The return of the “political animals”

By FRROK ÇUPI

Parliament often appears as a zoo. And here, my intention is not to denigrate the animals, but to point out the philosophical aspect of the “political animal”. In parliament we see physical clashes, intrigues, love relationships and gains… The same as in a farm.

Since the very beginning of political theory, theorists and great minds, have come to the conclusion that all humans are political beings. But, the concept of the political animal was born later and it was even accepted by politicians. Even Parliament of Albania has admitted that “we, MPs, are incriminated”. We have even heard MPs admit that they and their colleagues are “political animals”. Their act as “political animals” is seen every day: they steal, they lie, they get rich with the public’s money, they serve to the people in power, they cultivate and sell drugs; they kill and pretend they get beaten, ruining our mood.

Can you not see them in Parliament?

Is this injustice or an insult being made to politicians turned into “political animals”? No, not at all. This is just nature. The 19th century English philosopher who dedicated himself to this idea, John Kitto, has written that a man with power “is by the very nature a political animal”…, but “he’s forced to live in urban areas”.

So, the political animal has been here for a long time.

1.

Have bandits come back to Parliament?

Parliament prior to this one had many bandits. This time, some young MPs have come. How many sleepless nights have viewers at home spent listening how Parliament is being cleaned from bandits this time? But they appeared in the party’s list again. Can we consider this as a return of the bandits?  If we compare it to the 1992 Parliament, when this institution had 52 professors and researchers, then we can say that they have actually returned to Parliament.  Even today’s parliament has “professors”, but the majority of them are bandits. They have obtained their scientific grade as a crime, after committing a crime… Where did the intellectuals go? Huh? Intellectuals are “weak”; they are unable to impose fear. They are not needed by the party leader to beat or kill someone or to rob the people. There’s a big gap between thinkers and bandits. The former ones are no longer needed today.

Are they among us? Do we choose them?

It’s a very sad question. Sometimes you think that you’re the one who can stop the political animals and sometimes, you don’t. They convince you that democracy gives you rights, but the rights are dictated by the “political animal”. You get the impression that he lives with you and that he’s like a lamb. But it’s not like this. He (the political animal) is there with you, but he acts behind your back. For instance, some peasants in Shkoder terrorize the whole city. In Lushnja, a man convicted to life in prison continues to terrorize the city although he’s in prison…. In Tirana, a convict who has been considered by the US authorities as a criminal, smuggles weapons, drugs and orders murders from prison.

Why did I bring these examples? Because the political animal is there with you, inside Parliament or comes at your home as an MP. But, in reality, he has connections with Barje of Shkodra, with Bare of Lushnja and Shullazi of Tirana. The “political animal” is the lamb who is at your side… Do political animals live with people? In essence, no. Because they don’t live the same as people, but they get rich from them. They live in the crossroad where all the “goods” pass. They exploit this crossroad to the maximum. Although they live in the city, where people live? Yes, because the political animal doesn’t abide by the laws that everyone else abides to; he has special laws which enable him to obtain illicit gains, to manipulate and make threats. The same as the biological creatures that live far from the people.

3.

Aren’t we two types of creatures?

Not from the start. At the start, we were the same. Then, the political animal, as it happens in the jungle, takes decisions over the others. Sometimes it looks as if the gap between intellectuals and political bandits is big. In fact, it’s true, but even the start of this phenomenon is hard to be dated. According to researchers, the 20th century is the darkest one, because the creatures who now live in the farm called Parliament, government or party, seem to have increased in number. Why is this happening? Because they rise above the majority, they take the rights of the majority and they decide over the destiny of the majority. For instance, who decides about the increase of public debt, which is paid by each one of us? The closed farm decides it… Who decides what will be done with the country’s economy? About roads, schools, hospitals, shows, facades, squares…?

They do. What sort of monster this is? Do you know what price was paid by humanity throughout history for this? An example: Stalin, who was not a political animal, but a political monster and the biggest bandit, decided to industrialize the Soviet Union… With what money? He had none. Then, he sold the grain produced by Ukraine and built manufacturing plants. Millions of people starved to death, only because the political animal had a goal.

Note: The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Albanian Free Press’ editorial policy