THE TWO DEMOCRACIES WITH ITS UNDERLYING FAULT LINES

 

THE TWO DEMOCRACIES WITH ITS UNDERLYING FAULT LINES

The American civil society went through a painful but determined effort to bring about a change in the way it treated racial groups, including blacks, post-world war. After the death of Kennedy, President Johnson, introduced measures that tried to address the racial issues. The civil rights movement, of Martin Luther King Jr, reinforced this change.
The two American political entities, the Democrats and the Republicans, both had a large segment of liberal members, even though there were still conservatives and white supremacy right wingers lying dormant in both. America seemed to have battled the demon, as if it were, for now, it seemed.

The world had another experiment in liberal democracy, conducted far away in India. After centuries of a highly divided society on caste lines and ruled by multitudes of fiefdoms, this geographical entity, called the Indian subcontinent, was plundered and ruled by all and sundry until the British consolidated its power there. While going about its selfish economic interests, the Englishmen tried to unify the region through education and integration of various regions and building of institutions. The fight for independence from British rule also had its reforms movement dovetailed, when the caste system was condoned systematically and secular values espoused. Post-Independence, India formally tried to bring in equality, unity and integration of all caste sections and religions. A challenging task, as these divisions were deep rooted. The experiment seemed to progress slowly but steadily with moderate success. However, here too, the right-wing religious elements were lying dormant, not finding a narration that will effectively counter post-Independence India's secular and liberal values. This dormant sentiment existed, substantially in the northern and western regions while it slowed down in the South and East. Political entities, representing the far rightist, cast based and religious extremes, did exist and occasionally managed to rise its head. Off and on the nation was asked to choose and go back to the ancient days of divisiveness. But the nation, still in the afterglow of the Independence movement and ideals of leaders who led it, did not give credence.

Back to the US of A. The Americans continued its romanticism with a rightful and just civil society and which, then, culminated in the swearing in of Barak Obama as president in 2009, the first Afro American to do so. It seemed the country finally has caged the demon of polarisation.  But, surprisingly, it actually ended up opening the cage!  Those Americans, who accepted the equality of all races and religions and people, rather reluctantly and quietly, suddenly found what they feared, right in front of them, occupying the most powerful chair in the world. America had 90% white population after the war but now it got reduced to 59%. The fear of the white man of no longer controlling the nation was real. A man called Trump watched this too. In horror! All this sentiment needed was a spark, a unifier of these likeminded people. This and the threat of unemployment was enough of a trigger. Rest is history, as they say.
The fragility of the civic society, of the richest nation, of a powerful democracy, of a nation that took upon itself to protect democracies across the world, albeit for its own interests, was exposed in all its ugliness.

As the world watched, several such groups, all over the world, found inspiration and the voice. Anti semanticism, white supremacy, Asian African  black and brown biases , religious hate and intolerances , castist and racist beliefs , all came to the forefront in the last decade, as all these found leaders  to lead and bring them to power. In several regions. The autocracies watched in glee.
American polarisation is real and regrettably a huge challenge. Will it survive and adhere to the ideals of  its founding fathers or  will it dither?  The jury is still out.

In India too, driven by disappointment of not being anybody in the world order, in spite of its size and potential, rattled by an inept and corrupt government and a party that was no longer representing the values of Indian democracy, there was a feeling of a failed experiment.  The aspirations of a larger and well to do middle class, a economically less empowered, but still well above poverty, poorer sections across cities and villages, ever increasing educated class and an internationally exposed youth, could not visualise a promising future.

An ideal milieu for the fault lines to open up. For those who could use this to blame the situation on the secular principles, abandoning of the so called "Indian culture" , which was a phrase to represent a make believe world of greatness , of human dignity and equality of opportunity. Here too one man and the organisation represented by him, watched. Their desire and those of some powerful rich businessmen, coincided and all that needed to fill the gap for a visionless nation was a unifying narrative.

 

Once again the principal of polarisation, the perceived supremacy of one religion, the identification of nationalism with the need to protect the centuries old “Indian culture" , in spite of history judging it to be chiefly responsible for the subcontinental decay,  became the needed narrative. Easily lapped up by those sections who had been quiet, dormant but internally uncomfortable with modern liberal values. These were sizable enough to bring the leader of these people to power. The fault lines thus opened widely, a chasm that could swallow the whole nation. A nation as defined by the founding fathers. 

 

The road to free human beings from all bondages, physical and emotional, of providing equal opportunities and free will, has been tough. Over the last few centuries. Ever so often this battle seemed to be lost, overwhelmed by the challenges. But the battle goes on. Dependent on men and women of any colour and creed, with the will and conviction to take leadership and guide the people of the world towards the cherished ideals.  The two democracies, the US of A and India, will have to deal with the fault lines. We have no options.