Politics [not to be confused with ‘Political Science’ which is a stream of Social Science that deals with systems of governance and the analysis of political activities, political thoughts and political behavior] taken from Greek ‘Politiká’ means "affairs of the cities" – the process of making decisions that apply to members of a group. It refers to achieving and exercising positions of governance – organized control over a human community, particularly a state. To make such decision of governance, collectively termed as Policies and rolled out in form of bills and legislation, a special constitutional position of power and office of authority is required. Obtaining that position and office is done with the help of elections.
In a democratic system of governance, people – the rightful citizens of the province – vote in elections to choose and elect their representatives for sending to the Office of Policy-making, right from Gramsabha, Panchayati Raj to Assembly or Parliament. The candidate with most votes wins the election and secures his position of power for the term of that particular office. However only the candidate having ‘wining capacity’ gets to contest the election and is promoted by his or her party. Amongst many other criteria of wining capacity, one major criterion is influence of the candidate on many fronts, including but not limited to, community the candidate belongs to – his or her Cast and Religion!
Historical records of elections held in Independent India confirms the fact that people of India who vote in elections use a triple bottom line of their own judgement that comprises of Cast and Religion of the contestant, promises and lures – particularly of ‘development’ – the candidate has offered and candidate’s public image. This happens like this for years as majority of India dwells in villages and we are still a developing country with an immature democracy! In spite of being world’s largest in size, why are we immature as a democracy? First, because we are largest – we have a huge, diverse population. But this same diversity is our identity we have cherished for centuries and it cannot be compromised.
Secondly, we have thousands of years of tradition of Personality Cult – worshiping a Person for his or her special identity or presumed qualities, attributes. It could be anything from the dynasty the person comes from to charisma of a particular individual. This is a clear indication that we either have not yet learned [or completely forgotten] the theory of relativity, or have lost our conscience entirely as we cannot think rationally and act independently but choose to follow safest and convenient herd mentality instead. Our fundamental survival instinct of feeling secure in a group takes over our rationality for sure.
Finally, we are bargain-freak people obsessed with negotiating and consider it a ‘win’ to get something bigger in return for what we offer. Our philosophy of transaction is based on a win-lose, or on lose-lose in the worst scenario, but never on win-win situation. This same mindset is prevalent in all our dealings – economical, social or political. We have put a price on our vote and we bargain it for the promises that are always towering around election times but never to be fulfilled unless the proposer is the beneficiary of the outcome, in one way or other. Politicians are the biggest advertisers and they have mastered the ‘Art of Selling’ so well that they know what to put in the Showcase and what to store in the godown for delivery. That way, for all these years of Independence, Transition and Development we are fooled every time and our votes are exchanged for a bargain that never materializes as anticipated.
So what’s the context of all this Gyan about Democracy and Indian Politics today? Well, the Great Indian Circus is back with its acrobatics showing the optimum flexibility of human mind, body and soul, defying the laws of physics – the science of ‘matter’ – and giving tough competition to each other as well as to rubber in elasticity, with the ‘evolved’ rhetoric in form of glasnost and ‘spiritual’ expedition in form of pilgrimages. This is a welcome change that could be acceptable only if nature takes its course to make a lion vegan and a cow carnivorous!
A word of advice would be handy to prepare your mind for responding to these show-themes – don’t get fooled with the bargain; use your brain. Although we do not have the 'Right to Recall' for accountability yet, we have our voice in form of a vote... it’s invaluable, do not bargain, lose or waste it, put it to the best use as the future generations would revere or curse you for what you would leave for them!
Way to go...
