Col. Karunakaran has done a very comprehensive and incisive article on the topic of concentration of wealth and power. Normally even in countries like the US where 5% population controls 95% of wealth. But unlike India, people in the US are relatively prosperous and the society is largely free of poverty and hunger. Even locally elected leaders enjoy political power. In India the wealth does not trickle down. At least the wealthy business people create jobs and invest locally. The black moneyed rich have been stashing their wealth in Switzerland and benami properties, which is of no use to the local economy.As far as political power is concerned, every thing gets referred to the "party high command". Power at local level is not used but abused my MLA's, MP's and IAS babus. In the US, a common voter can contact their senators and congressmen and get a response. Try doing that in India. We all know aam aadmi's level of empowerment.
Ever since the local parties with their local focus and national aspirations came to the fore, the polity has become really corrupted. A party with really low vote percent can rule the country by division of votes and horse-trading. They can use the CBI to keep any dissent under control by using corruption cases as a vise. None of this really smells like real democracy. Now I agree that our democracy is not as mature as the western democracies. But the one thing that western democracies do not face is the diversity of Indian voter - so many many states with different languages and regional aspirations. Introduction of Spanish as a possible second language has created so many problems in America. I wonder how they will behave if they had to deal with 20+ official languages?
However there are two things in favor of Indian democracy: We have reasonably fair elections and we have been practicing democracy for a relatively smaller period. Roots of democracy have taken place and time and faith will nurture this tree. Once it grows up, we will be able to match up to the best when it comes to political power. How do I know this? If you read the history of democracy in the US 100 years after independence, you will see that the elections use to resemble Bihar elections. But we need to believe in it and continue to practice it otherwise we Indian democracy will become like that in Pakistan.
There is hope yet for Indian democracy.
India - The New Oligarchy?
by Col. Gopal Karunakaran
In practice India is closer to an Oligarchy – a nation whose wealth, power and opinions are controlled by a few – for their own benefit. It’s not just the political class, the bureaucracy, or the wealthy corporate kings – but even the powerful opinion makers of new India - the media houses – are all here, to protect and fuel their own narrow interests.
The article can be read at: http://cms.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=10111
There is hope yet for Indian democracy.
India - The New Oligarchy?
by Col. Gopal Karunakaran
In practice India is closer to an Oligarchy – a nation whose wealth, power and opinions are controlled by a few – for their own benefit. It’s not just the political class, the bureaucracy, or the wealthy corporate kings – but even the powerful opinion makers of new India - the media houses – are all here, to protect and fuel their own narrow interests.
The article can be read at: http://cms.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=10111
I am as optimistic as you are of a successful functioning democracy in future. But the pace can be accelerated if a leader/party without the fear of next elections comes to power and implements all the right things. As has been pointed out here regionalism needs to be curbed and the entire nation needs to be fused into one gigantic machine. While keeping a restraining hand on the macro industries our micro industries must be nurtured. Most important of all merit needs to be rewarded by exemplary encouragement. There are so many innovations being brought-out by even uneducated villagers and artisans which are not being utilized for the benefit of the nation. Further a defense oriented industry is also a must to be self reliant and also have some secrets up our sleeves.
ReplyDeleteDear Friend,
ReplyDeleteI guess the voters of Bihar have rewarded our optimism by picking peformance over perfidy. I hope this is only the begining of a nationwide voter awareness.
Best,
aa.
In all countries ruled by politicians who assume power through elections, the real power is wielded by the rich businessmen who fund the elections. The politicians are their representatives and not those of the common voters. What we consider 'democracy' because people vote them in - is actually, the rule of the rich. The rule of the rich businessmen is called 'plutocracy'. Nowhere in the world do people rule themselves. That is a total myth. People may be able to choose between two sets of political parties or coalitions. But all coalitions are controlled by the plutocrats. So the reality of the matter is that people have very little power and cannot ensure that the country's resources are used for their benefit - that is to maintain a healthy environment, ensure supply of food and clean water, good schools and health care. In all these so-called democracies, natural resources are utilized to make commodities by capitalists who sell them to the people and siphon up their meager accounts of accumulated wages making them dependent on them (capitalists) for wages and so will be willing to put in long hours of work to earn subsistence wages. Thus in all so-called democracies, plutocrats rule and make working people dependent on the wages they pay them. This situation has been referred to as 'wage slavery'.
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