong theme, we should consider fairness of the process in deciding public policy as a guiding and organizi= ng principle.

So, what is a political party? The question is not easy to answer because it is often difficult to define the boundaries between parties and other kinds of social, civic and political institutions.

Political parties often start out as political movements or civic organizations. A less complimentary term is ‘pressure group’, which seek to influence the institutions of governance without contesting elections. But political parties are not like pressure groups that are just promoting one issue or civic objective. Parti= es seek to represent more than a single, narrow interest in the society. Parti= es tend to aggregate a range of interests in society that share similar fundamental beliefs, attitudes and values. Some parties are established fro= m a combination of existing groups. The Labour Party in Great Britain, for exam= ple, was originally formed from trade unions and cooperative societies.

As noted earlier, parties are often viewed as institutions that bring together people for the purpose= of exercising power within the state. I think we can quickly agree that is not= the purpose of the National Development Party of Brunei. But it is essential to= the idea of a political party that it brings people together, and provides a connection between government and society.

Parties learn the aspirations and demands from society and develop public policies and progra= ms. That ensures that there are different choices in the political marketplace – not only in terms of candidates, if there are elections, but also in terms of ideas. That is the essence of politics: competition of ideas. Once= a party gets involved in government, it seeks to implement its ideas.

In 1770, the great polit= ical philosopher Edmund Burke defined a party as “a body of men [today we would add ‘and women’] united for promoting by their joint endeavors the national interest upon some particular principle in which they are all agreed”. This definition represents a view of ‘parties = as organized opinion’.

Individual supporters of= one party may not agree on every political issue, but they have fundamental beliefs, attitudes and values in common. As I referred to earlier, parties = unite around an organizing principle or set of core issues. Parties differ from o= ne another in the views and basic beliefs they promote, and in the way they approach the interaction between state and society.

Thus, political parties = are generally understood as institutions, formal or informal, that bring togeth= er citizens of similar political opinions or, more broadly, what is sometimes = called ideology. I will avoid the term ideology, however, because it has acquired a negative connotation across the world, suggesting an extreme view of the political right or left. We should use more inspiring terms, like party philosophy, values and beliefs.

The aspirations and dema= nds from society are numerous and often conflicting. Political parties provide a forum for discussing and evaluating the concerns of the public and turning = them into public policy alternatives. Ultimately, parties must make choices about these policy positions, based on principles that unite the party and upon legitimate public input. Making choices carries risk, however.

Maybe many people will n= ot agree with your ideas and policy positions, and will not support your party= . Perhaps you will need to educate the public and engage in advocacy. Perhaps you will need to adjust your party’s thinking.

Unfortunately, political parties often fail to perform these roles adequately or with sufficient credibility. Some are fundamentally weak, perhaps relying too much on the personal appeal of their leader. Parties often cannot agree within their organization on what policies and programs they support. Other parties are = bound to rigid ideological beliefs, even if their views are not practical or not = widely popular in society.

Most commonly, political parties that compete for votes to win elections will compromise their origi= nal beliefs and views to attract more voters, leaving their most devoted supporters unh= appy. That is the most difficult judgment for a political party as it moves forwa= rd: when and how much to adjust and broaden your views and policy programs to g= ain popular support and to have a chance to advance your goals. A party that abandons its core beliefs and philosophy, however, is certain to lose respe= ct and political support.

Perhaps in that respect,= the National Development Party of Brunei is fortunate it does not participate in competitive elections. You are free to express your values and ideas. You w= ant to gain wider support from your fellow citizens, and need to listen to them, but you can remain true to your beliefs without fear of losing elections.

MEMBER RECRUITMENT<= /o:p>

We might talk now about political party recruitment of members. I should first note that the idea of party members is not a feature of American political parties, unlike politi= cal parties in Europe and elsewhere.

In the US, political par= ties generally do not have formal membership involving membership qualifications= or obligations or paying dues. A citizen of the US may be formally linked to a party becau= se, under many state laws but not all, they must register to vote as a Republic= an or Democrat in order to vote in those parties’ primary elections, whe= re the party’s candidates for the general election are decided. Even with that incentive, many Americans choose to register to vote as Independents, often but not always forgoing any right to vote in their state’s party primaries. Many other states do not require a voter to identify their allegiance to any party, or lack of allegiance, in order to register to vot= e, and may permit all voters to choose which party primary to vote in.

So Americans are more comfortable with the idea of party supporters rather than party members. Of course, the level of support and involvement will vary among party supporte= rs. Some make commitments of time and money to the party to help sustain the pa= rty, or take leadership positions in the party.= Some show up at election time to volunteer in party and candidate campaign activities. And = some party supporters simply tend to vote for the party’s candidates in elections, without any further involvement.

I mention this because y= ou may want to consider how much commitment you demand from people to support = your party. Some people will want to formally join your party and assume some obligations to do so. Some may just want to support your cause in small way= s without having to be identified as a member.

Why do people join polit= ical parties? Let me first tell you why people do not join parties, even in a mo= re comfortable political environment than Brunei.

Political scientists have identified an interesting phenomenon called the ‘collective action problem’. We assume society is composed of rational people who calcul= ate the worth, and the cost, of each of their own actions.

If many people know that some policy would benefit all of them, and that enactment of that policy wi= ll require participation by many but not all of them in some political activity, what wi= ll they do? Participating will have costs, at least their time if not more; not participating will cost them nothing, at least for now. In deciding whether= to participate, they calculate how likely it is that he or she, as an individu= al, will make the difference between the policy being enacted or not.

Society is a large group with many potential political participants; the likelihood of any one of th= em making the difference is small. The likelihood of making the difference is almost certainly smaller than the cost of participating. So, often, each pe= rson concludes it would be better to let others do it and to take a ‘free ride’. But if eve= ryone makes that calculation, then no one will act and the desired policy will no= t be enacted. That is the ‘collective action problem’.

Political parties face t= his problem of getting those who want the party to achieve its goals to actually participate and make it happen. Your job is to convince people that they pe= rsonally need to act, that they can’t wait for others to do it for them. I know you have other concerns here in Brunei, including the fear of stepping out = from the crowd and being seen as a political activist. You will need to help = people recognize their involvement is really needed, and that the costs of not participating are greater than any costs of participating.

But what can you do to motivate people? Sometimes political parties are run by elites that can pay people to participate with money, or with government jobs or contracts. But= you don’t have the capacity for giving out such material incentives. And = that isn’t why you have formed your party anyway.

Another motivating facto= r is what we might cal ‘communal incentives’. You want people to join the party because they will find satisfaction in being around people who sh= are their views and in the activities of participation.

The party should not only make people feel they are contributing to a good cause, but make it enjoyab= le too. Many people like to be part of a group.

Political parties in oth= er countries, especially in past times and as the party was organizing, provid= ed a wide range of social and recreational activities. This approach is not easy= in your circumstance. But it may be possible to have events that are fun rather than so serious about politics. Try to enjoy it. Keep a sense of humor. Show confidence, even in the face of subtle but constant intimidation. This will attract supporters.

The third motivation category is called ‘purposive incentives’, with which I think y= ou are more familiar and comfortable. A political party recruits members on the basis of support for its beliefs and public policy program. These members s= hare the party’s goals and want to assist in realizing the collective bene= fits that those goals will bring. We will talk about developing your program lat= er.

But keep in mind that th= ese motivating incentives can interact. A person who accepts and supports a par= ty program may find they identify personally with fellow participants, and may value and enjoy participating with them, and may be further encouraged if t= he party provides social and recreational opportunities.

Perhaps the most effecti= ve way of achieving broader acceptance of a party’s goals is to simply provide a routine forum in which those who are attracted to your views can interact with others. This helps to keep up the enthusiasm of the already committed, provides a base for promoting your views in the wider community,= and helps to publicize the existence of your party and its beliefs among the general public. A party that is seen to have supporters becomes more legiti= mate in the eyes of the public.

Only you can decide if seeking that high of a profile is possible here. I know there are constrain= ts upon your ability to have meetings – a denial of freedom of assembly.= You must weigh the risks and benefits of more public exposure. But are there le= gal constraints upon having a picnic or a music concert on private property?

Your Supreme Council acknowledged yesterd= ay that your party has trouble recruiting leadership at the local level. Peopl= e do not want to accept the responsibilities of running the branch party or, perhaps, be too closely identified with the party in their local community. This problem is closely related to the general problem of member recruitmen= t. That is true both in the cause of the problem – people not wanting to step forward – and in its effect – a lack of strong advocacy and recruitment efforts at the branch level.

I am sure you know it already, but this i= s a problem you must give your strong focus and best efforts. The heads of your branch parties are your most direct connection with the general public. They should represent your shared values, beliefs and concerns within their community. They should find opportunities to communicate the party’s ideals and ideas, and to show that you are patriotic. Your national organization has developed and presented excellent policy alternatives, and some proposals may gain attention and respect from government institutions.= But you receive no credit from the national media, and insufficient promotion by branc= h leaders.

This is what is called a vicious circle. People are afraid to step forward, and they remain afraid as long as other people do not step forward. It raises the cost of participation. You have to break that cycle.

One small suggestion is that you create better ways for your branch party leaders to talk to each other directly and provide support for each other. Develop horizontal communication mechanisms= at the branch level, in addition to your party communications vertically, up t= he ladder of your party structure.

Political parties are always in a process of change. They have to adapt to social, economic and even technological change, such as the communications revoluti= on brought on by the electronic media, the Internet, and cell phones. I unders= tand from the conversation with your Supreme Council yesterday that you have alr= eady taken advantage of these changes, particularly in using your website effectively to convey and receive information from members (and perhaps fut= ure supporters).

The availability of mode= rn technologies (especially television advertising) and access to private fund= ing has pushed American political parties toward the pure electoral campaign- a= nd candidate oriented party model over the last fifty years, going around the traditional political party organization. Recently, however, new technologi= es for communicating directly to voters has begun to change the emphasis again. There has been a resurgence of appreciation of activism at the local level = of party organization in the US. Through the use of candidate and party websit= es, and social networking tools like Facebook, political parties are able to fi= nd supporters and bring them out for social events, rallies and volunteer activities. I am certain you will be creative too.

POLITICAL PARTY PROGRAMS AND MESSAGE=

The Constitution of the National Development Party states in Article 5 that the Principal Objectives of the Development Party are … [sub-article R= 30;]

2.&n= bsp; To educate the people and instill among them the spirit of patriotism, love for the nation state, and understanding of politics as an activity carried on peacefully and in an atmosphere of civility.

3.&n= bsp; To endeavor in support of the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Ruler of the Nation State of Br= unei Darussalam in bringing about a system of government, administration and management characterized by justice and equity, transparency, integrity, competency, trustworthiness, benevolence and beneficence.=

4.&n= bsp; To collaborate with any and all groups and persons who respect the vision, mis= sion and principal objectives of the Development Party in ensuring the success of the Party’s program, provided that it is not contrary to the constitu= tion and laws of the Nation State.

Your Constitution antici= pates a party program. Your work in developing and promoting policies in Brunei through your Manifesto shows you are committed to development of a party pr= ogram. This is a very important function, and the primary purpose for which politi= cal parties are usually established. To grow and sustain your party, you are co= rrect to invite collaboration with groups and persons who respect your vision, mi= ssion and principal objectives.

My meeting with your Sup= reme Council yesterday demonstrated to me that your party is very capable in developing good policy alternatives on a wide range of issues and concerns confronting your country. You listen to people and use your talents and hard work to create a comprehensive, practical set of policy solutions. This sho= ws you have a party program, an issue platform, that should impress your fellow citizens and gain you support. So last night, I threw away the half of my prepared presentation about how to conduct research, seek public inputs and= develop a strong party program.

I also heard of how some= of your ideas have gained respect and favor inside the government, although you are not given credit. You are aiding society by doing this. Your program sh= ows you are serious about making this a better country by promoting your ideas.=

You can go on indefinite= ly suggesting good policies and sometimes having your policies taken – c= o-opted by the government. However, you want to be a political party, not a pressure group or a think tank.

I do not want to discour= age you in any way from listening to the concerns of citizens, analyzing issues= and contributing your ideas for better governance. But you must think about your messa= ge to fellow citizens as a political party, and what the theme should be in your message. Your core principles are not about policy solutions in isolation. = Your core principles are about how policy is created, discussed, decided and implemented in your society. You are trying to improve the political proces= s, for the benefit of all, including the government.

Often political parties do not assemble t= heir opinions and policy proposals into a coherent party message, even where the= re is open and honest debate and competitive elections for public office. That= is not the problem you have. Your problem is how to express a theme around the right to organize, to express your views and to influence government peacef= ully and respectfully.

Your commitment and capacity to develop a= nd present good policies, or any other organization’s, is a valuable ass= et that is not being well utilized under the present political system. It is n= ot only unfair, it is inefficient for society.

People respond to a political party that = has an identity based on values and core principles. In your case, it is your belief that the process of government requires transparency, accountability= and true participation by the public.

This provides a theme around which your party’s public policy program becomes a shining example of what is be= ing ignored in the current political environment. You ask for recognition of universal rights of assembly and free speech, not as an abstract ideal, but= as the basis of a confident, open and mature political system. It should be a matter of national pride.

POLITICAL PARTY ORGANIZATION

Regardless of the particular combination of resources it has – time, money, peop= le, talent – a political party requires an organization to utilize these resources effectively to reach its goals. The growth of extensive political party structures is one of the main developments in the process of democratization in modern societies.

In meeting with your Supreme Council yesterday, I learned that the National Development Party has established a political structure that is comprehensi= ve, coordinated and, importantly, built up from the grassroots. You have develo= ped an organizational hierarchy based upon national, provincial and local party organizations. You elect your party leadership in a manner that is a model = of internal democracy.

You have committees that work within special areas of public policy and your own think tank. You have encouraged internal communication and sharing of ideas= within your entire party structure.

Last night, after hearing about your well-developed party organization, I threw = away the other half of my prepared presentation. Perhaps some of you have compla= ints or new ideas regarding the party’s organization. And we recognize problems in member recruitment and leadership recruitment at the local leve= l. But I don’t have any more practical advice for you about political pa= rty organization based on my international experience. In fact, I am going to use the organizational structure of the National Development Party in Brunei as a m= odel in the next country where I work.

However, it would be hel= pful for understanding politics in Brunei to look at political party organization from an historical and academic viewpoint. Stay with me here, because I think you will find it interesting.

The esteemed political scientist Maurice Duverger distinguished two main types of political party organizations: caucus-cadre parties (or what might be called elite-based parties) and branch-mass (or membership-based) parties. <= /p>

The oldest form of party element was called a caucus. It was the dominant form of party organization= in the pre-democratic era. A caucus party structure is based on political elit= es. These elites control party affairs within their own territory and collabora= te with other elites from their own party at the national level.

The operating principle = of mass parties was that they recruited members – people who, in return for t= he time and energy and, perhaps membership dues – were given a share in controlling that party. In theory, among them, the members controlled the objectives and strategies of the party. These parties were internally democratic.

In a competitive election environment, the political elites in a cadre-style party seek to secure the election of their candidates using resources they control. If the political system does not permit elections, the elites cooperate to maintain power. I= f a cadre party requires people to help in mobilizing voters, or in discouraging opposition to its monopoly on power, the cadre party can hire people or rely upon those to whom it has already given jobs or contracts from the governme= nt. It will try to secure support from people who will not demand any influence over party affairs in return for their assistance.

Unlike cadre parties, ma= ss parties try to recruit as many members as they can. Members provide their t= ime and talents, and hopefully some financial support. They are the basis for spreading the party’s philosophy. In volunteering their efforts, memb= ers of mass based parties expect to have some control over the goals and activi= ties of the party.

Mass parties use a newer form of political party organizing, based on creating local branches within party organization. A branch structure differs from a caucus structure in t= wo main respects. Branches try to recruit members as a way of increasing resou= rces they have to advance their goal – that is, people – and are not groupings of local political elites. Branch-based parties form a national organization to coordinate recruitment activity and to improve their process for defining their program and policies.

Caucuses seek to maintain power at their local level, under the general control of national elites, w= hile branches seek to combine their local organizations into a powerful national political organization. Cadre-caucus parties are managed top > down. Mass-membership parties are managed= bottom > up, usually through elections of leaders at each level from representatives of the level below. The National Development Party is a mass-membership style party.

And I would say that the Mukim and Village Consultative Council structure is an example of cadre-cau= cus style party, the style of political party organized by political elites. Consider how these Consultative Councils are appointed, and from what pool = of people they draw their members. Finally, of course, consider who is at the = top: the Minister of the Interior. This is an old style of party, but a familiar= one in history. Input from the general public is controlled and filtered by loc= al elites, who owe their jobs to national elites. It can be successful as long= as the public is apathetic or afraid.

Thus, I would say Brunei= has a two party-system already, with a ruling party that is overwhelmingly dominant. I believe that the leaders of that party love their country and w= ant to serve His Majesty the Sultan, just as your party does. The difference he= re is not about respect for authority, or patriotism, or desire for social sta= bility and economic success. The difference between the political parties in Brune= i is about the vitality and openness of the political process.

Democracy consists of an institutional arrangement for making binding political decisions in ways th= at are responsive to the views of the public. It does not necessarily require = competitive elections or partisanship. It does require a political process that is transparent, accountable and broadly participatory.. That is a guiding principle and a core belief of the National Development Party. It should be= the theme of your message to the citizens of Brunei. All of the elements of your party program should fit within that theme.

Recall the central issue= in collective action. Even though something might be in the collective interes= t of a large number of people, no individual may see it in his or her personal interest to participate in efforts to reach that goal. The m= ission for the National Development Party is to break through the apathy and apprehension of Brunei’s citizens with a message that touches people personally. Help them understand that their individual help to your party is important for themselves and for the nation.

I wish you good luck in = that endeavor.