Democracy in Indian Context

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This article sheds light on democracy in India.

We all have grown up hearing that India is a democratic nation. But have you ever wondered what is the true essence of democracy which lies in our country. India is known as the world's largest democracy. Democracy is a system of government in which the citizens exercise power directly or elect representatives from among themselves to form a governing body, such as parliament. It is also referred as “rule of the majority”. Here the power can’t be inherited. People elect their leaders. Representatives stand in an election and the citizens vote for their representative. The representative with the most number of votes gets the power. The term “democracy” first appeared in ancient Greek political and philosophical thought in the city-state of Athens during the classical antiquity. The word comes from Greek word demos, “common people” and Kratos, strength. It was established in 508–507 BC by the Athenians and it was led by Cleisthenes. Cleisthenes is also known as the ”the father of Athenian democracy”.

India is the world’s largest democracy.  India became a democratic nation post its independence in the year 1947. Thereafter, the citizens of India were given the right to vote and elect their leaders. In India, it gives its citizens the right to vote irrespective of their caste, color, creed, religion, and gender. It has five democratic principles – sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic and republic. There are two kinds of democracy – Direct and Indirect.

In Switzerland there is direct democracy where the head of the State is directly elected by the people.

While, India is indirect democracy, the Government is formed by peoples’ representatives elected as members of Parliament and such elected representatives choose the Prime Minister. Similarly, at the State level the members of legislative assembly are elected directly by the people and they elect the Chief Minister.

In India, the President is elected through the Electoral College system where the elected members vote on the basis of representation. The Governors for the States are appointed by the President himself and the elections are conducted by the Election Commission of India.

India’s experiments of democracy have taught the world a number of lessons: the successful workings of coalition governments, the unpredictability of voter behavior, the importance of an autonomous and responsive electoral commission, and above all the possibility of political sophistication among the poorest people. Democracy in India, as elsewhere, is not just about periodic elections, nor about voter turnouts, nor about oratory. The central objective of democracy is to enable every person to have a say in deciding about the greater collective social worth. In an age given to superficiality and facile soundbites, ?Indian Democracy: Meanings and Practices? edited by Rajendra Vora and Suhas Palshikar is a perspicacious anthology of sixteen essays that address, brood and elaborate upon ?the substance and vibrancy of Indian democracy? with rare academic depth and seriousness. Democracy, like so many other important notions like independence, socialism, secularism, constitutionalism, equality, liberalization, was thrust upon the Indian masses by their enlightened elites. Thereafter intertia has seen to it that it continues. How has Indian democracy lasted and how is it likely to proceed in future amidst the enveloping militarized environment nurtured by a corporatized economy under the darkening shadow of communalism?

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