Government officials should rely on their own judgment rather than unquestioningly carry out the will of the people they serve. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning f

The ability to reason, to question is a characteristic unique to the human species. This innate attribute is the pathway for our economical, sociological, cultural and intellectual development. When this weapon exists in every individual’s arsenal, why must they not put it to just use?

The Government of any country is primarily responsible for improving the quality of life of its citizenship along with ensuring prosperity within the country. To manage a population of millions is a herculean task, and if the government officials heed every outcry of every citizen, it would be impossible for the country to develop. Tangled within the humdrum for greater part of their tenure, the focus of these officials would drift away from the bigger picture.

Consider, for example, a new metro line needs to be constructed within a city. When these constructions are underway, criticisms from every direction would greet the decision if it results in a relocation of people, minor deforestation, traffic congestions or a plethora of problems. These problems, dominant on a micro scale, become invisible on a larger perspective. The citizenship at times may lose focus of this perspective and it is upon the government to carry out decisions in favour of betterment of the masses – not individuals.

Any country, state, or locality is a blend of various religions, ideologies, castes, cultures, riches and poor. As mentioned earlier, we as humans, are equipped with the power to think and thus a difference of opinions is bound to be prevalent within a society. These difference at times lead to feuds and outburst of hatred within a country, and the mitigation of such circumstances is another responsibility shouldered by the government. To maintain peace and harmony within the country, officials are required to tactfully ensure the satisfaction of diverse opinions, something that would be impossible to attain if they unquestioningly carry out the will of people they serve.

To expand upon this claim, there are various states in the Indian subcontinent that impose a ban on the slaughter of cattle whereas some states do not recognise this ban. Beef ban was welcomed by Hindus and Buddhists, since cows are considered sacred within their religions whereas it was shunned by Muslims. However, the Supreme Court suspended the ban on sale of cattle in 2017, giving relief to multi-billion-dollar beef and leather industries, additionally saving jobs of millions of people. If the government authorities were to concentrate on the demands of the Muslims or the Hindus, a conclusion would be intractable; leading to turmoil. Only with their enlightened decision making can the government avoid internal strife and maintain a semblance of peace within the country.

However, one must not neglect the role played by the citizenship in the decision making. The ultimate power lies with the authorities but without the feedback and encouragement of the commoners, a government would tumble like a house of cards. Consider equality, an omnipresent issue. Be it equality between the rich or poor, gender, caste or any other division – if unresolved, it leads to oppression and a general dissatisfaction with the governing bodies, leading to riots and strikes. Such situations can only be resolved if the oppressed are given an opportunity to voice themselves. When these outcries are harkened to, hope is reignited within the helpless and belief in the administration is strengthened.

One a concluding note, one can undoubtedly accept that to ensure growth within a country, government officials cannot be puppets in the hands of the people they serve and must exercise an equilibrium between authoritative and sympathetic decision making.