It is nowadays fashionable to debate, in some circles, whether countries like India and USA are free at all, or that the freedom is a sham, in reality the people in these countries being oppressed quite like in, let us say Islamic countries or in the erstwhile Soviet Union. Arguments usually run like this – in supposedly free societies such as India, there is high level effort to “manufacture” public opinion. The “false” opinion of the common public is then used to manipulate the masses, in favor of a ruling elite.Thus, in this line of argument, democracy and freedom are so manipulated that the overall effect makes the supposedly free society no different from a dictatorship.
The political choices too are limited to established political parties. The top leaderships of these parties, if their pre-eminent position is threatened, actually even work in cahoots to make sure that masses do not have any choice apart from them, and that no new options develop to a point where they can be dislodged.
Same for free speech. The freedom of speech is controlled by “big” media. Any dissenting voice is stifled, if not by force, and then by conspiracies hatched by media bosses. Same for business – big brands / corporates ensure no new choices develop for the consumers and that they continue enjoying super normal profits on account of being established brands.
So, one should ask the question – are there any objective indicators that a society is free and liberal. The indicators should, of course be verifiable if not quantifiable. I tried to compile a list, and I welcome suggestions from anyone who argues that even those indicators are sham like all others such as universal franchise and freedom of speech:
1. Free societies receive refugees and not send them out: India is or has been home to refugees from Tibet, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. No refugees have ever left India to settle down elsewhere because they were denied political rights or were being hounded by the state or being oppressed by the society, the only exception perhaps being MF Husain. This is a common feature of most free societies and the opposite is true of un-free ones (these types send out refugees, e.g China, North Korea, Bangladesh, many Arab countries).
There are actually no refugees sheltered in a mighty country like China. China receives refugees from North Korea but those are illegal migrants and if caught, they are deported and face horrible consequences in their country for attempting to escape.
One exception to this rule could be wartime refugees, such as the ones who streamed from Afghanistan to Pakistan in the period of constant warfare that Afghanistan was engaged in. But I would like to know one instance of people leaving their country and being seeking shelter in an authoritarian one without any exceptional circumstance such as war.
2. Free societies have vocal haters of their own society: Think of Arundhati Roy in India or Noam Chomsky in the USA. Not only do they live a secure and prosperous life in their respective countries, they rise to a high status and feted by the elite. I would like to know anyone who is, so to say, their counterpart in an authoritarian society. Someone who, for instance, vocally argues something that is sure to outrage the mainstream society. Say, someone in Pakistan who says that Pakistan should leave the Kashmir issue and should move on. In China, those who argued that democracy and free speech should be allowed had tanks rolling on top of their bodies!
3. Free societies have affirmative action policies: With minor exceptions, authoritarian societies don't have affirmative action policies. I actually went through wikipedia page on “affirmative action”. It lists all countries with affirmative action policies and a brief description of the policy. The only Muslim country with affirmative action is Malaysia where there is preferential treatment to majority Malay Muslims ! When they do implement preferential treatment, it is for themselves!!
China has some reservations for ethnic minorities in top government jobs and in some universities, but apart from this exception, ALL affirmative action in the world seems to be in free nations – India, USA, Canada, UK and many other free countries. No Muslim nation is on the list. No Latin American dictatorship is on the list. It is fair to say that this too is one of the indicators of a free society.
I dream that India will attract people from all over the world. We can really call ourselves a developed nation when we see people from most countries in the world wanting to come and settle here, because they know they will be able to live a good life here. Because they know they will be free here and no one will seek to oppress them in any way.
The political choices too are limited to established political parties. The top leaderships of these parties, if their pre-eminent position is threatened, actually even work in cahoots to make sure that masses do not have any choice apart from them, and that no new options develop to a point where they can be dislodged.
Same for free speech. The freedom of speech is controlled by “big” media. Any dissenting voice is stifled, if not by force, and then by conspiracies hatched by media bosses. Same for business – big brands / corporates ensure no new choices develop for the consumers and that they continue enjoying super normal profits on account of being established brands.
So, one should ask the question – are there any objective indicators that a society is free and liberal. The indicators should, of course be verifiable if not quantifiable. I tried to compile a list, and I welcome suggestions from anyone who argues that even those indicators are sham like all others such as universal franchise and freedom of speech:
1. Free societies receive refugees and not send them out: India is or has been home to refugees from Tibet, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. No refugees have ever left India to settle down elsewhere because they were denied political rights or were being hounded by the state or being oppressed by the society, the only exception perhaps being MF Husain. This is a common feature of most free societies and the opposite is true of un-free ones (these types send out refugees, e.g China, North Korea, Bangladesh, many Arab countries).
There are actually no refugees sheltered in a mighty country like China. China receives refugees from North Korea but those are illegal migrants and if caught, they are deported and face horrible consequences in their country for attempting to escape.
One exception to this rule could be wartime refugees, such as the ones who streamed from Afghanistan to Pakistan in the period of constant warfare that Afghanistan was engaged in. But I would like to know one instance of people leaving their country and being seeking shelter in an authoritarian one without any exceptional circumstance such as war.
2. Free societies have vocal haters of their own society: Think of Arundhati Roy in India or Noam Chomsky in the USA. Not only do they live a secure and prosperous life in their respective countries, they rise to a high status and feted by the elite. I would like to know anyone who is, so to say, their counterpart in an authoritarian society. Someone who, for instance, vocally argues something that is sure to outrage the mainstream society. Say, someone in Pakistan who says that Pakistan should leave the Kashmir issue and should move on. In China, those who argued that democracy and free speech should be allowed had tanks rolling on top of their bodies!
3. Free societies have affirmative action policies: With minor exceptions, authoritarian societies don't have affirmative action policies. I actually went through wikipedia page on “affirmative action”. It lists all countries with affirmative action policies and a brief description of the policy. The only Muslim country with affirmative action is Malaysia where there is preferential treatment to majority Malay Muslims ! When they do implement preferential treatment, it is for themselves!!
China has some reservations for ethnic minorities in top government jobs and in some universities, but apart from this exception, ALL affirmative action in the world seems to be in free nations – India, USA, Canada, UK and many other free countries. No Muslim nation is on the list. No Latin American dictatorship is on the list. It is fair to say that this too is one of the indicators of a free society.
I dream that India will attract people from all over the world. We can really call ourselves a developed nation when we see people from most countries in the world wanting to come and settle here, because they know they will be able to live a good life here. Because they know they will be free here and no one will seek to oppress them in any way.
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