REFORMS TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES
Each of these challenges is linked to the possibility of reforms. As mentioned above, we discuss challenges only because we think these can be overcome. Generally all the suggestions or proposals about overcoming various challenges to democracy are called ‘democracy reform’ or ‘political reform’. We are not going to give here a list of desirable political reforms, for there cannot be any such list. If all the countries do not have the same challenges, it follows that everyone cannot follow the same recipe of political reforms. We cannot prescribe a procedure for car repair without knowing which model the car is, what the defect is and what tools are available, where the car has broken down, etc.
Can we at least have a list of such reforms for our country in today’s context? We can develop some proposals for reforms at the national level. But the real challenge of reforms may not lie at the national level. Some of the crucial questions need to be thought at the State or local level. Besides, such a list may become irrelevant after some time. So, instead of that let us think of some broad guidelines that can be kept in mind while devising ways and means for political reforms in India:
* It is very tempting to think of legal ways of reforming politics, to think of new laws to ban undesirable things. But this temptation needs to be resisted. No doubt, law has an important role to play in political reform. Carefully devised changes in law can help to discourage wrong political practices and encourage good ones. But legal-constitutional changes by themselves cannot overcome challenges to democracy. This is like the rules of cricket. A change in rules for LBW decisions helped to reduce negative batting tactics. But no one would ever think that the quality of cricket could be improved mainly through changes in the rules. This is to be done mainly by the players, coaches and administrators. Similarly, democratic reforms are to be carried out mainly by political activists, parties, movements and politically conscious citizens.
* Any legal change must carefully look at what results it will have on politics. Sometimes the results may be counter-productive. For example, many states have banned people who have more than two children from contesting panchayat elections. This has resulted in denial of democratic opportunity to many poor and women, which was not intended. Generally, laws that seek to ban something are not very successful in politics. Laws that give political actors incentives to do good things have more chances of working. The best laws are those which empower people to carry out democratic reforms. The Right to Information Act is a good example of a law that empowers the people to find out what is happening in government and act as watchdogs of democracy. Such a law helps to control corruption and supplements the existing laws that banned corruption and imposed strict penalties.
* Democratic reforms are to be brought about principally through political practice. Therefore, the main focus of political reforms should be on ways to strengthen democratic practice. As we discussed in the chapter on political parties, the most important concern should be to increase and improve the quality of political participation by ordinary citizens.
* Any proposal for political reforms should think not only about what is a good solution but also about who will implement it and how. It is not very wise to think that the legislatures will pass legislations that go against the interest of all the political parties and MPs. But measures that rely on democratic movements, citizens’ organisations and the media are likely to succeed.
Let us keep these general guidelines in mind and look at some specific instances of challenges to democracy that require some measure of reform. Let us try to come up with some concrete proposals of reform.
Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK
DOCTOR’S ABSENTEEISM VS POLITICAL FUNDING
Here are some challenges that require political reforms. Discuss these challenges in detail. Study the reform options offered here and give your preferred solution with reasons. Remember that none of the options offered here is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. You can opt for a mix of more than one option, or come up with something that is not offered here. But you must give your solution in detail and offer reasons for your choice.
Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK
REFORMING POLITICS
Rose managed to catch Madam Lyngdoh outside the classroom, something she had been planning to do for some time.
“Ma’am! I really liked that Canadian cartoon”. Rose needed something to open the conversation.
“Which one?” Madam Lyngdoh could not recall.
“Ma’am, the one which says 98% Canadians want all the politicians to be locked in the trunk of a car and thrown into Niagara falls. I was thinking of our politicians. We would need a bigger vehicle and a river as mighty as the Brahmaputra!”
Lyngdoh Ma’am smiled at Rose. Like most Indians, she is also very much unhappy with the way politicians of the country have been behaving and running the parties and governments.
But she wanted Rose to appreciate the complexity of the problem: “Do you think our problems will be solved if we get rid of our politicians?,” she asked.
“Yes, Ma’am. Aren’t these mean politicians responsible for all the problems in our country? I mean corruption, defection, casteism, communal violence, criminality… everything.”
Lyngdoh Madam: “So, all we need is to get rid of the current lot. Are you sure that those who replace them will not do these things?”
Rose: “Well, I had not thought of it, but maybe not. Maybe we will get leaders of better character”.
Lyngdoh Madam: “I agree with you that the situation will change if people show more care and alertness to reject corrupt and bad politicians and elect the right ones. And, maybe, all politicians are not corrupt…”
“How can you say that Ma’am” interrupted Rose.
Lyngdoh Madam: “I did not say that politicians are not corrupt. Maybe when you think of politicians, you think of these big people whose photos appear in newspapers. I think of political leaders that I have known. I don’t think that the political leaders I know are more corrupt than my own colleagues, government officials, contractors or other middle-class professionals that I know. The corruption of the politician is more visible and we get the impression that all politicians are corrupt. Some of them are and some of them are not.”
Rose did not give up. “Ma’am, what I meant is that there should be strict laws to curb corruption and wrong practices like appeals to caste and community.”
Lyngdoh Madam: “I am not sure, Rose. For one thing there is already a law banning any appeal to caste and religion in politics. Politicians find a way to bypass that. Laws can have little impact unless people resist attempts to mislead and divide people in the name of caste and religion. You cannot have democracy in a real sense unless people and politicians overcome the barriers of caste and religion.”
Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK