Peculiarly, our politicians and citizens swear by democracy but refuse to accept the results when they are not to their liking. Some say the PM is “your leader” and “not mine.” This takes us back to the profound statement of Ananda Coomaraswamy that democracy is finally a “tyranny of the majority where the defeated are always unhappy.”
There has been an essential problem with democracy, as continuously articulated since the times of Socrates and other Greek philosophers two thousand years ago. Democracy does not allow the “wisest and best” (who choose to stay away from politics) to reach governance positions. When the sole criterion is the ability to garner votes, factors such as money, physical power, oratory skills, celebrity status, nepotism, and unbridled corruption become prominent. Another sad outcome of universal suffrage democracy, which is quite evident in India, is a divided people, as politicians seek votes by consolidating group solidarities. The current opposition leader is determined to further divide the population along narrower lines in order to secure victory in future elections.
Thinkers such as Sri Aurobindo, Gandhiji, Swami Vivekananda, and Ananda Coomaraswamy expressed dissatisfaction with the Westminster Parliamentary form of democracy, which we ultimately adopted as the most suitable model for our needs. They wanted a decentralised model in which the villages served as the crux of administration and development, with larger units (region, state, and country) developing in an organic and dynamic relationship. The current democratic norms and the urbanisation mantra have led to the destruction of villages. We almost feel proud that in the next three or four decades, our rural population will be only 30% and our urban population will be about 70%, so we should focus on urban planning now. This is indeed a sad outcome.
Given that democracy has become the norm in any civilised society and we cannot revert to traditional forms of government, it is imperative for thinkers to devise methods to enhance the current democratic model. Perhaps we should establish strict criteria for entering politics, similar to those for any other profession or occupation. This can begin with, of course, some educational background as a necessity and not a luxury. There could also be a formal test to assess the potential politician’s awareness of issues related to the region, state, country, and international arena.
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