Last Wednesday I attended a screening of "Citizen Havel" (Obcan Havel), a kind of pen-picture of the 8 year latter Presidency of Václav Havel. The access granted to the film crew was amazing, and the backroom dealing and power relationships that were shown, didn't need translation as they were clear in body movements alone!

Playwrite & politician - Václav Havel

However, the humanity of Václav Havel was the element that made this film great. Private moments of doubt and delight were scattered through the film; poignant moments were shared, such as his arranging the flowers over the coffin of his first wife, his being remarried and his agonised decision about whether to run again for office. 

It was in the context of this decision that he quoted one of his own plays; "those who truly value democracy cannot understand it, leaving it to those who do not value democracy to define it" (quote may not be exact - from memory). Perhaps that's why politics has been so unresponsive to people's real earnest needs. Can we really say that we get a chance to elect people who truly value democracy and the will of the people rather than secretly resenting it? Where are the people that truly value democracy and why is our system driving them away?

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