FOSTERING PARTICIPATION – INDIAN DEMOCRACY’S FUTURE

INTERPLAY OF DEMOCRACY, CONSUMERISM, MATERIALISM AND PARTICIPATION
Democracy provides an enduring atmosphere for consumerism to exist and thrive. The well worn out but existentially important adage of Roti, Kapda and Makan is not sufficient enough for societies to evolve to their full potential. Consumerism is what makes societies evolve materially; this materialism is not to be abhorred for it serves as an engine for the evolution of needs which spurs manufacturing and advances in technology. Thus, from B&W TV to colour television, from CRT based televisions to flat panel televisions, from landlines to the convenience of mobile telephony; our needs have led the way in all these technological advances. One of the several basic reasons for the collapse of the Soviet system was the stifling of this materialism. If it were not for materialism and the expanding range of necessities humans would not have got past the hunters and gatherers stage in their evolution and civilizations would not have evolved. Thus, anthropologically, it is pretty much certain that materialism is a basic human need which has helped us survive and evolve down the ages. Participation which is the key to any thriving democracy is enhanced by materialism which is the driver of people’s aspirations in their quest towards a better standard of living.

MANUFACTURING HELPS RAISE STANDARD OF LIVING
Manufacturing which is driven by materialism helps generate as well as distribute wealth in a manner better than service industries and Information Technology (IT) can. Service industries and IT require a higher level of skills and education at which a lot of our countrymen are good at. But closer observation reveals that the prosperity these technologies bring has been the exclusive preserve of around 8 to 9 urban areas. Surely, India must build upon its strengths in IT; but it is manufacturing which will bring prosperity to semi-urban, rural towns, and the countryside. According to Mr. Anil Naik, CEO of L&T, in China manufacturing accounts for 50% of the GDP, in Thailand it is 40% of the GDP, in Taiwan and Malaysia it is 45% of the GDP, whereas in India it is just 17% of our GDP. Mr. Naik feels that for India to grow at 8-9% GDP, the manufacturing needs to grow at least 15% per annum from the current 11.5%.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND REFORMS - KEY TO PROSPERITY
Manufacturing and infrastructure are inter-related. For example, the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) launched in December 2000 by the Government to connect villages that didn't have roads, is changing the lives of people and transforming rural India's economic landscape wherever it has reached. Wherever roads are getting laid farmers are responding to market needs faster and better. Cottage industries have come up and sales of bicycles have risen in areas where the PMGSY has reached. Economists feel that the rural roads network can usher in all round prosperity without putting too much strain on the exchequer. Clearly, good infrastructure is a prerequisite for promoting not just manufacturing but also catalyzing the spirit of self-employed entrepreneurship. The interlinking of various rivers in our country-a project envisioned in Nehru’s times and still looked at with much interest, can bring about a boost of not just the internal trade in the country, but reduce people’s dependence on trains and roads by virtue of the transport dimension of such a project. Additionally the severity of problems associated with the simultaneous occurrence of drought and floods in various parts of the country can be abated to a significant degree with the help of such a river interlinking system.

LIBERALISATION LONG OVERDUE There is a growing realization ever since the 90’s that liberalization is an idea whose implementation in the form of total reforms in the various sectors such as for example, power, labour, agriculture is long overdue. Labour reforms will bring about an increase in investment in manufacturing. There is a need to spread the message that labour reforms will generate more jobs for more people rather than more people chasing fewer jobs as is the case when job preservation at any cost is the credo! In fact, labour reforms will take the hassle away from the Government to be a key generator of jobs. The process of liberalization has moved ahead in fits and starts more often than not falling hostage to the dharma of coalition politics. These days even business leaders are trying to gain favour with the left – the “directors” of the economic policies of the present government. This certainly is an unwelcome development; Businesses must stand up against mindless and short-sighted populism. Many of them are in a position to generate informed public debate and build up awareness on issues and should not hesitate to do so. Businesses should realize that short term gains obtained by populist compromises do not stand the test of time. In an ever-changing business as well as technology environment, global pressures and changing political climates invariably short-circuit such strategies.

RESOLVING POLITICAL MONOPOLY AND IMPROVING PARTICIPATION BY TERM LIMITATION The shift to coalition politics from bipartisan politics happened more than two decades ago. Coalition politics and unstable governments represent the rising aspirations of India’s diverse populations and a thirst for inclusiveness and participation in the democratic process. The process is one of democratic churning (manthan) and to a great extent reflects the impatience of the public with poor governance. Given the number of Governments we have witnessed since 1984, it is pretty clear that Indians have felt short shrifted by the Governments of the day. Also the diverse scams, scandals that have rocked the various state and central governments over the years have contributed greatly to a hopelessly negative opinion about the political leadership irrespective of any party in the public mind. Monopoly of leadership is another issue which does not bode well for any democracy especially for an evolving democracy like ours; such monopolies with their attendant idiosyncrasies, belief systems and sycophantic coteries have the capacity to derail the natural progress of a country; also, it is against the very necessary participatory and inclusive nature of democracy. Perhaps we ought to have in our Country something along the lines of the 22nd amendment in the American Constitution which limits the presidency to either two four-year terms or a maximum of ten years in office should he (the president) have succeeded to the Presidency previously and served two years at most completing his predecessor's term. This term limitation suitably adapted should be made applicable to the tenure of MPs, MLAs, PMs, CMs, Sarpanches in our country. Also political parties can try to reform their organization by applying term limitation to intra-party structures. May be, initially we will have cronies of influential leaders as MPs etc, but at least it will leave open a wide window of opportunity for genuinely deserving candidates to take a shot at the “khursi” which they seek with some hope! -Dr V. R. Shenoy