Independence Day: A delayed thought

The thing that is remarkable about India is, after independence while individual citizen has succeeded, the state has failed.

I think that this is not some coincidence. Our cultural DNA is such that left to himself, an Indian will make most of it, however if a state which restricts freedom and opportunities, and at the same time promises welfare, exists, he will expect the state to provide for his welfare in a measure which is in no way connected to his individual effort and at the same time accept control without any resistance.

The other point is once an Indian occupies a position of power and discretion, on average there will be a tendency to misuse it. This is not to say that all such Indians will be dishonest, also this is not to imply that world over politicians and bureaucrats are opposite. Rather the point is the tendency and craving for power and pelf is much stronger.

I speculate that both these tendencies have their roots in our culture which is defined (at any rate heavily influenced) by feudal rule and strict social hierarchy. This coupled with a long history of suppression by successive foreign rulers (first Islamic and then British) has engendered a natural meekness in the Indian as an individual towards authority.

While there can be a position that Indians had autonomy in not insignificant percentage, that autonomy had community (primarily caste) as the unit and not the individual.This can also explain why the Indian who is meek as an individual can be most violent when a part of the mob.

While I am not thrilled by various individualistic movements, who while embracing individual at best ignore and at worst strongly reject the relevance of social structure, the fact remains that freedom as well as state has to be primarily in context of individual. Therefore this should be the agenda for a stronger India.

Ultimately the aim for stronger India should be to disconnect from idea of governance from idea of suzerainity (both of which are represent atleast in Hindi by a single word, Sarkaar)
 

 

Category : India, Society, Culture, Civilization, History