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  #5  
05-04-2011
Ganesan
Senior Member
 
: Apr 2011
: Chennai
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Bhargavi,

Thanks for your reply.

There is no contradiction in what I'd said. I had not given 2 points, but 2 options. Options will surely contradict each other, as they are meant to be alternatives. Please re-read what I'd said.

I'm not happy with the fact that we have not successfully countered corruption since independence. But it's a fact and we have to face it. So, what else can I say than, "better late than never"? This is by no means 'minimalist' thinking.

Large systems (e.g., countries) have high inertia, and require enormous effort to change them. India being a large and complex country, has this inherent problem. Vested interests gain individually and so take control of politics quickly. Individuals in the country see less personal gains in setting things right and so don't act swiftly. This is what vested interests take advantage of and claim (deceitfully) that they have the support of the majority. What they have done is to subvert the electoral system undermining democracy, but in the very name of democracy.

This is not true of just India, but almost all democracies have to go through such a phase, till most of the people have a reasonable level of subsistence. This is why it is in the interest of all of us that we work for a more equitable society, as otherwise, the interests of the haves and the have-nots will not concur. And it is the nation that will suffer in the hands of opportunistic politicians, who will cheat the haves and the have-nots.

History is full of examples of how people will revolt only when things reach a flash point beyond which they can't take things lying down. (Fact is, for a vast majority of the people in India, this stage hasn't been reached yet.) Why is Israel more assertive as a democracy? Because they have been facing existential threat for ages, not significantly because of any other factor inherent in them. (I"m not making any value judgment here about Israel's cause.)

So, bringing about a change is not an easy task. It requires selfless work of at least some people to fight the case of the society for prolonged durations. Anna represents such an effort today. What is required of us is to stand united (even if we disagree on details, like whether the Bhushans should be on the Committee).

Yes, to an extent I agree "we get the government we deserve". What this means is when the rulers keep pushing us to the breaking point, if we our tolerance is high, we would have permitted them their corruption space, and so we deserve it because we didn't resist. But this will be true of any large, diverse and poor country, not just India. So, this saying should not be used to derisively, but to understand the facts of the situation.

The fact that we have democracy (even if somewhat sham) is our biggest hope.

Ganesan.