Murder of Democracy

Leaders and the ideologies they propound ask a fundamental question, 'Is Humanity basically good or bad?'

Those who believe that Humanity is basically bad, unabashedly seek to concentrate power in their hands and dominate the masses with the help of a relatively small group of loyalists and supporters. It is usually centred around an ideology and a few personalities.

However whenever one entity tries to dominate another, conflict will naturally occur, as Theocracies, Dictatorships, Monarchs and Communists have discovered. 

Each type of domination has its advantages and disadvantages. The more overt the domination more the hostility. When domination is covert and subtle, the less the opposition by the dominated. 

Democracy has the unique distinction of the masses to choose who will dominate them, if even for a short while. Naturally  the people are more accepting of democracy than any other form of rule. 

Democracy is not a new concept it has existed in various forms for thousands of years. An interesting note is available on Wikipedia What is Democracy?

Though I quote American President John Adams, America is not the originator of democracy, though it is the loudest proponent of its own kind of democracy.

Known Western Democracy originated in Europe with Athens 508 -507 B.C.E. and then other City states and across Greece then Roman empire. It then spread across Europe and finally through post Colonial efforts it spread across the world.

In a democracy the politicians have to woo the electorate. This is relatively easy. They break up the electorate into tribes, religions, genders, race, caste, and then grant each group in the electorate with favours and privileges. With passage of time the tail increasingly wags the dog.

Wooing the electorate with the wealth of the state is easy. The politicians don't have to spend their own money, they just take it out of the State treasury and distribute it. 

As appeasement grows, which it will always do so in a democracy, more and more power and privileges flow to certain groups and the drain on the exchequer deepens. 

This is because in a democracy wealth flows from the producers to the non producers in the name of 'equality'. As a result the State sinks deeper and deeper spiritually, financially, socially, morally and culturally.

Naturally a State weakened by the burden of unsustainable load can no longer indulge the people. When governments cannot afford to indulge and bribe the electorate, restrictions are placed on the people and sacrifices are demanded of them.  First the people will grow angry, then furious and finally riots and violent protests will break out and one day democracy will collapse.

When this happens another form of government will step in, promising  to try and set things right. This new form of government will be very centralised and highly authoritative. The people will have lost their freedom and democratic rights. 

This calamity of the death of democracy may be delayed by a wise population but its death is inevitable. That too, only if the people exercise their electoral and citizenship rights with responsibility as long as they can.

While on the topic one must look at a different kind of Socialistic Democracy that was practiced in India for 2000 years until the Muslim invaders tampered with it and the British completely dismantled it. 

Until this invasion on India's civilisational political structure India had a different kind of vibrant democracy. A system where every village was a Republic. 

In the Indian democratic system called the 'Asiatic Model' the people in society held much their resources in a common pool. The villagers themselves decided upon everything that impacted their lives through their Panchayat system (reintroduced in 1992). They paid their taxes to the ruler but otherwise they just minded their own affairs without any significant interference from a government bureaucracy and the ruling elites at the capitals.

The Cholas in South India had a well documented democratic electoral system in 920 C.E.  I am not sure there was any comparable system elsewhere in the world at that time.

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Still Looking For Freedom

It is the 15th of August and the anniversary of Indian independence.
There is great official pomp and ceremony across the land. Patriotic songs are heard everywhere, to imbibe a sense of patriotism in the people. Sadly most people do not bother and patriotism seems to be waning everywhere except in the field of cricket. But the youth they do listen, because they are trusting and eager to learn and they can be forced to listen in the educational institutions.

Independence means freedom, but from what and whom?  India won her independence not only from the British, but also the Portuguese and 562 monarchs with titles of Rajas, Maharahajas, Nawabs, Nizams, Khans and Baigs.  

The foreigners and the kings and their staff may have departed and replaced by a new breed of rulers. The country is now run by numerous criminal politician cum businessmen and an often corrupt and dysfunctional government administration.

Sadly we Indians have always been outsourcing our governance to foreigners for over a 1000 years. As long as that happens, India cannot be free. Foreigners need not only be people of foreign birth but also people who do not have their heart or their minds and commitment to the Indian people or nation whom they have sworn under oath to serve.

Every citizen wants, a government of the people, by the people, for the people.

Forget about evil political leaders and useless governments for a while. Let us focus nearer to our own selves and our homes. 

Teachers at schools may teach various subjects but it is the parents in homes who instill values.

Every man is a king and every woman a queen of your own home, where you make and implement your won rules and policies. Your writ runs in your own home. 

Do you show integrity and responsibility in your own home? What example do you set for your family and your colleagues?

Voltaire the French Philosopher and writer said, "It is not only important to be free, but to also know what to do with one's freedom".

We are a young and fragile democracy. We must realise that with freedom comes not only rights but also responsibilities. Almost everyone demand their rights but apparently remain oblivious about their responsibilities. Such a society is like a one winged bird, may even look beautiful and chirp happily, but it cannot fly.

Freedom is not only about being physically free. An individual can never be free if he or she is shackled by an enslaved mind. And an enslaved mind is the product of a weak spirit.

Our children are our future, however they will become what we help mould them into.

This independence day let us vow afresh to teach our children the difference between right and wrong, instill the wisdom to make right choices and the courage to do the right thing. 

If each one of us does this, then we can hope to be truly free.