Compulsory Voting :: Solution To the Problem Of Indian Democracy?
Saturday, February 4, 2012
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The Indian nation is in turmoil. The middle class is up in revolt. Especially the one active on the Internet. My gut feeling is that if Indian election were held on the Internet the UPA would have not got even 1% of the vote. Yet election after election has proven that the UPA somehow gets well above 30% of the vote. This has perplexed the intellectuals, especially the internet kind. They fail to understand when the opinion is obviously against the present government then why the hell does it keep winning? This leads them to an obvious answer. The Indian democracy is itself dysfunctional.
Significant portion of Indian population is illiterate and extremely poor. These people are so poor that they would vote for even a dog if they are paid few 100 rupees (2-10 $). This is obviously a problem and Indian Internet Intelligentsia (referred to as 3Is) is obviously disgusted. Efforts are on to educate these uncouth about the perils of there actions. Yet it is proving to be difficult. The uncouth population of India just doesn't get it. They will take money to vote for any one. Blasphemous. Also to add to the problem, the voting percentage in the areas of these uncouth is extremely high. They vote religiously, often going back home from places they work JUST to vote. Imagine that! While the cadre 3Is represent take voting day as a holiday and retreat to tourist destination to enjoy the day.
The crème de la crème of the 3Is have thus called for enforcement of 'Compulsory Voting'. Compulsory Voting is a system where every eligible voter has to vote or face punitive measures or imprisonment. This they hope will force people to vote and going by popular opinion the government of chors (thief) will loose.
I have one issue. Do you actually believe that we can enforce compulsory voting in country like India. Please don't forget that we cannot even enforce the helmet law in India. My guess is good as yours. I feel that in a free country I should have the right to choose and if I choose not to be part of choosing my representative then so be it. If that impacts me its my fault.
Digressing from the issue, it has been noted that India is a actually two nations. It was feared that Bharat may revolt against India. Bharat isn't simply growing fast enough to keep up with India. This kind of a situation has in the past have even led to civil war. The so called leaders of this country foresaw it. Thus they created programs like NREGA, Food Security Etc.
Taking share from someone's plate and put it in someone else's plate is bound to create ripples. Yet politician didn't blink. Why? They are astute politician who know their constituency well enough. They are voted to and out of power by the 'naked and hungry' people of bharat and not the obese gentry of India.
Yet what we are seeing in India is actually quite different. It is India which is revolting. They want to get free from the clutches of India. They want to break free. They don't want to be held back by the malnourished Bharat. They do not want to pay to feed the people who can't even grow.
This is the crux of the resentment that India has against politician. They do not represent India. They represent Bharat but they rule over the twin nation. This is why 3Is keep coming up with ideas to weaken the hold of Bharat on the twin nation.
Coming back to the topic is compulsory voting truly the solution to our problem. I don't think so but what I do believe is that every voter should realize that his vote matters. If he chooses not to exercise is his personal decision. He should also realize that politician will listen and respond to him only if they see a group of people large enough to win him the election speaking the same thing. So 3Is should change their tact and focus in removing the apathy of their constituency.
Democracy is a powerful tool that can allow for peaceful revolution. Use it.
Significant portion of Indian population is illiterate and extremely poor. These people are so poor that they would vote for even a dog if they are paid few 100 rupees (2-10 $). This is obviously a problem and Indian Internet Intelligentsia (referred to as 3Is) is obviously disgusted. Efforts are on to educate these uncouth about the perils of there actions. Yet it is proving to be difficult. The uncouth population of India just doesn't get it. They will take money to vote for any one. Blasphemous. Also to add to the problem, the voting percentage in the areas of these uncouth is extremely high. They vote religiously, often going back home from places they work JUST to vote. Imagine that! While the cadre 3Is represent take voting day as a holiday and retreat to tourist destination to enjoy the day.
The crème de la crème of the 3Is have thus called for enforcement of 'Compulsory Voting'. Compulsory Voting is a system where every eligible voter has to vote or face punitive measures or imprisonment. This they hope will force people to vote and going by popular opinion the government of chors (thief) will loose.
I have one issue. Do you actually believe that we can enforce compulsory voting in country like India. Please don't forget that we cannot even enforce the helmet law in India. My guess is good as yours. I feel that in a free country I should have the right to choose and if I choose not to be part of choosing my representative then so be it. If that impacts me its my fault.
Digressing from the issue, it has been noted that India is a actually two nations. It was feared that Bharat may revolt against India. Bharat isn't simply growing fast enough to keep up with India. This kind of a situation has in the past have even led to civil war. The so called leaders of this country foresaw it. Thus they created programs like NREGA, Food Security Etc.
Taking share from someone's plate and put it in someone else's plate is bound to create ripples. Yet politician didn't blink. Why? They are astute politician who know their constituency well enough. They are voted to and out of power by the 'naked and hungry' people of bharat and not the obese gentry of India.
Yet what we are seeing in India is actually quite different. It is India which is revolting. They want to get free from the clutches of India. They want to break free. They don't want to be held back by the malnourished Bharat. They do not want to pay to feed the people who can't even grow.
This is the crux of the resentment that India has against politician. They do not represent India. They represent Bharat but they rule over the twin nation. This is why 3Is keep coming up with ideas to weaken the hold of Bharat on the twin nation.
Coming back to the topic is compulsory voting truly the solution to our problem. I don't think so but what I do believe is that every voter should realize that his vote matters. If he chooses not to exercise is his personal decision. He should also realize that politician will listen and respond to him only if they see a group of people large enough to win him the election speaking the same thing. So 3Is should change their tact and focus in removing the apathy of their constituency.
Democracy is a powerful tool that can allow for peaceful revolution. Use it.
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