Thursday, September 10, 2009

In Defense of Democracy

I haven't written in a while, and now that I am back I have picked the prickliest subject there is. Recently in a conversation my right to question domestic Indian policies was brought into question, I was also accused of indulging in soft American democratic psychobabble. I hope the few lines I now think are worth putting down don't sound like defensive whining, but come through like the crystal clear thoughts that they are in my mind.

There are a few kinds of people who will not be open to this discussion. If you truly believe that I have forfeited my rights to take an interest in and talk about my country just because I have decided to further my education and career in the United States, then there is nothing I can say that will make you change your mind. In any case the title of the Blog is not 'In defense of my inalienable right as a citizen to be concerned about and have opinions about my country, its governance system, its policies and its people.' I consider that well and truly defended.

Democracy as a word has become commonplace and innocuous. Its meaning seems abundantly apparent and its importance unquestionable. However, as an ideology democracy is a lot more than just being a government 'Of the people, by the people and for the people.'In fact democracy is the perfect anti ideology, one of its fundamental requirements being that all existing ideologies must be embraced and understood. Is democracy just a system of governance or can it be more than that? Can it be a guideline to living our lives?

Democracy gives us the right to vote for our leaders. It gives us the choice to choose an agenda we believe in, a leader we have confidence in and a chance to speak out every time we believe our trust is being misplaced. Democracy has in a way become synonymous with freedom. The freedom to speak out against injustice, to protest, to make our own choices. But I personally think democracy is a lot more than that. I think democracy is more than being able to speak out, it is the opportunity to listen. It is more than airing opinions, it is about fair and reasonable debate and the opportunity not just to change minds but to have your own mind changed.

Democracy as an ideology embraces empathy. We are all brought up with a considerable moral background, we are taught to understand right and wrong. But it is impossible for us to assume that we can understand every perspective and every circumstance. If we are to live by democratic ideals, we must learn to listen to and understand the circumstances of our fellow human beings. Democracy gives us a platform to bring about not just the change we want, but the change a collective wants.

Does democracy impede progress? That is a question that will have me labeled as a heretic in the country I now live in. However democracy does entail a system that slows down the implementation of policies. As an Indian I cannot see my country moving forward economically as fast as China, because we cannot compare to the swift decision making of a single person. That does not and should not however bog us down. Democracy opens up our perspectives to far greater things than just our own needs. It requires the patience to listen and learn. As a country we need to keep that alive. Within our government and within the next generation. Don't just add to the cacophony, listen.

P.S. This blog was a draft since September 09. I came in to do a New Year's post, but thought I couldn't leave this one unpublished. So Happy New Year ya'll! May new and wondrous things happen to us all!