A Case for Down-to-Earth Governance

The Hindu     9th September 2020     Save    

Context:  Since independence, strong local governance remains the un?nished agenda to make India’s democracy strong and deep. 

Issues with the electoral democracies:

  • Dominance of money power: The race to raise more money for legitimate electioneering purposes can corrupt the process of funding parties and elections.
  • Money is required to win elections legitimately, even when people are not bribed to vote, which is illegitimate.
  • Communications with citizens, essential for democracy, can be very expensive, e.g. increased expenditure in social media.
  • No Easy Solutions: To put one’s money where one’s mouth is, is a fundamental right that cannot be denied as the Supreme Court of the United States ruled.
      • Issues with both the Parliamentary and Presidential system: While the debate continues about which is a better system, both have their inherent flaws:
      • For. E.g. U.S. with the presidential system cannot implement reforms to its flawed health-care system because of party divisions within its democratically-elected Congress and Senate 
      • While the parliamentary system is known for its better representation hardly inspire citizens’ confidence in their representatives’ as seen in India.
      • Issues with the conduct of deliberations: are inherent problems due to the design of the process for electing representatives.
      • Representatives favour local issues since their re-election is based on their promises made to the local constituency, which neglects the national concern.
      • Constituency favouring leads to challenges for equitable solutions for sharing of river waters, and to railway stations where there are very few people.
      • Electing good (educated) representative doesn’t ensure good decision making
        • Quote: “Had every Athenian citizen been a Socrates, every Athenian assembly would still have been a mob.” – James Madison in The Federalist. 
      • Issues with the parties:
      • Multiple and Contradictory views:
      • When there are too many parties and too many contradictory points of view to be accommodated within a coalition, governance can break down. 
      • Lack of Inner democracy:
      • Parties become reviled as the means for self-aggrandising politicians to amass power and wealth, and democratic nations suffer.
      • Direct Democracy, not a solution: Failure of representative democracy has resulted in attractiveness of direct democracy where every decision can be put directly to the citizens.
      • But, if all voters have not understood what is at stake, they cannot decide well, -  
      • For, E.g. even after direct democracy in California, the decision making remains complex.
      • Failure of Brexit referendum and complexities involved.

        Way Forward: 

        • Resolution by reason:
        • Complex issues, where many interests collide, must be resolved by reason, not settled by the numbers 
        • Push for good local governance:
        •  For, E.g. Locals know best how to balance the preservation of their water sources while making it easier for local enterprises to do business.
        • To make their local schools and health facilities accessible to all citizens. 
        • One-size solutions cannot fit all: 
        • Local systems solutions are thus essential to solve global systemic problems of environmental sustainability and inclusive growth.
        • Electoral and Party reforms: Electoral funding must be cleaned up, and democracy within political parties shall be improved
        • Citizens as the source of the solution: and not as only the source of problems for governments and experts to solve for them.
          • For, E.g. Citizens must learn to listen to each other’s perspectives in their villages and in their urban neighbourhoods.