FROM THE EDITOR

Dr. Emzar Djgerenaia

“Free market economy can not exist without complete
and true legality, honorable administration,
reliable banks and protected private property”.
“Freedom (including economic one) without
order and justice is anarchy”.
Margaret Thatcher,

“Public administration science”, 2003, page 153, 111 I miss you much! Rainy and windy autumn-like summer was left behind, and now we enjoy the rays of summer-like autumn sun. It looks like seasons have changed their essence, yet we, Georgians, remain to be the same. We are still eager for freedom, but justice is perceived in other way, i.e. you are right if you are strong. We wish to have free economy, but without open and transparent privatization and free foreign investments. We wish to introduce western values here, yet we can not give up family and clan ties, we want freedom, but we do not oppose slavery that exists around us, at work, among friends and partners. If anybody resists enslavement, we sweep him out of our way. We wish freedom for ourselves, but not for people, we want legality for ourselves and not for co-brothers. Private property should belong to no one but us. We are pleased to hear that someone is fined for non-payment of taxes and we resent when we are made to pay. Only we, but no one else need freedom and order. In no way can we understand the meaning of freedom as well as economic one. Justice itself and its honourable defenders exist either for everybody or for nobody. There are no other values and examples of state structure.
Plato said: “The most foul and monstrous thing is the fact that shepherds keep watchdogs, but due to some traits or other reasons they turn upon the sheep and worry them, and behave not like dogs but wolves? And therefore every care must be taken that our auxiliaries, being stronger than our citizens, may not grow to be too much for them and become savage tyrants instead of friends and allies?
In the first place, – says the philosopher, – none of them should have any property of his own beyond what is absolutely necessary ? they should agree to receive from the citizens a fixed rate of pay, enough to meet the expenses of the year and no more”. (Plato, “The Republic”, page. 128-129).
Humankind has long found the way of salvation. Private property is necessary for the existence of state and well-being of people. A state should not regulate business directly, politicians should work on the laws that would make business completely independent from a state, market will become free for penetration and resources will be available for everybody.
These are only words that will mean business only after they are included in budget 2005. Society should not think that present events are unjust as order can be established only in this way, and personal well-being of each of us is dependent on it. Otherwise, watchdogs are even worse than wolves and they will turn upon the sheep, and this will continue endlessly; fighter with corruption will take bribes, representatives of law enforcement agencies will be the first to break the law and rhetorician who passes laws on freedom will create barriers for business and will afterwards take money for assistance in overcoming the barriers. We crave for reforms and changes, but as a result of it some of our relatives and friends will lose their jobs or source of corruption, which will, certainly, be much displeasing to us. We will start complaining: – “This reformer is an agent, corruptive person (no one sees beam in one’ eye), bandit”. There will begin backstage wars and quarrels. No one would ever admit to be driven by mercantile interests and care for one’s own pocket. On the contrary ? how anyone dared to appoint someone to some position due to his gift and capabilities, how anyone dares to implement economic reforms that serve to cut illegal income sources for us and our relatives, how dares anyone to sell something behind out backs without giving us a share that is due to us; what is free economy without us? Where can this ever be found? In what theory? My dear watchdogs, (these are Plato’s words, I would not myself dare to address you so) there starts a new era in Georgia. Law is for all, freedom for all, privatization without friendship and relations, economy and business without roofs and corruption, politics without bribes and Georgia without godfathers. You still exist, but justice is, as usual, only Sophocles’ farce and tragedy. Your relatives are still appointed to positions through your telephone calls, you still weave plots and destruct a great deal of innocent people who do not wish to obey you and who have no authoritative persons. Yet, a new era started in Georgia. Do you think this does not concern you? No, this concerns everybody. These are performances about reforms written in accordance with old scenario, it is a game of democracy and market economy with the wealth of the whole country being concentrated in the hands of dozens of families. Free market is a panacea for Georgia just like justice and New Year come on December 31. Then there will be no places left for those like you. You will still remain dogs, but no one would entrust a herd to you. Are you offended? Well, I beg your pardon. Freedom is everything. It is something that is worth living for ? economic freedom and justice, it is Georgia as a country with western valuables that spread among all Georgians as well as among dogs. Sunny, plenteous and joyous autumn is beautiful, but it becomes more beautiful when you learn that a herd is not tended by dogs in wolf skins, but noble and proud Georgian Caucasian sheep dogs.