Moving towards a chaotic world ! Democracy has become a challenge to handle…
Trump protestors have stormed the Capitol Hill in Washington DC. This is historic and unprecedented in recent times. . We wont go into the merits or demerits of this but would focus on the changing times. We are of the opinion that it is time the democratic nations the world over must meet and talk on how Democracy can be strengthened.
Democracy is a very fragile system of governance where lot of freedom and hence power is placed in the hands of people and the citizens. Then there are parliamentarians and a host of institutes to run the system. Finally there is an media who looks everything as a guardian.
More importantly the whole thing runs by a written code of law and conducts that has to be protected by one and all. This last line is really important. What is the system is tested ? What if some elements are not satisfied ? What if the security of country, people and institutes is at risk? There are many such questions for which many democracies are just not prepared.
Take the farmers and anti CAA protests in India. There can be views on both sides of the case but more importantly we also need to ask how far this protests can be allowed where the protestors block main roads, highways and other facilities for natives.
Its not only about America . Voting doubts have figured in many democracies by the loosing parties. In India too many political parties objected over voting machines . It became a lame excuse for many loosing parties. Democracy needs much more credible system as in the age of information vested interests will always try to destabilise the system with fake news.
In one of our previous blog we have said that Democracy is not for the faint hearted. Today we feel vindicated by that statement. But what if a large number of citizens are illiterate or dont care of state of affairs and are not satisfied with the system. What if there are more partisan citizens even the bureaucracy or people who are supposed to execute the laws.
Conclusion:
This is just a starting of a new ferocious trend that is fast catching up with our democracies. No government in the world can afford to ignore these trends. The world needs more cooperation and coordination, more faith than doubts between government and opposition parties and leaders. The farmer protests in the country need to be delicately handled as there can be heightened emotions and confrontations.
WE wish the government and opposition parties to keep nation first before anything else.
Dr Asheesh Shah
Samanvaya
