It is apparent that throughout history religion has played a significant role in the lifestyles of numerous people around the world and consequently is a complex and sensitive issue. The role that it plays in the structure and operation of governments and the intense conflicts that have arisen from the clash between different belief systems have often led to political turmoil and bloodshed. This role that religion plays in governments was one of the reasons that the United Nations introduced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.
Of all the forms of government that have been applied around the world is would seem that a form of democracy proves to be the best of the lot. This is not to say that it is perfect but it has been proven to be a lot better then a lot of others. Having said that then one of the main principles that must be remembered about democracy are the ?rights? that must be applied to the people if the wish is for that democracy to operate correctly and completely. In the same token it requires the people to recognize these rights and to exercise them.
The DR has been trying for over 90 years to form a system of democracy and has made some inroads in that endeavor. There are a number of reasons they have failed to make the full transition and this brings us right back to ?rights? as they apply to a democracy. These ?rights? include the application, enforcement and their usage.
If the people have the right to choose the religions that they wish are they equal? If one particular religion is made the official religion and is afforded a vast amount of benefits over the others and that religion?s leaders have a dramatic impact on the operations of the central government, police and military does this insure the ?rights? of all?
The history of the DR as it applies to religion is very interesting. Trujillo was, as a dictator, almost intelligent in my opinion. He understood the importance religion played in his people and therefore signed the ?Concordato? in 1954 thereby making the church the official religion and an esteemed position within his hierarchy. As ?El jefe? he figured he had nothing to fear from that quarter. He further enhanced their position with the signing of the ?Vicariato Castrense?, and the Patronato Nacional San Rafael in 1958. It wasn?t till 1963, when President Juan Bosch introduced a new constitution to the Dominican people, that the church felt threatened. The 1963 constitution did away from an official religion, separated church and state and made null and void the ?Concordato?, ?Vicariato Castrense?, and the ?Patronato Nacional San Rafael?. President Juan Bosch seems to have been a very intelligent person and it is a shame that he was only in power for seven months before being overthrown. He seemed to have a very good idea as to what a democracy is and how it should operate but he also knew that the Dominican people were maybe not ready for it as indicated by a speech he gave on 10 December 1962 of which I?ll post an excerpt;
?Dominicans cannot even imagine what a democracy is; they do not realize, they cannot realize it, that in a democracy everyone is respected; that no one is forced or can be forced to do what one does not want to do or think in ways one does not want to; that real democracy is the only political system which truly guarantees the freedom of man: freedom to live without miseries, freedom to educate oneself, freedom to think how ever suits one best, freedom to practice the religion that one likes. A functioning democracy has never been seen here, and there are people who are so afraid of democracy that they want to kill it before it is born, as it is being done by the ones who are killing it by cheapening the current political struggle until they have placed it, as it is today, in a quagmire of insults, infamies, and lies.?
?And why do they want to kill democracy before it is born? Because they already know, they know it well, they are certain about it, that the democracy that will be born, on December 20 in the Dominican Republic will be a real democracy, a democracy that will not tolerate privileges, abuses, exploitation; and there are people who cannot live if their privileges, the right to abuse and the custom of exploiting the people are taken away.?
Rick