Democratic systems are no strangers to political dynasties. In the Philippines, political dynasty is rampant. Indeed, Philippine political clans have evolved into the most efficient (and at times, deadly) means of monopolizing power. Various members of the same family often cycle through the same congressional, gubernatorial, and mayoral seats in their home province, and it’s not unusual to see an electoral race pitting two members of the same family against each other. In many ways, the dynastic culture of politics has removed meaningful choice from the voters, and exacerbated the pervasiveness of corruption in government.

There are several reasons why we should limit the influence of political families. Today, where the concentration of political power has bred such a strong culture of corruption, certain rights may need to be sacrificed. It is a drastic problem in need of a drastic solution.

Reason to limit the influence of political families:

1. Political dynasties corrupt the system of checks and balances.
2. The centrality of dynasties to politics lowers the cost associated with committing corrupt acts.
3. The continued success of political families despite corruption charges undermines the rule of law, and perpetuates a system of corruption in government.

These issues have plagued Philippine politics for countless generations, the highly corrosive nature of political dynasties, and provide opportunities for talented, energetic individuals to challenge the current state of Philippine politics.
And in fragile democracies where political power can be concentrated in a small elite class and is handed down through family linkages, this needs to be stopped.