The most common conversation I have with other people these days is that how the Government conveniently passes the buck on crucial national issues. Everyone seems to have turned a skeptic of all government officials now due to what we have experienced in recent times. As the 2014 elections are nearing, there is heightened uncertainty on the very integrity of the two national coalition parties and none of the respective candidates seems promising enough to be able to turnaround the suspended ‘India growth story’, or to spearhead some serious disciplinary changes in the society.
As a child, I was
always in awe of the great freedom fighters who loved their country more than
their lives and sacrificed their youth for freedom, the nationalist leaders who
were able to direct millions of people towards the single aim of overthrowing
one of the greatest powers of history, and the distinguished statesmen that had
brought the scattered princely states together to create the world’s largest
federal system of all times – and that was not even a 100 years back! Today,
corruption seems to be deep rooted in the society so much that it is impossible
to imagine the nation that offers a socialistic solution to the problems, where
the bureaucracy is not read as red tape or nepotism and the politicians work
for the betterment of people without seeking wealth accumulating opportunities.
All of this has started
to make me believe that we probably were better off being ruled over by the
British Monarchy – or should have had set up a dictatorship rule for ourselves
at the time of independence. Because the constitution then, written by the 207
members of the constituent assembly who went searching around and consolidating
the “Good” democratic policies followed in the west, had its pedestal on the
sentiments of the illiterate population craving for freedom since 200 odd
years. We got a legally enforced set of Fundamental Rights, an obligatory set
of Fundamental Duties, and a non-enforceable policy framing rule book for the
state called the Directive Principles.
And hence in 1947, a
free, but irresponsible nation was born, that eventually created a society that
was abundantly free, but lacked self discipline. That trusted its statesmen to
lead the nation with the same Gandhian principles. Unfortunately, that forgot
that the future leaders can and will emerge only from among its own people.
In this light, can we
still blame the government for all instances of corruption and carelessness? Or
say that even 50% of these instances are only because of their misconduct? How
skeptical should we be, and how much blame must rest on their shoulders for
these mishaps?
The fact that the
framing of laws in the beginning phase was more lenient than it should have
been cannot be changed. But what can be changed is the resultant mind frame of
the society. The 60% literate population
as compared to only 12% at the time of independence is only an advantage to the
situation. We are not the same old illiterate bunch of monkeys, who could only
recognize a symbol and would vote blindly without even knowing the name
of the candidate. We do not want a prime minister who is
made a prime minister just because his grand father was a great leader.
Changes of the society
however will not happen overnight. They are slow, steady but far more efficient
when resolved in the minds of the people – Like constituting a fearless
whistle-blowing attitude, female education, self-aggression management,
overcoming one’s sense of competition and comparison, empathy and understanding
towards the economically deprived, mutual love, respect and chivalry, and
awareness of the national events.
A deeply corrupt
society can also be overthrown gradually by sowing superior quality seeds – for
example by something as basic as a responsible and enlightened upbringing of
children. Conventional wisdom long held that the children are not capable of
lying and stealing, where as the more modern research states that the children
start lying and stealing as early as at 2 years for many of the same reasons
adults do - to avoid punishment, to gain an advantage, to protect against an unwanted
consequence, and even to boost self-esteem. We all tell lies of convenience,
and our children watch and learn — but not always so literally. Helping the
future generation develop morality and responsibility for its own actions over
the long haul is the goal and also a solution that we all can collectively
contribute to.
The game is not yet
over.
