Assembly or Parliament, temple of democracy

Legislatures are Temples of Democracy

I feel dumbstruck when the events of a last few days in the sphere of our democratic institutions we see, not debates, arguments, fierce oratory, but pandemonium. We see, the Parliament of India rocked by interruptions, disorders, stalemates, which enforces the theory the ‘Devils quoting the scriptures’.  Or we in for autocracy, might is right, or for fighting wars in the four walls of our parliamentary democracy.

We have some of the best Parliamentarians, both in the ruling party, Opposition, and in Politics. Spread across all parties. Our founding fathers had immense nationalism, sentiments, patriotism. There may be different views, manifestation of different thinking, but in true spirit, we have to respect the institutions if we want respect for ourselves.

We have a moral responsibility because we have taken an oath. An oath to preserve the integrity of our cherished institutions. If we do not respect our elders, how can we command respect from our younger ones. Is not running of Parliament or state legislations, involve the exchequer. It is based on people’s faith, the prescription of our Policy as well suited for their well fare, brought us to win in our constituency. Can our action or inaction put them to trouble? Is discipline, not the very essence of our institutions? Should we not create honour by precept and practice? Can we expect our forces to be undisciplined? Can we expect the Police force to be awesome?

In the history of Kerala’s parliamentary democracy, which even saw the first Communist government elected on adult franchise, getting power to rule the state. The faith repository of the most enlightened literate people, who gave power to a Communist Government under veteran E M Shankara Namboodiripad. This is a Guiness Book of World Record entry. 2 years later, another Communist government came to power in Cuba. We had formidable leaders who could through their gift of the gab, oratory, by the might of arguments, pull down governments. Not anymore. The legislators have lost the respect of the people. For, they believe in street fight, proving that might is right. Rushing to the speaker’s podium, squatting in front of the seats. Using placards, shouting slogans, degrading the supremacy of the Speaker by simultaneously creating impediments to the smooth conduct of the house. This is most undemocratic.  

Political leaders must engage in meaningful debates, arguments, express their opinions without fear or favour, and challenge the ruling party or opposition by a string of arguments, characteristic evidence, and should aim at expressing their democratic credentials through the instruments that is provided by the Assembly rules to take head on the ruling party or opposition, as the case may be. But today’s events do not bestow confidence on the well being of democracy, the ruling party or the opposition both throwing decorum to the winds. In 2 minutes all major financial transactions were approved. There may be merit in financial proposals. There might not be merit. Some may be successful projects while some others may not be viable. All these money approvals should be debated, discussed thread bare and then passed. If they are passed in a casual manner, then what is at stake is Crores of Rupees.

Whole parliament sessions have been washed out over lung uproar. Is it healthy democracy? The leaders and the political parties must ponder over this. Anna Hazare advocated the ‘Right to Recall a Representative’ which did not find agreement with the Election Commission nor the Political parties. How can people express their resentment?

Where is our democracy heading?

Democracy, either as a means or as an end, is alien to our Society which has been characterized throughout History by feudal and joint family systems, wherein life’s duties were clearly cut out depending upon one’s station in life.  There was little need for individual decision making, and if one were so inclined, choices were strictly limited.   The leaders, the elders or the system dictated what was to be done and one simply did it. No questions asked, and no answers given. Liberty and Equality, the fountain-head of democracy, were not only beyond the pale but were even subversive of established systems. Yet, here we are today liberating managements for not embracing democracy in a culture where both the management that are supposed to initiate it and the employees who are clamouring for it are strangers to it at least in spirit. Managements shrink practicing democracy for their own reasons.  And the unions which demand democracy rarely follow it within their own rank and file.   How many unions function democratically, holding election for office-bearers regularly?  If industrial democracy today is nothing more than a fad, then the causes for this have to be ferreted out and a course of action chartered so that we cease perpetuating inimical practices.  

From this beginning, the study of management in the US has been bedeviled by a clash between values. Those whose manner is authoritarian argue that autocracy is indispensable to the promotion of efficiency. How true it is, looking at the performance of a noted economist like Dr Manmohan Singh who cannot solve simple economic problems in India because of the governance of like-minded parties called coalition who would at any time turn ‘unlike’?  Industry should serve’ man’ and not man (to serve) the Industry?

Democracy like love is among the most misused words in our vocabulary and one of the evanescent and slippery operational concepts.   Movements conceived in its name assume a life of their own and frequently produce the very opposite of their originator’s intent. Sad though it is, it should not come as a surprise that ‘Theory’ and ‘Reality’ often fail to mesh.

Historians explain the Past and the Economists predict the future! And, we dream of the Present.

The Liberty, Equality and Fraternity,- the popular doctrines that lit up the French Revolution, slowly turned the Road and created anarchy, chaos and lawlessness. It was civil war among its own people. Guillotines were part and parcel of the waywardness of governance. Nonsense took over sense.  It required the might of one man- Napoleon Bonaparte- to quell anarchy with ruthless precision and restore law and order from the lawlessness that prevailed through iron fist.  He brought back the military rule thro’ the back door.  How did the poet react to this terror cum horror story of France when at the beginning of the Revolution, he sang, “Bliss was that dawn to be alive, to be young very heaven.” What happened to the Utopia of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity? Did they realize their dream?   Russian revolution, climaxed in the gruesome massacre of the entire Royal clan. Lenin, who came to Power, according to some stories circulated now, was poisoned by Stalin, who took over the reign on his death. Michel Gorbhachov, who wanted to bring open economy to USSR and usher in modern Reforms, paid the heavy price of seeing his United Soviet Socialist Republic splinter into parts. The super power behind the Iron curtain split into pieces. The echo was felt world wide. The Berlin Wall was felled by public wrath.  A number of Communist countries turned democratic.

But the Dragon, China continues to swear by Communism but is emerging as the most capitalist country in the third millennium. Its lavish Trade, international exposure, external investment in China, all taboo to Communist philosophy, is in full swing. It is the capital of Trading and Commerce.

Oliver Cromwell, who was Lord Protector of the Republic of England after beheading Charles I in 1849, was considered a regicidal dictator so much that Englishmen wanted to return to monarchy. Socrates, an old man, who was a plain thinker and questioner of beliefs was found guilty of treason when the People’s assembly ruled Athens. The period of Periclus in the Athenian History was regarded as the Golden rule. But history weeps that a good man was innocently put to death without reason.

Bertrand Russell, the author of History of Western Philosophy,  , noted thinker, philosopher had criticized warfare as an evil crushing people’s rights. He was a great friend of India’s V K Krishna Menon who was India’s high Commissioner at Britain and later India’s Defence Minister until the Chinese War of 1962.

George Bernard Shaw, a wild critic of William Shakespeare, and himself a dramatist, writer, thinker, and was the founder of the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1895.   His “an unsocial socialist” has ridiculed democracy.

Indian democracy glorifies mediocrity. Democracy has been defined by a European Social scientist as the ‘madness of money”. According to French Political philosopher, it is, ‘the cult of incompetence’. We have in every walk of life men of average ability. Great vision in Planning and Planning can provide a proper place for intellectuals who have the ability to transform ideas into products. Men of genius, make a dash to other countries where they win Nobel prizes. Indian Planners, who draw a Plan for better India of tomorrow, need to understand India of the Gandhian era.

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