- In any democratic country, the people will ultimately prevail despite the political leadership at times known to take the electorate for granted. Make no mistake, at the end of the day, citizens cannot be faulted for expecting their lot to be addressed by initiating socio-economic measures to uplift them. Every society naturally aspires to improve their living standards by hoping chosen governments fulfill their needs sooner rather than later. Mid you, the very definition of democracy in the Indian context is simple – by the people, for the people, of the people – founded on the solid Constitutional premise that holds good even in modern times. People’s power is paramount as the elected representatives are chosen by the former to represent and formulate policies.
PC: Supreme Court Observer
- However, the political narration in India has steadily undergone a palpable change over the last few decades with the leaders cutting across ideologies/philosophies and behaving as if people are nonexistent save during election times. Indisputably, elected representatives are at the wishes/mercy of the people mandated to further their cause and in turn that of the country itself. Irritatingly, the political leaders indulging in grandiosity, obscene display of power and pelf, and trudging along with an air of superiority simply fail to impress upon the people expecting their needs to be addressed. Little wonder that in many countries, people voting for leaders are also showing unhappiness with their governments as can be seen in recent elections.
PC: Business Recorder
- Let’s look around the world to see what some of the prominent countries’ election results have shown. In Germany, no single party won enough votes to rule alone, so different parties must now work together. A far-right party, AfD, got a lot more votes than before but won’t be part of the government. Why? Because many Germans feel their economy isn’t doing well. Prices are high, and even though most people have jobs, they don’t feel richer. In Britain, the PM called an early election because the economy had improved a little. However, the voters still felt that prices were high and loans were expensive. Many thought the economy was in bad shape, so the then-incumbent PM may lose. We know what ensued in Britain.
PC: Harvard Business Review
Of course, people removed Democrats from power in the USA because they felt worse off financially than during Donald Trump’s time as president, even though inflation (rising prices) had slowed down. Even in China, where elections don’t happen like in democratic countries, the government is worried. Fewer people feel their lives are better than five years ago, so China is trying to boost its economy. Indian leaders must listen to the people. Many politicians giving away freebies to win votes will not last forever. The hard facts of economics will make the political class realize the folly of freebies. Leaders should focus on making the economy grow fast and creating more jobs. That’s the only way people will feel truly secure about their future.
