Unlike western countries where democratisation was a product of industrialisation and economic development, for India Democratisation was a means of social and economic development.Due to this, there are various dichotomies regarding text and context of India.For instance, we have a secular state (according to constitution) but not a secular society.
Dichotomy regarding state and civil society influences the functioning of political parties and government to a large extent in Indian democracy.Democracy makes government and parties function in a constraint fashion.Here, I analyse how political parties function inadequately and how these inadequacies are somehow inherent in Democracy of third world societies.
1) The Problem of Interest Articulation: The very purpose of democracy fails when political parties fail to articulate the interest of majority.That is the very pillar of democracy.But the general-class keeps protesting and minorities keep getting pointless reservations. Many similar issues of majority-class are never articulated.
2) Pseudo-secularism: One of the essential prerequisites of democracy is secularism.Democracy provides equal rights to all citizens irrespective of their state, caste, class, ethnicity.Yet there is widespread use of religion, caste and ethnicity to appeal to senses of masses to gather support.Secularism in its original form comprises of 1.Secular state (India has it) and 2. Secular civil society (India lacks it) . Politics must be religion free as per secularism, which is an elusive dream in India with religious pluralism.
3) Populist Decisions over Rational Decisions: Much of the government’s decisions are guided by populist stances.They cannot afford to loose majority support which crucial for holding the office in a democracy.It is only middle urban class and judiciary to take a clean straight stance against the Khap Panchayats not any of the parties.( Why can’t the candidate who could contest election with majority support from the area condemn unconstitutional acts in that area after winning? Because, that would lead to loss of his vote bank )
4) Sectional Interest Caretakers/Vote Bank Politics: Much of the government’s “new” policies are guided by sectional interests.At one instance, we have Mamta banejee openly supporting Maoists and Manmohan Singh keeping mum on it.Then, Varun Gandhi makes a religion biased comment and BJP taking no responsibility.Clearly, Mamta Banerjee and Varun Gandhi were only acting like sectional care takers of respective parties.
5) Like election-machines : Political parties have more or less become election machines.They become active only around elections.Its only around elections, when politicians visit and campaign to make “populist” promises which are expected to take care of the coming elections and therefore 5 years to come. ((much like school kids who study 1 day before exams 
)) All campaigning, manifestos, candidates are primarily selected and designed so as to take care of only coming elections.
6) Party’s preference of Office over Welfare: Nationalism as an ideology is on vain. No politician dreams as they did in Gandhian era.
So, what do YOU think…Are these flaws inherent in the system of democracy?Or is it just the nature of Indian society?Is there a better system possible?Or Democracy is the saturation of political evolution?
Take a look at these related posts:
August 24, 2010 at 4:08 PM
its simple mind blowing….what a mature writing in a democratic way…truly u will do something in future ……….keep it up……….best of luck
August 24, 2010 at 4:35 PM
there is no grass root cadder those which can transfer poor people s basic need 2 d higher authority….so dat they can make policy to the poorand deprived frendly
August 24, 2010 at 4:39 PM
@Parth True.If that can happen, we can have a system more closer to “direct democracy”
August 26, 2010 at 1:15 AM
नमस्कार ,
आपका यह ब्लॉग वाकई मे बयान – ए – हकीकत है उस राजनैतिक प्रतिद्वंदता का जिसमे अब लोकतंत्र हे लोकतंत्र के लोकतंत्र के लिए खतरा बन गया है … शाशन व्यवस्था अब समाज व्यवस्था पर भरी पड़ने लगी है . इसके ज़िम्मेदार सबसे ज्यादा हम हे हैं ओर उसके बाद कोई दल या संगठन या कोई वैचारिक आन्दोलन …
यहाँ आपने जो भी बातें करी उनसे मे पूर्णतया सहमत हूँ … इसके साथ ही कुछ ओर विषय जोड़ना चाहूँगा जिनको विस्तृत रूप मे मैं अपने एक ब्लॉग मे लिख रहा हूँ …
१. अलग , अलग चुनाव होना.
२. सत्ता की भूख.
३, प्रशाशनिक व्यवस्था का राजनीतिकरण.
४, हमारी चुनाव पद्धति ,
५, जनता की निरस्त.
६,अर्थ आधारित होता समाज.
७, राजनैतिक दलों मे आतंरिक लोकतंत्र की कमी.
८, राजनीती बनती पार्ट टाइम बिज़नस.
९, संघर्ष की मानसिकता की कमी .
१०, दूरगामी दृष्टिकोण की जगह तात्कालिक लाभ की जुगत .
११, नेताओ की जनता से दुरी ….
इत्यादि …
लेकिन मे आश्वस्त हूँ व्यवस्था परिवर्तन हो कर रहेगा … हाँ अब यह हमारे हाथ मैं है की हम कैसा परिवर्तन लाना चाहते हैं …
इनको विस्तृत रूप से समझने के लिए देखिये
http://www.nikhildave.blogspot.com
भारतीय लोकतंत्र चुनोतियाँ अवं समाधान.
समाज का ध्यान इस विषय की ओर इंगित करने के लिए मे आपको शुभकामना देता हूँ ओर धन्यवाद् ज्ञापित करता हूँ …
आप जैसे व्यक्तित्व को समाज मे जन जाग्रति लेन हेतु ओर भी कठिन प्रयास करने होंगे जिसके लिए आप निश्चित रूप से प्रतिबद्ध होंगे …
September 13, 2010 at 4:59 PM
If you look at Indian freedom movement, you find tha answers to many of today’s political problems. Except for Congress [INC], which political party played a pan-India pan-national role? Most of our parties today are either offshoots of Congress, Hindu Mahasabha, Muslim League [now hardly relevant] and CPI or they are products of regional / caste / regious aspirations. Unfortunately, the main parties have become weak and the other parties have given rise to satraps rather than giving proper representation to people’s aspirations.
November 10, 2010 at 11:26 PM
m not clear with the 6 point about party,s office welfare
November 28, 2010 at 10:55 PM
@Ratan Its is any-time good to have a multi-party system in democracies of third world countries.The only pit-fall is that mobilizing people on caste and ethnic basis is much more easier than on basis of real problems. For instance, kashmiris are being mobilized on basis of kashmiriyat but the real problem is lack of employment and development.The real problem is failure of goverment to use funds in churning out employment opportunities and rather use it in “maintaining army” (or so to say. This gives them another scope for corruption.And “them” concerns not just government but numerous intermediates involved.) The real problem may be economic and it could be sheer chance that people of same caste are found in majority sharing same economic problems. But they will be mobilized along caste lines rather that shared economic problem. This is a major problem.
But then, Nitish’s landslide victory in Bihar has come like a ray of hope
November 28, 2010 at 11:01 PM
@Jaskaran Point 6 means that no party is concerned about “India” as a nation. If they are, its not their priority 1 for sure. It has become so usual seeing the party in office declare some special policy for their vote bank section. The priority 1 is to stay in office or to grab it – to win election. “India” comes later.