Well-known public figure, former MP Elinar Vardanyan, I think, wrote a very good analysis on the subject of deferral. She represents the “Alternative Projects” group, which some people think should be against “It’s me” and “I have the honour” programs for “mercenary purposes”. But the situation is different, principally supporting those programs the author outlines deeper questions and calls for more serious discussions, than the superficial quarrels, usually observed on Facebook. I will not rewrite the content of the article, you can read it.
Instead, I will focus on the last thesis and try to continue it. “The most dangerous trend is that the state system, the political elite, will conclude that it is better and safer not to do their job than to do it. This will lead to global stagnation. We will become psychologically inadequate to the challenges we face”, Elinar Vardanyan writes.
In fact, we know that any government initiative, whether it’s cumulative pension, vaccination of girls at the age of 13, a law preventing domestic violence, installation of speedometers, etc., is perceived as evil by the public. And we know the reasons.
First, there is a very low degree of trust towards the authorities, which, in its turn, has objective and subjective reasons.
Second, opposition propagandists are much more creative than the authorities, the latter’s brains are slightly “obese”.
Third, the government, even if it wants to conduct a principled, right and useful project (such as, for example, the cumulative pension plan), it does not work on all the details, does not take into account the possible loopholes and the mentality of the majority of the population.
Conducting reforms, as a rule, has nothing to do with the personal and material interests of the authorities. For example, if young people continue to be exempted from military service through graduate and PhD courses, it will have no negative effect on any of the officials’ businesses or their opportunities to receive bribes. Thus, the Minister of Defence truly wants to prevent the alleged engagement in sciences becoming the reason for exemption from the military service. But any idea, even the right ones, will definitely meet public resistance and discussion of personal topics: “have you served?”, “has your son served?”, “why don’t children of the rich serve?”, etc. So, Vigen Sargsyan, as well as other officials and politicians, will think: “wouldn’t it be better not to make any changes? Why do I make troubles for myself?”. It’s a direct path to stagnation.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
