DailyPost 1567
DEMOCRATIC MUSING
Recent developments in the democratic world has forced political thought once again to take the center stage. Political thought an old forgotten discipline has to be resurrected in a big way, if the democracies have to withstand the test of time and transform into an electoral and governance model in tune with the times. The rhythm is lost. The thought process that democracies have become robust, matured and timeless has to be got rid of at the earliest. Functional democracy needs to be taught to one and all rather than only the framework which is taught in civics in middle school till graduation in Political Science. Evaluating discrepancies thus becomes a humongous task.
Contemplation and reflection has to become the order of the day. Only that shows a the righ direction and would help avoid the disillusionment that is setting in. Democratic Musing so to say. The first thought is if an elected person / leader in the establishment keeps working against the establishment, against democratically and legally mandated societal, economic and national goals. How this would be synchronised or set right? The democratic thought and operations did not have a conspicuous experience of this fact till two decades back. It has become very conspicuous in last decade globally. Democracies can only break under this burden.
Democratic institutions are designed to be a perfect fit of checks and balances. The understanding is that one might not be able to deliver well, but it will not be allowed to go overboard. The emerging scenarios are firstly all may not deliver because of a different type of synergy created. Secondly, it can also happen that procrastination by any of the wings can turn out to be suicidal. Thirdly, timelines are not dictated to either legislature, executive or judiciary. Can democracies run in a timeless manner? In simple terms a law can be made today or it can never be made. Fourthly, a reform report of an ailing critical service of the nation, in principle agreed by all, can remain unimplemented for three / four decades.
Justice should be done and also should seem to be done. Laws enacted should be fair and should seem to be fair. Executive has to be responsive and not adversarial. Are these accepted tenants being practiced? What does Universal Adult Suffrage mean? Every citizen can gleefully vote as an equal. Does it not mean that every citizen is equal? Does it not mean that the government is duty bound to take care of every single grievance of every single citizen? Has the democratic system failed to create anything even remotely close to this requirement. Democracy does not have a heart, time to give it one.
WHEN PRACTITIONERS FAIL, THINKERS CAN RESCUE. REFORM AND RESURRECT DEMOCRACY.
Sanjay Sahay