Is India really happening ?
Rhetoric in the question is loud & obvious !
But seriously, are we really happening ?
We are a mature democracy of 70+ years, and have the pride of place with
the largest written constitution in the world. Only the few surviving super
citizens are a connect with our past of British dominion and independence. That
leaves a majority of us with only
history books as a window to the events
of the past. Indeed the job of a new age historian is an onerous one. Never
before in the history of human evolution till early twentieth century were the
historians and scribes independent of state influence. As far as chronicle of
their own state was concerned it had to be aligned with ruling thought of the
day, and was in no way obliged to serve the truth. Similarly for the record of
events of other states both enemy & friendly, again the outlook of state
which commissioned the historians determined what and how these were
chronicled.
So that leaves us in a very doubtful state
whenever we proposition a stand of today and contrast it with history. The
reference may completely be out of place. So when we are evaluating the
evolution of independent India, present is always compared with the past. The
ruling elite of the day seek allegiance to purported glory of those times from
which there are no survivors, and try to demonize the events and personalities of
such past, from which witnesses still survive but they are battered and marginalized.
With no reliable recourse to historical
accounts and more importantly to historical thoughts, we are to judge today
only with reference to what similarly placed others have been able to do.
Independence from British rule and democracy are
no natural panacea from economic ills of a community. In fact the character of
individuals constituting a society and defining a social fabric determines what
results can be achieved. When we compare India with other countries who gained
independence from British rule in early to mid twentieth century, we discover
the ranks of economic growth have not changed much. All colonies of UK, France,
Spain and the new nations which emerged from USSR & USA have not changed
many ranks in the index of economic growth.
So what is the significance of independence for
generations born in independent India ? History books fail to objectively
establish a case in favor of higher
economic growth as a direct benefit of independence. It is now perceived as a
change of ruling class from British to Indian, whereas citizens remain where
they were. Our constitution is a result of European influences on thoughts of freedom,
liberty and democracy. However, these influences like everything else have been
customized to adapt to the surviving feudal instinct of ages. So almost all
royalties went on to become representatives of very people they were ruling a
generation earlier. Since the royalties were known to be deficient in advancing
their bloodline, and democracy had thrown up a game of numbers, the ruling
space was shared with those who shared their philosophy, i.e. masses need to be
led and patronized. Masses cannot think for themselves and act in a manner
injurious to their interests, so their freewill has to be guided by this class
of people’s representatives.
