Daily Times

Making a democratic child is a need of time because it is not possible to ensure a sustainable democracy without a good family system supported by good schools and a social setup. A child learns how to behave from his/her family members, school teachers and society. His exposition of these three Institutions shapes his initial political views. From early childhood, he must be taught basic values of political socialization, such as how to argue, talk, behave and put forth his opinion with reason and logic. It will happen only when a child is taught in a house of people holding good political opinions, in a school that teaches the techniques of negotiation, and in a society that lives on scientific thought instead of supposed blind beliefs.

To start, political socialization is a lifelong learning process through which a child learns about political behaviours, attitudes, concepts and beliefs. He is knowingly and unknowingly being impacted by the political opinions of his family. Without knowing the theoretical contours of the subject matter, the child gets involved in political issues by watching television with his elders. It is this place where he needs pure guidance on the importance of the news that is being watched. He should be told by his elders that news matters to his life because his whole life is being impacted by the policies being formed by the government. In sharing information with a child, the elders should adopt a method that would make sense to a child and his mind. In this regard, the scientific method of reasoning would help as it is the first step towards making a democratic child.

Political socialization is a lifelong learning process through which a child learns about political behaviours, attitudes, concepts and beliefs.

Once a child is aware of a little bit about news as to why the elders are watching television, he may not only take interest in the news but also apprise himself of different political issues, thereby developing a political sense. With know-how to news, he can do better in his school, express his information eloquently and develop argumentative skills at an early age. With a conducive environment, both home and school can be a centre of learning for a child. In addition to it, an early educated child creates a good discursive environment in the classroom and helps his mates to seek knowledge. This in turn accelerates the learning process and develops a competitive environment where everyone tries to excel out of a love for knowledge. Also, it can reduce cramming within a class and subsequently develop intellectual robustness and sharpness while dealing with any chapter.

Family and school, are the third most important political institution for a child in society. He learns from society as he matures, observes and then adapts himself according to to set political standards. Though a child learns theoretical knowledge at home and school, he implements it in society. He deals with people of different kinds and observes their behaviour and then acts accordingly. A learned child easily adopts societal culture – bad and good deeds- and also provides solutions to societal issues as per his experience. To make society better, he always remains cautious because he knows that reason can solve problems, thereby trying to develop a consensus on issues of society. In this way, a kid takes the whole society to the next level of excellence where reason is the guiding principle and mutual agreement is the way forward. In other words, he practices the knowledge he has acquired at home and school on societal issues with the help of techniques of political socialization.

Given the above scenario, it can be said that for political socialization, a child must be taught good education that is based on reason, logic, and techniques. Without it, a child is nothing but a neophyte, lacking the modern skills of learning. Thus, modern education is the need of the time for all developing countries if they want their countries to improve similarly as the developed countries. The above policy of inculcating in children a scientific method of seeking knowledge with reason and logic is being practised all over the world. Pakistan should adopt it as well to educate its children so that they can excel and win Pakistan a soft power.

To sum up, a democratic child is the backbone of any nation because he creates the environment for social progress and development. His state of being aware also strengthens democracy as well. Hence, modern education based on the scientific method of reasoning creates a necessary social environment where people socialize with one another and struggle to achieve their social, political and educational rights.

The writer is a freelance columnist.