Comments on: India’s New Year Resolution: Move Beyond Left And Right

By: Ramki

Ramki — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 17:56:41 +0000

One thing that people do not acknowledge (by people i refer to the Chattering and Blogging Folks like us over here) is that India is very much a Relationship based society (and so is much of Asia) where Relations between individuals gets precedence over Rules (or laws). It is high time that we atleast accept this reality, however bitter may it be. It is better to work within the limitations of the system by acknowledging the same. Talking about Middle Class in India being confined to caste and religious ties is good in theory but the reality is that India is heterogeneous. Someone here says that what Unites India is only cricket… i wont agree - India as a nation is united by the spirit of survival, we are afterall the only civilisation that has existed continuously for 5 millenia despite countless foreign invasions. So let us first acceept some of our divisions and try to work within the system and get maximum material benefits for our population at large. India as a nation needs to quickly generate jobs for its teeming millions and we should all find ways to unite despite our differences.

By: J. Yin

J. Yin — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 00:08:03 +0000

China –with its more homogenous society and totalitarian system- can afford to ride rough-shod over socio-economic concepts like equality and egalitarianism (though risk a cultural revolution, great leap forward kind of mess every few decades).

A second Cultural Revolution is impossible in today’s China. Both Cultural Revolution and Great Leap Forward occurred under Mao Zedong. It was not China’s roughshodding of equality and egalitarianism that caused the Cultural Revolution. What cause the Cultural Revolution was firstly Mao’s cult of personality and secondly a misapplication of equality and egalitarianism. Uncontrolled and unchecked leftism caused the Cultural Revolution.

The central government today is rarely present in the everyday lives of the Chinese. There is no cult of personality. Leftism today is less tolerated in China than laissez-faire rightism.

By: PH

PH — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 18:10:15 +0000

Nanubhai,
Good posts. I’ve always wondered what cognitive bug causes people to defend their ‘ideology’ against all evidence. Often, I come to this forum because the blogs talk policy not the usual mutually assured derision and name calling. I want to see an electoral candidate anywhere in the world who goes up on that dias and says, ‘I don’t have an ideology’…but, I guess that’s my wish and it’s not even a holiday:)

By: Jana

Jana — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 17:31:43 +0000

Idealogies expressed by politicians are for vote bank. The present system needs tons of money for elections. If politicians wish to survive in politics they need to develop vote banks. They are ruined if not elected. No one can take objections on idealogies. If one feels this should change the only solution is to reduce election expenditure to ZERO and make politicians loyal. This can be done if people wish to be governed properly and have strong desire to work for it.

By: Nanubhai

Nanubhai — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 19:24:18 +0000

Nita, I couldn’t agree more.

By: Nita Jatar Kulkarni

Nita Jatar Kulkarni — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 03:21:40 +0000

What bugs me is when I see that some people use their so-called idealogies just to lure their vote banks. They do not really believe…they are hypocrites. When it comes to actual work they shirk it. I think these ‘idealogists’ would do well to talk less and work more and only then they will know whether their idealogies are workable and practical…or just rhetoric.

By: Jana

Jana — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 16:12:23 +0000

To reform politicians basic requirement is the Government should undertake election expenditure of the politicians. The government should lay down method of propaganda needed for candidates, eligibility to contest election, and floor crossing.

If election expenditure is borne by the state, rules made to make list of candidates on ballot paper short and continuous faith for a party (or independent) in immediate past on date of filing nomination there shall be great improvement in good people contesting elections.

If the politicians are reformed it shall be easy to achieve goals.

By: Aashish Gupta

Aashish Gupta — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 05:15:45 +0000

indeed, what is surprising in india is the death of what is called middle ground. you are either this, or that. often that polarisation appears to divide and stratify us, and perhaps may be a sourse of conflict. what is important, as sen points out in the argumentative indian, discussion, but with respect to the arguments of the other side, and as philosophers from plato’s time have told us, the search for truth. indeed, we can learn somethinh propounded by buddha, when he talked about ‘the middle path’.

By: ASMitra

ASMitra — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 21:37:48 +0000

“The Indian middle class does not influence the political atmosphere.”

I agree. Though, I was referring to the Indian middle class (IMC) being poised, increasingly, toward becoming ‘dominant’ in influencing the *political discourse*; I din’t even raise the topic of their actual/perceived influence on the overall *political atmosphere*. The 2 concepts - political discourse and political atmosphere- are, definitionally and contextually, distinctly different.

“I would go so far as to say that the Indian middle class is also divided along the same caste or religious vote banks. ”

Although I have mixed feelings on this, I still think that -within developing countries (incl India)- educated, english speaking, professional middle classes will have an increasing proclivity to vote on secular and economic issues rather than be driven by narrower race/region/caste/ethnic considerations.

“The economic issues in India take a back seat to social engineering. Unless we find groups that are willing to speak openly about the unspeakable, we will continue to discuss peripheral issues.”

I sense a very cynical sentiment here. Though, I will reserve any comment on this unless you are able/willing to articulate your thoughts on this in more detail.

By: realitycheck

realitycheck — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 07:57:07 +0000

ASMitra,

The Indian middle class does not influence the political atmosphere. I would go so far as to say that the Indian middle class is also divided along the same caste or religious vote banks.

The economic issues in India take a back seat to social engineering. Unless we find groups that are willing to speak openly about the unspeakable, we will continue to discuss peripheral issues.