Key Metrics

• Barring the 1984 election, after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi, when her son Rajiv Gandhi garnered a sympathy vote of 49.01 percent of the electorate, the Governing parties have only received 30 percent or less of the vote and in Coalition Governments, the major partner less than 20 percent.

Obviously there has never been a government of the majority in India, until the 2019 election, but even in this election the percentage of votes for the winning BJP was less than 50 percent, actually only 37.36 percent.

• India has the longest, most detailed, written constitution of all the countries in the world. (Indian constitution – 1, 17, 369 words, USA constitution – 4, 536 words)
• In 70 years, India has amended its constitution 103 times, while in 242 years the USA has found it necessary to do so only 17 times (other than the 10 in the Bill of Rights).

World over Indians are recognized as the most capable of drafting comprehensive legislation and also, of subsequently finding multiple loop-holes therein, which require further legislation, in which newer loop-holes are found and which again require – – – ad infinitum.

It is therefore necessary that instead of seeking to make laws that will stand for all time, we should only seek to make the laws and rules laying down the bare essentials of the principles to be followed and allow the Courts, at appropriate times, to interpret them to fit the circumstances and context as then applicable, Society changes over time.

“The more corrupt the State, the more the laws, the less the justice.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero

India has from historic times, a tradition of peoples with diverse cultures forming a part of a functioning democratic community at the village level as Janapadas and Mahajanapadas. (Google -Uihiramerur, a model and proof of a functioning Democracy in ancient India of the 9th century, also even from as far back as 600 BCE in the Mahajanapadas, large kingdoms or republics, electing persons to various governing bodies. e.g. Vajjis, Mallas and Sakyas). It is thus clear the Democracy did not start with the Magna Carta in England, but much earlier, in India. War and Politics were left to the Rulers whose conflicts, and wars were by Dharma not to infringe on the lives of the village folk. There are many instances of battles recorded as being fought adjacent to village farmers ploughing their fields. Ofcourse, exceptions prove the rule and by medieval times the exceptions became the rule especially as many of the new invaders were only raiders from outside India with no concept of Dharma and initially more interested in pillage and looting than in ruling. However, the appreciation for democratic methods to exercise one’s choice, though only within the parameters of Varna / Jati, always remained in the people’s hearts.

“It was once said that the moral test of a Government is how that Government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy, and the handicapped.” – Herbert H. Humphrey

The polices of a good government must pass such a test, but this does not mean that the Political. Parties promise a spree of populist measures to get elected. his can be a very destructive trend and must be exposed and be decried as the danger it is. The history of the Roman Empire and the story of Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka in recent times, are all proof of such a danger.

Also, as Alexander Tyler warns – A democracy is always temporary in nature… it will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote them selves’ generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse over loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship.”

A Democracy must therefore set out a fair and even – handed policy for all, to get all the diverse communities to peacefully and harmoniously live and work together.

“Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another’s uniqueness.” – Ola Joseph

“In India we celebrate the commonality of major differences; we are a land of belonging rather than (only) of blood” – Shashi Tharoor

Differences arising from personal and religious customs should be restricted to personal and community spaces and public behaviour be in such a manner as not to impinge on the personal and religious customs of others. A clear distinction should be made between customary traditions and general prayers acceptable to all and the religious prayers that at times go with them and which obviously may not be acceptable to all and such strong religious over tones must be eliminated from all general public functions, Rangoli, lighting a lamp, garlanding people or offering them a shawl etc. breaking a coconut to seek the Almighty’s blessings by general prayers should be acceptable. Also, prayers addressed to the Almighty or just to an unnamed God will generally be.

The aim should be to do things in accordance with the Golden Rule.

‘Do not demand of or do unto others what you would not like others to demand of or do unto you’.

In all other matters everyone should be subject to the same laws and policies as everyone else. (See “Uniform Civil Code”)

“We cannot afford to forget that Public order, personal security, economic and social progress, and prosperity, are not the natural order of things that they depend upon ceaseless effort and attention from an honest and effective Government that people must elect.” – Lee Kuan Yew

A Democracy can only be as good as the people it elects to legislate the laws and policies, to govern according to them and to ensure that the laws are implemented by the right kind of bureaucrats or other Government officials / representatives. However, real Democracy is not only having elections. It is more the way, the effectiveness of those elected and their policies and works are monitored and reviewed between the elections, seeking to replace them if deemed unsatisfactory, without violence.

Because
“While in the past people of rank or status were those and only those who took risks, who had the down side for their actions, and heroes who did so for the sake of others, today the exact reverse is taking place. We are witnessing the rise of a new class of anti-heroes that is bureaucrats, bankers and academicians with too much power and no real down side and/or accountability. They game the system while citizens pay the price. At no point in history have so many non-risk takers, that is those with no personal exposure -’No skin in the game: exerted so much control.” – Nassim N. Taleb

“All men having power ought to be mistrusted.” – James Madison

“It is not that power corrupts, but that power is a magnet to the corruptible.” – Frank Herbert

“Education is a better safeguard to liberty than a standing army.” – Edward Everett

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7