Democracy not A perfect mode, but must prevail

‘Malana,’ an ancient Indian village in Himachal Pradesh, is considered the ‘World’s First and Oldest Democracy.’ Earliest governance rules formulated in this village were modified and are being observed even now as parliamentary democracy model. People in Malana village have their own judiciary system and is governed by the lower house (Kanish Thang) and upper house (Jayesh Thang) as a bicameral parliament. Penelope Valentine Hester Chetwode, a British travel writer and wife of poet laureate Sir John Betjeman, who grew up in Northern India, referred widely to Malana in his writings.

Genesis, evolution and diminishing values of democracy or democratic institution are interesting. History recorded the establishment of democratic institution in the fifth century BC in Athens when Cleisthenes known as the ‘Father of Athenian Democracy,’ reorganized villages of Athens into 10 tribes, which shaped the foundation for democratic institutions. Pericles also contributed to democratic ideology in the Athenian society. Despite Athens being an example of democracy, it was never entirely democratic. Plato, however, opposed the democratic rule in Ancient Greece.

Developments toward democratic government occurred in the Near East and the Indian Sub-Continent also very early. Democracy, an age-old concept in India, encompassed the values of ‘Freedom, Acceptability, Equality, and Inclusivity’ in a society as per Indian ethos, and allowed its citizens to lead ‘Quality and Dignified’ life, or what we now call as ‘Choice and Voice.’ It is also chronicled that the early democratic institutions originated from the ‘Independent Republics of India.’ Greek Historian Diodorus confirmed that democratic states existed in Ancient India itself.

In the modern era, Westminster model of British Parliament (‘Mother of all Parliaments,’ a phrase coined by British politician John Bright) was adopted by former British empire countries, including India. Modern democracy in India began post-Independence, with the adoption of Constitution in 1950 and the parliamentary system with federal structure was established. Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, laid solid foundation for democracy in the country, though, sporadically it is being subjected to untold aberrations! Former USA President George Washington was considered the ‘Father of Modern Democracy,’ and Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as a government ‘Of the people, By the people and For the people.’ English philosopher John Locke, the founder of British pragmatism, was also acclaimed as ‘Father of Democracy.’

Spirit of democracy as rule by people is seldom adhered to, thanks to the advent of ‘Electoral Autocracies,’ where citizens have no ‘Choice and Voice.’ Broad confidence that that world is becoming democratic is misnomer. Growing doubts are causing apprehension in concerned individuals, civil society organizations, intellectuals, and constitutional experts about the ‘Directionless Democracy’ the world over. ‘Democracy appears to be just limited to periodic or sporadic elections, fair or unfair, in most countries, including India. The harsh reality is, world is unevenly split between ‘Autocracies’ and ‘Democracies.’ Many Democracies are still half autocracies! Future of democracy globally being at stake, dissatisfaction is being expressed on its survival, from time to time.

When German President Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany in 1933, and when seeds were sown for destruction of democracy, concerns were expressed across the world. Recently, USA President Joe Biden, in his final State of the Union Address to the Joint Session of US Congress, in the first week of March 2024, said that, ‘Democracy is under threat in US and world under Trump.’ Taking objection to Trump telling Russian Leader Putin, ‘Do whatever the hell you want,’ Biden described it as ‘Outrageous, Dangerous, and Unacceptable.’ This is just one instance where leaders like Trump behaved autocratically unmindful of people’s requirements.

The beauty of ‘Matured Democracy’ is that democratic leaders actively seek inputs from and participation of stakeholders. They create ample opportunities for everyone and value diverse perspectives. In such a democracy, the government is more a facilitator then regulator and exercises less control on people with regard to spending their time, what they believe and practise. People are free to join political parties of their choice and other groups. In dictatorship or autocracy, just one leader will have absolute control over the party, government, and the country. Under the ‘Autocratic type of Democratic Leadership,’ which is the order of the day in most so-called democracies, all decision-making powers are centralised in the leader and they do not entertain any suggestions or initiative even from their own cabinet colleagues, not to speak of civil societies, bureaucrats, intellectuals, and experts from different fields. Unfortunately, leadership akin to 'Democratic Dictatorship' emerged in many countries including India, as in the days of Indira Gandhi. The advent of regional parties in India paved way for the ‘Hegemony’ of their founders.

Post Independence for about quarter of a century, the decision-making process of political parties was an admirable teamwork. ‘Parliamentary Board’ (High Command) in Congress Party, ‘Politburo’ in Communist Party, or similar body for Jana Sangh, and latter Bharatiya Janata Party took decisions based on ‘Consensus.’ Today consensus means decision of ‘Single Individual’ at the helm of affairs! Fundamental principles of democracy, politics, victory, and defeat are seldom observed. Certain facts and reality that parties winning or losing elections is natural, none remains in power forever, and may lose miserably sometime or other are not taken cognisance of .

Primary membership of any political party in democracy before reaching higher positions is bygone history. Now, all shortcuts, as simple as changing shirts, alike to sublimation process where transition of a substance directly from solid state to gas state skipping intermediate liquid state takes place! No ideology and no commitment at all. It is just leapfrogging. A hardcore Communist or dedicated secular party member overnight turns the preferred candidate of a communal party and vice versa. Primary membership and customary waiting is least obligatory for influential and wealthy individuals to get party ticket to contest elections. The instant one (parent) party denies ticket, either that person jumps into the race of an alternative party, or, the person is lured by them. In this context, recent happenings are of considerable concern, if they are read ‘Between the Lines.’ For instance, BJP MP from Karnataka, Anant Kumar Hegde's remarks that BJP needs 400 seats to ‘Change the Constitution,’ alleging that Congress distorted it to suppress the Hindu society, are in bad taste. Though the BJP leadership distanced itself from his remarks, Congress leader Chidambaram labelled it as the ‘End of Parliamentary Democracy.’ This type of threat to democracy and secularism shall not be tolerated. It is also of great concern that two latest reports, one by ‘Varieties of Democracy’ and the other by ‘Pew Research Center,’ project India at a top position in electoral autocratic rule.

In another development, the forgotten slogan of ‘Akhand Bharat’ advocated by Savarkar in somewhat different style, was surprisingly uttered in Yadadri temple, which may well have been done ‘Casually, Inadvertently and Unintentionally.’ This happened when Chief Minister Revanth Reddy visited the temple to participate in ‘Brahmotsavam.’ Chanting Vedic hymns, learned Brahmin priests professed that, “Let Reorganization of Akhand Bharat” be accomplished’ (Akhanda Bharatavani Punar Vyavasteekarana Praptirastu).

A majority of Indians, particularly youth, are unlikely to know the kind of institution building or foundational efforts made for the modern democratic state. They would be concerned more with proof of pudding of democracy, constitution and the Republic. The affairs in India have not remained uniform. In the first 25 years, the Republic witnessed hegemony of a single party. After another 25 years of coalition politics at the helm, the country had returned to One-Leader and One-Party Syndrome’ as observed aptly by Dr N Bhaskar Rao of Center for Media Studies in his book ‘Rejuvenating the Republic.’ May be this is applicable in most democracies.

Meanwhile, on the ‘One Nation, One Poll’ feasibility, the Ramnath Kovind panel recommended simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, followed by local body polls, which was described as ‘One Nation, No Election’ by Jairam Ramesh!

Notwithstanding all this, ‘Democracy shall Prevail Perennially Albeit Rider.’