Democracy In-Surges
Democracy often witnesses unusual trends. Many elections have taken place in recent times, to mention, general elections of India 2014, general elections of United Kingdom 2015, and most recently, United States (US) Presidential elections 2016. One thing was common in this rise of the right wing and that was results beyond the predictions of political analysts and beyond the expectations of the popular media. In 2014, while India pitched for development through sabka sath sabka Vikas-collective efforts, inclusive growth with national interest as its priority The sentiments of the Prime Ministerial candidate of the Bhartiya Janta Party were also echoed by the then Prime Ministerial Candidate of UK’s Conservative party David Cameron.
Whether the basic concept of democracy is tenable or not is a question that has started catching fire but at the same time, India’s democracy is evolving into a “spiritual democracy” and has the potential to become the torch bearer for the democracies of the world which are being lost in western ethos.
The concept of democracy came into being when majority of the countries were facing stagnant and heredity power relations. Democracy, it was believed will ensure distribution of power and fair participation of the masses. Though the ethos of Indian democracy was rooted in national socio spiritual and political setup, it always had something to do with the notion of creating collective consent around the spiritual, social and political ecosystem.
Though the spirit of democracy is not a physical phenomenon to be adjusted by abolition of forms, but it requires internal changes and the inculcation of the spirit of brotherhood. Democracy must in essence of being involving not only in physical, economic but in spiritual resources of all the various sections of the people in the service of the common good of all.
A disciplined and enlightened democracy is the finest thing in the world. As in the present context, we have been witnessing many countries with notion of physical nation which are prejudiced, ignorant, and superstitious, and are landing themselves in chaos and are on the path of self-destruction.
The true essence of democracy is when people participate and contribute in the making of their nation. How this is to be implemented is a question to which I do not have a definite answer but I do believe in the fact that like charity, reforms too begin at home. It is only after we reform our own systems and mannerisms that we can visualise the same for the world, at large.
In a democracy, the individual will is often of the government and is limited by the social will of the state, which is government by and for democracy. Is every individual takes the law into one’s own hands then, soon there will be no state. What remains is anarchy i.e absence of social law, making way for destruction of liberty. Therefore, at such times, anger should be subdues and state should be allowed to secure justice.
The truest test of democracy is in the ability of anyone to act as he/she likes, so long as he does not injure the life or property of anyone else. It is impossible to control public morals by hooliganism.
Democracy is now on its new dimension and moving towards its basic structure. From the recently concluded US elections to India’s landmark elections of 2014, it has reflected on the fragility of this very fabric to hold the masses. No doubt, democracy- for the people, of the people, by the people- was one of the best ideas of the 20th century, in which peoples’ participation played a prominent role, to speak of their minds and shape their future. But it was sabotaged by the existing system and turned out quite on the contrary not only in the postcolonial democracies, but also in developed ones as well.120 countries and 63% of the world’s population is currently living under the aegis of democracy. While the 20th century was successful in holding the democratic fabric intact, the 21st century is witnessing its setbacks as nominal establishments with autocratic and kleptocratic elements are largely ruining the institutions and systems.
In the recent past, India has witnessed the same hypocrisy via the existing political system. In the last 60 years, India was governed by a party with a family at the helm of its affairs. During this era, a particular school of thought was suppressed and efforts were made to eliminate that particular thought process through various means.
Recently, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologues were invited to one of India’s most prestigious Literature Festival called “Jaipur Literature Festival 2017” to discuss “Saffron and the Sangh” : cultural aspects of the nation and its present context. Once again, it triggered a discussion on “social, academic untouchability” against a particular, thought of school on social media platforms and academic world.
How the Congress has nurtured a group of intellectuals in 60 years of misrule, wherein they only wrote in favour of the then existing governments and were even conferred with awards. Now this very group is questioning the participation of the RSS ideologues in the Jaipur Literature Festival.
Same intolerance was seen during the general elections of 2014, when questions were raised on the candidature of the then Prime Ministerial candidate Shri Narendra Modi even when he was the then democratically elected Chief Minister of a state. Many such intellectuals had used their freedom of speech and had written opposing his visits to various international forums. But the same intellectuals have now narrowed down the impression of freedom of speech, when they run to tone down the particular school of thought.
Further, globally, the very idea of democracy has reoriented its approach and outlook. With growing political engagement and system dynamics of politics of rewards, it has emerged as a rewarding operation for the loyalists making the democratic political establishments more self-serving. For instance, in India previous democratic governments got into the habit of appropriating to meet the short term needs of the people while evading the long term investments required for improving lthe standard of living of the people at large . For sure, they are uncertain of the longevity of their position in power. This has transformed into a vicious cycle and resulted in the progress of the visible political loyalists, thus increasing the manifestations of concentration of power and wealth concentrated in the hands of few.
It is interesting to note that the share of political party memberships is on the decline across developed democracies. To note, in India there is an immense increase in ruling party membership. If one observed, the big debate during the general elections of 2014 in India was centered around economic development, inequalities and nationalism — the growing inequalities and the failures of the political system to hold democracy straight.
Recently, this trend was also observed in the US Presidential elections, where Republican candidate Donald Trump won in a landmark victory over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. As a result, democrats across nation, have now started a mass protest against a democratically elected President. In India, the same opposition was faced by the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi after assuming office in 2014. Is this really the evolution of democracy? Our intellectual space has been silent for over a long period of dynastic rule, but is now afraid of democracy and democratic rights when people of various nations have started exercising the power of Universal Adult Franchise and elected governemnts against the predictions and expectations of the political scholars.
Is the silence of intellectuals for such a long period not questionable? Doesn’t such protests seem to be motivated through vested interests? Worldwide trends further reconfirm that more than half of the voters do not have trust in their intellectual space. An increasing number of youth participation into democratic system, will further ensure a strong and stable democratic government. The evolution of democracy has the potential to replace and deliver the strongest value based democracy.
(The author is a Director at LokNeeti India Foundation. The views are expressed are strictly personal.)
