Politicians are only as good as the people who vote them into power. Democratic countries with chronic systemic failures should not be counted as disappointments of democracy. No system is successful lest its custodians are apt enough.

How can millions of ignorant and mostly illiterate people be expected to select representatives of the class and poise befitting to lead a fruitful democracy? How is a nation basking in ancient and unscientific beliefs and illogical rituals likely to display prudence in such judgments? It is idiocy to envisage a legislature empowered by such a fair representative of democracy.

Does that mean the uneducated and weak be pushed into the inferno of dictatorship, autocracy or some such? Does everyone not deserve the fundamental rights enshrined in democracy? Should all not have the right to vote and be represented in matters of governance? Is the self esteem of an individual not important? Yes they are. But none of these will be unless we have the right kind of people manning our offices.

Electoral reforms have been on the cards for long. Most of them have never been processed because the rats have teeth too strong. Democracy is like a building which stands on a number of pillars; the entire structure becomes unsafe with one corrupt pillar.

The fact that our legislature is the shame of our democratic system is primarily because we don’t choose the right people to represent us and we fail to do so because our candidates come from within us. How much relevant social ethos do we really have? Most of our un-borrowed social norms are divisive, unjust, discriminating and oppressive. Without being disrespectful one needs to introspect and confess that most of our culture is now ancient and irrelevant. “Indian culture” is what Indians make of it and it needs drastic changes.

Countries which were democratized right after long years of oppressive foreign rules are generally seen to face such problems. Though a matter of debate during our fight against foreign tyranny the social enemies within us were never prioritized. On the other hand countries like France which realized democracy from the oppressive rule of domestic monarchies and the Vatican had to address and resolve their social issues first. It will be interesting to discuss the similarities in situations between pre-renaissance Europe and modern day India.

It’s so easy to crib and cry over things and painstakingly difficult to force a change. If the mass cannot then who can? Democracy is classless. Classlessness does not differentiate between the élite and the educated and the destitute and the ignorant. But the fact remains that mobilization of thoughts has to originate from the mind of the philosopher. Since the élites can it becomes incumbent up on them to step forward and lead. The silver lining is that the privileged are also the most influential. The learned strata of our society are embedded in the judiciary, bureaucracy, journalism and other important institutions of our system. The want to change should start them; want to do away with ancient, irrelevant and irrational traditional practices and un-written laws converting our minds into narrow cocoons, to impede social injustice and the resultant exploitation and to end illiteracy and ignorance. But the million dollar question is do the élites care?

Amendments are revolutionary and revolutions are brought about by the selfless. Display of benevolence is thus required by the capable. If we clean our within and sanitize our ambiance the fruit of democracy will be sweeter than it tastes now. To change is an act of bravery.

© Amartya Ray