8/7/2019 Democracy and Corrupt Politicians
1/3
DEMOCRACY AND CORRUPT POLITICIANS
The concept of democracy evokes strong feelings. People generally feel that is the
best form of governance. A type of governance in which decisions are taken fairly; and in
which the people have a feeling that they can make a difference if they want to. One can
almost visualize the early beginnings of democracy, long back, during the time when
humans were but mere hunter-gatherers, councils being held to decide important
decisions; in which the feelings of no one was left out. The concept is simplistically
brilliant. Very often mathematicians find that the toughest problems have the easiest
solutions. Mathematics very often encapsulates life. The tough problem of how to take
decisions may have a simple solution of taking a majority vote. Of course, there are
theorists who beg to differ, but well, we cannot satisfy everyone, all six billion plus of
them living, simultaneously. Some believe that a single ruler must take decisions for the
country at large. They believe that dictatorship is good; and it may be, for the dictator in
question at least. Some believe that a permanent group of well-informed people must take
decisions on behalf and independent of hoi polloi, but this system too has its
disadvantages.
Thats not to say that democracy too does not have its disadvantages. A
cumbersome process at best, when the population exceeds one billion, as in India, it will
certainly be an extremely difficult task to get the opinion of all the people. It has often
been noticed that when a large group of people all vote together on an issue, they have an
uncanny, almost eerie knack on making the right decisions. Decisions that help them in
the long run. Well, groups of people cannot get much larger than Indias one billion plus
people, right? However, even though technology has developed by leaps and bounds,getting the opinion of so many people is well, not possible; at least for now. With the
purest form of democracy ruled out due to its overwhelming complexity, a system of
parliamentary democracy developed. Parliamentary democracy is defined as the
democratic form of government in which the party (or a coalition of parties) with the
greatest representation in the parliament (legislature) forms the government, its leader
8/7/2019 Democracy and Corrupt Politicians
2/3
becoming prime minister or chancellor. It started in England and was brought to its
many colonies by them. One of the few benefits of being ruled by the British, I suppose.
Every cloud has a silver lining, you see.
One of the biggest problems that India has been facing over the years is
corruption. Well, corruption is certainly not unique to India, but it has been very
destructive to India in particular, because India is rising right now, and thus there is more
to plunder for evil, self-centered people. So, India languishes at the 78th spot in
Newsweeks list of Worlds best countries. Corruption is often compared to a leech. And
its not without reason. It sucks the blood of the nation. And what is the blood of the
nation? Money, money and money. So our beloved country is not able to rise with its full
strength. A series of unfortunate events as Lemony Snicket would have said, right?
Winston Churchill once said that democracy is the worst form of governance apart from
the various ones already tried out. One of the titans of the 20 th century, he committed
himself and the nation to an all-out war until victory was achieved, and his great
eloquence, energy, and indomitable fortitude made him an inspiration to his countrymen,
especially in the Battle of Britain. I am saying all this mainly to reinforce the character of
the person who spoke the aforementioned words. Well, when such a weighty man spoke
such weighty words, what can one such as I do, but concur?
Now, corruption and politicians often go together; in Indian language and
contemporary speech anyway. We almost cannot imagine a politician who is not corrupt.
This is how bad the situation is. This is what the general belief is anyway, and it is
promptly reinforced from time to time by rumours and reports of scams running into
untold crores. A shame and a taint on our nation, I must say. Politicians are the most
powerful people and I think that they must see more movies. Yes, you got me right,
movies. The words With great power comes great responsibility were written with
them in mind, in all probability. Well, happy endings are for movies only, till now
anyway, but it would make a tangible and needed difference if something like that
happens in real life too. And an end to all corruption is certainly needed. Well, it looks
possible, but certainly improbable right now. Firm steps should be taken, by a firm
8/7/2019 Democracy and Corrupt Politicians
3/3
leader, either a charismatic one or a brutal one. A Kennedy or a Stalin would suffice; but
we all would, of course prefer the former. Are you listening, Rahul Gandhi?
Forums in which decisions are taken, often on issues involving large amounts of
money have attracted a large number of leeches, rather blood-thirsty ones, which are
intent on spoiling the future of our country. This is one of the disadvantages of
democracy, in which people are selected on basis of merit to manage affairs of great
importance in the country. Even one rotten apple in a barrel is dangerous and we often
find out this the hard way and even more often when there is nothing one can do. Often
transparency is an issue and when that happens, things usually go bad. The people who
usually handle important portfolios are also unfortunately, in this case anyway, quite
clever and know loopholes in the system to exploit, or can just indulge in a simple bit of
cheating or money-laundering. Very simple indeed. Too simple actually. That is not to
say that the whole barrel is corrupt; rather that there seem to be very few of them. By the
way have you heard of the recent news of an IAS couple caught with an inordinate sum
of money with them? Probably they were the stupidest or the most reckless. That was
about the babus. And I am not even going to start with the netas.
So, all in all, it looks as if corruption is almost impossible to eradicate, if only
because of the base nature of human character and the trait of greediness that seems to be
interwoven with it, held together with the finest links of steel. Somewhere, somehow, it
just happens. Maybe I am a bit pessimistic, but it is better to keep all possibilities in
mind. The need of the hour seems to be a transparent regulatory mechanism, which does
not deteriorate into just another way for politicians to manipulate things for their own
good. In India in some states, Lokayuktas have been set up to weed away corruption, and
people say that it has been doing a good job. Is it the answer? Nobody can tell right now,
but sooner or later things are bound to come out into the light and then we can tell with a
fair idea what effect it has had on politics at large. However, as with all things dark, we
cannot be totally sure.
PRATHEEK PRAVEEN KUMAR