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Dynastyindemocracy|Frontline

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Dynastyindemocracy

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Indemocraciesgovernedbyadynasty,theleaderistheprimefundraiserwithcontrolovertheparty
machineandseestoitthattheleadingmembersremaindivided.SouthAsiapresentsavividexampleof
thebalefulconsequencesofdynasticrule.ByA.G.NOORANI
ASfarbackasin1776,TomPainewroteinhisclassicCommonSensethisstingingcritiqueofhereditarysuccession.Itapplieswithall
thegreaterforcetothecountriesofSouthAsia,particularlytoIndia:Governmentbykingswasfirstintroducedintotheworldbythe
heathens,fromwhomthechildrenofIsraelcopiedthecustom.Itwasthemostprosperousinventionthedevileversetonfootforthe
promotionofidolatry.Theheathenspaiddivinehonourstotheirdeceasedkings,andtheChristianworldhasimprovedontheplanby
doingthesametotheirlivingones.Howimpiousisthetitleofsacredmajestyappliedtoworm,whointhemidstofhissplendouris
crumblingintodust!
Totheevilofmonarchywehaveaddedthatofhereditarysuccessionandasthefirstisadegradationandlesseningofourselves,so
thesecond,claimedasamatterofright,isaninsultandimpositiononposterity.Forallmenbeingoriginallyequals,noonebybirth
couldhavearighttosetuphisownfamilyinperpetualpreferencetoallothersforever,andthoughhimselfmightdeservesome
decentdegreeofhonoursofhiscontemporaries,yethisdescendantsmightbefartoounworthytoinheritthem.Oneofthestrongest
naturalproofsofthefollyofhereditaryrightinkingsisthatNaturedisapprovesit,otherwiseshewouldnotsofrequentlyturnitinto
ridicule,bygivingmankindanassforalion(emphasishereintheoriginal).
Thedynasticprincipleisstillinvogueinthe21stcenturythoughitsresultshaveproveddisastrous.WhatiscalledGenNextisa
demonstrablefailureOmarAbdullah,AkhileshYadavandRahulGandhi.NormustoneforgettheregionalfiguresDeviLalsson
OmPrakashChautalaM.KarunanidhisoffspringM.K.StalinandM.K.Alagiriandacoupleofothers.
TomPainereturnedtothethemein1792inhisfamousworkRightsofMan:Whenthemindofanationisboweddownbyany
politicalsuperstitioninitsgovernment,suchashereditarysuccessionis,itlosesaconsiderableportionofitspowersonallother
subjectsandobjects.Hereditarysuccessionrequiresthesameobediencetoignoranceastowisdomandwhenoncethemindcan
bringitselftopaythisindiscriminatereverence,itdescendsbelowthestatuteofmentalmanhood.Itisfittobegreatonlyinlittle
things.Itactsatreacheryuponitself,andsuffocatesthesensationsthaturgetodetection.Hischaracterisationofhereditary
successionaspoliticalsuperstitionisapt.
JeremyPaxmanoftheBBCstunnedBilawalBhuttointosilencebyasimplequestionisthelifechairmanshipofapoliticalpartya
pieceoffurnituretobeinheritedonthedeathofaparent?AnincisivecritiquewaswrittenbyMubarakAli,anotedPakistanihistorian
ofLeftleanings,inDawnofDecember7,2014:Itisnotpossibleforanydynastytoproducetalentedandintelligentmembers
continuouslybecausetalentisnotapropertyofanyparticularfamily.Whenpowerisinheritedbytheweakanddependent,thestate
confrontsdisorderandchaos.Inademocraticsystem,themonopolyofaroyaldynastyoverpoliticalpowergraduallycomestoanend.
Democracyopensthevenuetoallclassesofsocietytocontestforpoweranddisplaytheirtalenttogovernthecountry.
Howthendidthedynasticprinciplecometoacquiresuchblindadherence?B.R.Ambedkar,ChairmanoftheDraftingCommitteeof
theConstituentAssembly,realisticallylaidbarebeforeitsmemberstherotinIndiansocietythaterodesdemocracy.Hesaidon
November4,1948,whileintroducingtheDraftConstitutionfordebate:Constitutionalmoralityisnotanaturalsentiment.Ithastobe
cultivated.Wemustrealisethatourpeoplehaveyettolearnit.DemocracyinIndiaisonlytopdressingonanIndiansoil,whichis
essentiallyundemocratic(emphasisaddedthroughout,exceptwhereindicatedotherwise).
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Likecaste,thefeudaltraditionofIndiansocietycametotheforeandbegantowreakhavoc,whichisthereforalltosee.Monarchsare
astuteenoughtosharesomespoilsofpowerwithfawningaristocratswhothusacquireavestedinterestinthesystem.Indemocracies
governedbyadynasty,theleaderistheprimefundraiserwithcontroloverthepartymachineandseestoitthattheleadingmembers
remaindivided.
Thepolityissplitwithenormousharmtotheparliamentarysystem.Thecivilserviceisaffected,withsomeofitsmemberseverready
andwillingtopleasethereigningdynasty.SouthAsiapresentsavividexampleofthebalefulconsequencesofdynasticrulefoundedby
IndiraGandhiinIndiaZ.A.BhuttoinPakistanSheikhMujiburRehmaninBangladesh,andS.W.R.D.BandaranaikeinSriLanka.
Tragically,allfourwereassassinatedallfourimpaireddemocraticgovernanceandallofthemandtheirheirsfosteredapersonality
cult.MotilalNehrudoubtlesspromotedhisson.ButonlyaParivarmanor,whatcomestothesamething,aPatelite,woulddenythat
JawaharlalNehruhadthemakingsofanationalheroandemergedasoneinthe1920sinhisownright.
BenazirBhuttofollowedthewaysofherfather.SirimavoBandaranaikeestablishedanautocracywithanewConstitution.Tothisday,
BangladeshishopelesslysplitbetweenMujibsdaughterSheikhHasinaWajedandZiaurRahmanswidow,BegumKhaledaZia.Tobe
accurate,adynastywasactuallyfoundedandfosteredonlybyIndiraGandhi.Intheotherthreecases,theheirassumedthemantle
aftertheparents/husbandsdeath.Theresults,however,wereidentical.Sinceallcouldnotsharetheenthusiasm,thepolitywassplit
evenly.This,incidentally,isalsotheresultifapoliticalpartyespousesadeeplydivisiveagenda,astheBharatiyaJanataParty(BJP)
hasdonewithHindutva.
Theparliamentarysystemforthatmatteranyotherdemocraticsystemdoesnotworkifthereisadeepchasmbetweentheruling
andoppositionparties.ArthurBalfourstatedthisruleaccuratelyinhisintroductiontothesecondedition(1927)ofWalterBagehots
classicTheEnglishConstitution.Hewrote:Shouldanyonebeinclinedtoregardthis[hislistoftests]asanoverstatement,lethim
seriouslyconsidertheselastqualificationsforCabinetGovernmentnamely,ifthedivisionsbetweenpartiesaretoonumerousortoo
profound.Multiplicityofpoliticalpartiesisnottheonlyvicethatcanimpairdemocracy.Letthepoliticalpartiesbereducedtotwo
(admittedlythemostconvenientnumberforCabinetgovernment),butletthechasmdividingthembesoprofoundthatachangeof
administrationwouldinfactbearevolutiondisguisedunderaconstitutionalprocedure.Thatwouldbeenoughtowreck
parliamentarydemocracy.
Dynasticrulenecessarily,inherently,survivesonthepersonalitycult.Peopleabasethemselvestoseekthefavourofthesupreme
leader.JonathanSwiftmercifullydescribedthisaproposGulliverspartingfromhismasterahorse.Itooksecondleaveofmy
master,butasIwasgoingtoprostratemyselftokisshishoof,hedidmethehonourtoraiseitgentlytomymouth.Iamnotignorant
howmuchIhavebeencensuredformentioningthislastparticular.Detractorsarepleasedtothinkitimprobablethatsoillustriousa
personshoulddescendtogivesogreatamarkofdistinctiontoacreaturesoinferiorasI.NeitheramIignoranthowaptsome
travellersaretoboastofextraordinaryfavourstheyhavereceived.Butifthesecensureswerebetteracquaintedwiththenobleand
courteousdispositionoftheHouyhnhnmstheywouldsoonchangetheiropinion.HowrevoltingisthespectacleofCongress
stalwartsabasingthemselvesbeforeRahulGandhi.TheydidthesameexercisebeforeSanjayGandhiand,later,RajivGandhi.
Underminingofdemocracy
B.K.NehrurightlyattributedtheperniciousdoctrineofacommittedcivilserviceandacommittedjudiciarytoP.N.Haksar,
PrincipalSecretarytoPrimeMinisterIndiraGandhi.Haksarcouldnot,wouldnot,havepropoundeditifhedidnotsensequite
correctlythatIndiraGandhiwantedtosubornthecivilserviceandthejudiciary.Sheencouragedcivilservants,intheforeignaswell
asthehomeservice,tobehermen.T.N.Kaul,I.C.S.,wasforemostamongthem,butbynomeanstheonlyoneofthistribe.
AsearlyasonFebruary28,1959,T.N.KaulwrotetoIndiraGandhifromtheIndianEmbassyinTehraninreplytoherletterof
February10.KaulenclosedanoteofferingunsolicitedadvicetotheCongresspresidentpurgetheCongressandsplitit.(Seepage36.)
This,whileJawaharlalNehruwasverymuchalive.AftershebecamePrimeMinister,IndiraGandhiwrotetohimonMay30,1966,
complaining,significantly,thatinspiteofyourassurances,thesituationvisavisthesocalledleftistswhetheroftheCongressor
outsidehasnoteased.Theirattitudeisincreasinglyandopenlyhostile.(Seepage37.)Evidently,hehadrunerrandsforherto
persuadehercriticsandthenofferedherassurancesoftheirgoodconduct.Thecomplaintsbyherrevealtheatmosphereofthetimes
and,incidentally,V.K.KrishnaMenonspolitics(V.K.K.M.intheletter).
IndiraGandhiwrote:
VKKMhas,asyouknow,beenhostileandcontemptuousallalong.HewantsahighupjoborhewantstobesenttoCairoandother
places.IfIcouldtrustthathewouldsupportthegovernment,Iwouldtrytofindanexcusetosendhim.ButhislastvisittoCairohas
caused[EyptianPresidentGamalAbdel]NassertodistrustGovernmentofIndia.WithMenonitispersonalandthereisnotmuchI
cando.Ihavehadmanyconversations,butwhileherejectstheprogrammesweareinitiating,hehasnoalternativesuggestion.
WithregardtotheCommunistsandtheirsympathisers,itisadeliberatepolicymove.WhenIreturnedfromAmericaevenafterthe
FertilizerandFoundationwerebeingtalkedabout,manyCommunistsmetmeandcongratulatedmeonmyU.S.trip,sayingthatthey
wereboundtocriticiseintheHousebutactuallyIhaddoneverywell.Suddenlyaweekorsolater,everybodysattitudechangeduntil
todayspaperreportstheCPI[CommunistPartyofIndia]secretaryassayingthatIwaschangingpoliciesfarmorethanShastri!
AnotherexampleK.N.Raj,theeconomist,hadbeenadvocatingcertainpoliciessomemonthsago.Whenaskedaboutthem,hesaid
thatpolicywouldhavebeenallrightayearagobutthisgovernmentisapetitbourgeoisoneandnothingitdoescanberight.Heis
wanting[sic.]tostandforParliamentandhasbeenpromisedCommunistsupportandaseatfromKerala.Thelongandshortofitis
thatthereisageneralfeelingandImustconfessitcertainlyseemsfeasibleandpossiblethattheseviewsarethereflectionofSoviet
thinkingandinstruction.HadtheAmbassadorbeenhere,Iwouldhavetalkedtohim,butheishardlyeverinIndia.OnJune21,
1983,shesentalettertoSovietPresidentLeonidBrezhnevthroughYogendraSharma,aCPImember,complainingofthepartys
hostilitytowardsher.AsforKrishnaMenon,heaskedaninterlocutor:WhydoesMasanicallher[Indira]aCommunist?Sheisnota
Communist.Sheisafascist.
WhathasIndiagainedbydynasticsuccession?IndiraGandhisystematicallyunderminedinstitutions,encouragedcorruptiontofill
thepartyscoffers,and,inhersecondterm,fannedHinducommunalism.
RajivGandhifollowedthecoursesetbyher.HehadthelockstotheBabriMasjidopened.HehimselfwreckedthePunjabAccord.The
AssamAccordfaredlittlebetter.IntoleranceoftheoppositionandthepresswitnesstheDefamationBillwhichP.Chidambaram
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enthusiasticallypromotedinParliamentreachedanalltimelow.Hesaid,forinstance,ofJyotiBasu:Heneedssomeonetoholdhis
hand(TheTelegraphJanuary30,1988).Acommentwhichfittedinperfectly.ExpensesincurredonanAirIndiaplanetomakeit
grandenoughforhimearnedhimaneditorialinTheTimes,London,onhisimperialways.
Caligulahorses
Thisisnotanassessmentoftherecordsofmembersofthedynastysomuchasacritiqueoftheinstitutionitself.RajivGandhispublic
insulttoT.Anjaiah,ChiefMinisterofAndhraPradesh,foundanechoinhissonRahulsbargingintoapressbriefingbyAjayMakento
upbraidpubliclyandinintemperatelanguageameasuretakenbytheManmohanSinghgovernment.Rahulhasthesameimperial
style,thesamecontemptforformandthesameoverweeningselfassurancecoupledwiththesameincompetence.Thefawningof
seniorCongressleadersintheaftermathofhisdeparture,avowedlyforcalmretrospectinsolitude,remindsoneofGullivers
fulsomepraiseforhismaster,thehorse.AllthatdynasticsuccessionensuresissomanyCaligulahorses.OneisremindedofLloyd
GeorgesdevastatingretorttoLordGladstone,sonofthegreatPrimeMinister,onbeingaccusedofdeviationfromtheLiberalcreed:
WhatisthenobleEarlscontributiontotheLiberalcreedexceptinbeingthelivingproofoftheliberaldoctrinethatqualityisnot
hereditary?Wehaveseenasteadydeclineofthespecies.
Butifthepersonalitycultistobecombated,thethreatliesnotinthedynasticprinciplealone.Itcanemanatefromanyonewho
acquirespowerandproceedstoamassitfurtherandstillfurther,assistedbyservilecolleaguesandasupinemedia.NarendraModi
hassystematicallyfloutedthebasicsoftheCabinetsystemfromthetimehebecamePrimeMinisterlastMay.TheCabinethasceased
toexist.Itsmemberscountforlittle.CivilservantswereaskedtoapproachthePrimeMinisterdirectly.ModisummonedDelhisPolice
Commissionertoholdhimtoaccount.ThatwasataskfortheHomeMinisterortheHomeSecretary.
Limitsofgratefulness
WehavenotedAmbedkarsrealisticassessmentofIndiancharacterwhenhepresentedtheDraftConstitutiononNovember4,1948.A
yearlater,astheConstituentAssemblywasabouttoconcludeitslabours,AmbedkarrepliedtothedebateonNovember25,1949,
listingtheconditionsformaintainingdemocracy.Hesaid:ItisquitepossibleinacountrylikeIndiawheredemocracyfromitslong
disusemustberegardedassomethingquitenewthereisdangerofdemocracygivingplacetodictatorship.Itisquitepossibleforthis
newborndemocracytoretainitsformbutgiveplacetodictatorshipinfact.Ifthereisalandslide,thedangerofthesecondpossibility
becomingactualityismuchgreater.
Ifwewishtomaintaindemocracynotmerelyinform,butalsoinfact,whatmustwedo?Thefirstthinginmyjudgmentwemustdois
toholdfasttoconstitutionalmethodsofachievingoursocialandeconomicobjectives.Itmeans,wemustabandonthebloodymethods
ofrevolution.Itmeansthatwemustabandonthemethodofcivildisobedience,noncooperationandsatyagraha.Whentherewasno
wayleftforconstitutionalmethodsforachievingeconomicandsocialobjectives,therewasagreatdealofjustificationfor
unconstitutionalmethods.Butwhereconstitutionalmethodsareopen,therecanbenojustificationfortheseunconstitutional
methods.ThesemethodsarenothingbuttheGrammarofAnarchyandthesoonertheyareabandoned,thebetterforus.
ThesecondthingwemustdoistoobservethecautionwhichJohnStuartMillhasgiventoallwhoareinterestedinthemaintenance
ofdemocracy,namely,nottolaytheirlibertiesatthefeetofevenagreatman,ortotrusthimwithpowerswhichenablehimto
subverttheirinstitutions.Thereisnothingwronginbeinggratefultogreatmenwhohaverenderedlifelongservicestothecountry.
Buttherearelimitstogratefulness.AshasbeenwellsaidbytheIrishpatriotDanielOConnell,nomancanbegratefulatthecostof
hishonour,nowomancanbegratefulatthecostofherchastityandnonationcanbegratefulatthecostofitsliberty.Thiscautionis
farmorenecessaryinthecaseofIndiathaninthecaseofanyothercountry.ForinIndia,Bhaktiorwhatmaybecalledthepathof
devotionorheroworship,playsapartinitspoliticsunequalledinmagnitudebythepartitplaysinthepoliticsofanyothercountry
intheworld.Bhaktiinreligionmaybearoadtothesalvationofthesoul.Butinpolitics,Bhaktiorheroworshipisasureroadto
degradationandtoeventualdictatorship(ConstituentAssemblyDebatesVolume121978).
Indiaignoredthesewarnings,withresultsthatarethereforalltosee.

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