Some thoughts which make the “peoples’ planning” appears as a Farce On democracy!!!

Democracy and the market
The basic principle of functioning of modern democracy based on ‘elected-parliament’ is the separation between ‘the political’ and ‘the economical’. The ‘politics’, which is the sphere of democracy will not interfere the ‘economics’- the market. The ‘economics’ cannot function in disguise for long time. Market is omnipotent and universal, vast majority of the people has to cope up with the power and coercion of it, because they need to get everything from the market and exchange what ever they have in the market. Market makes people suffer, but ‘the people’ is essential for the universal franchise with out them the exercise becomes a farce and system looses legitimacy.

But the illusion of ‘functioning democracy’ is essential to manufacture the legitimacy of the system. The system needs to bring the people to the election booths but at the same time has to make sure that this exercise will not affect the functioning of the market. For this purpose, system has devised set of ‘golden rules and practices’ for the functioning of elected parliament. The Pundits will never spell that out explicitly. They quote the constitution of the country, when the people have just made a revolution (of what ever kind) a new constitution is brought in. When the people are away from the revolution of decades old, they points to persistent misery of the people and suggest the ‘golden rules’ as the option to break it and build a new order. They make various other means for the purpose.

The golden rules are the following.
1. The private property should be out of the reach of the elected representatives of the people.
2. No rule should be imposed on the price of any commodity in the market, including human labour.
3. In case of the commodity, ‘human labour’, the sellers are in abundance and the buyers are limited in numbers. The state institutions ‘governed’ by the elected representatives, should aid the buyers in the street if needed, in order to check a mighty group of sellers from run over one or two poor buyers.

These rules concern only ‘the economics’, at the same time the level in which these rules are observed within the ‘democracy’ depends predominantly on the performance of ‘the economics’. When ‘the economics’ is in good enough condition and willing to give away concessions through the market to the people, people don’t care functioning of above rules and stop asking for anything which can only come by violating the ‘golden rules’ to some level.

It would have been so great, if ‘the economics’ can remain in that ‘good condition ‘for long. It could have enhanced the possibility of ‘people getting enough’ and feel happy. But the ‘market’ is notorious for its chaos and down falls More over, the basic principle of ‘the economics’ is selfishness and competition which prevents voluntary ‘give away’ – only the crying babies get the milk. That is the people has to ask for what they need.

The democracy can only be strengthened by making people asking for what they wanted. Tactics of peoples’ struggle in a democracy should be around how to push ‘the politics’ against the ‘the economics’. ‘Politics’ versus ‘economics’, means ‘the people’ versus ‘the market’. If any one from ‘the politics ‘preaches for market, he has crossed over to the side of ‘the economics’. In fact the core is not the question of the ‘final blow’ to the system, nor the capture of the power, but it is question of making the people challenge their enemy, ‘the market’ through the possible means, enact new forms of that struggle, if possible institutionalize those forms through new constitutions/peoples’ practices under the guards of the people . Any reform or movement to enhance the ‘democracy’ should be measured in this angle.

In a democracy people have to cry for what they wanted. What to demand, how to demand!!! Many demands of the people have been established as politically correct and justifiable, some of them are considered as ’basic human rights’ – means if you are a human you should get it irrespective of where you live and form of government you are subjected to. ‘Education is one such demand. ‘Employment’ is another. But Unemployment is a big issue everywhere. The elected governments have many excuses for unemployment, but during their election campaign they made promises to eliminate unemployment. But after assuming the power, they find complex issues unearthing which prevents generating employment in mass scale. Don’t worry! , people still have options, they can defeat the govt. in the next election, after four or five years and elect some one else!!!. Only to get cheated again.

Therefore making demands yields nothing. Every one in the earth is going to agree with your demand, but no one is going to grant it. Whom to blame!!!. After all, it is ‘democracy’ people have the power. We just have to conclude that time is not yet matured for such a ‘human right’. We still have to wait for the being ‘human’. Until then we are in-human.

In fact people have to step into the domain of ‘how’? That means ‘how the unemployment’ is to be eliminated. How the ‘hunger’ is to be eliminated. How ‘Education of good quality’ need to be provided for every one. Presently revolutionary forces use the struggles of various mass organizations to press such demands before the government. But this has become ineffective. Such struggles are important when the demand is not approved by the government – that is to make it loud for those who pretend sleeping. But if the government approves it and it is a human right approved across the globe!!! Govt says “we agree with your demands, we are finding a way to implement your demands, please wait” or “we are unable to find a way to implement it due to so and so reasons”. Another problem with such struggles is that they are considered part of political plays and “politics” is already been branded as bad.

“Politics is dirty”. “Democracy is good.” It is our strength that, “democracy has to be good” for the system to keep its legitimacy. Therefore every inch of the space provided by “the democracy” need to be used to assert peoples will on – not “what is needed” but “how the needed is obtained”. And more important, not an inch of that space should be allowed to use to dilute “already agreed demands” or “pro people how to do practices”. In fact the “people’s planning” campaign and reform should be analyzed at this premise to see how good it enhanced the use of democracy in the hands of the people.

Panchayaths Raj Act and People’s planning

The Panchayaths Raj Act opened up a new institution: “Gram Sabha”. Unlike other form of democracy, gram sabha allows people to make opinion directly with out any elected representatives as mediator. This makes it the only legal way to assert will of the people. More over people have the constitutional right to push for the convening “gram sabha “as and when needed. All those revolutionary parties and forums, which are pursuing a good deal of hard work through the mass organizations to make the demands heard by the government, can use this forum through their influence over the people or even enhance their influence.

Suppose all gram sabhas in all panchayaths in a state or nationwide simultaneously passes a resolution suggesting that the “upper ceil of the income tax should be 50% for the income which above 50 times of the poverty line income ceil and it should be 40% for income which is 40 times of the poverty line income ceil “.

Or say a “State income tax should be imposed at rate 5% for all income above 5 lakhs” to procure a fund to aid govt. hospitals.

Or say “all private health care institution should provide 5% of their facility free of cost to the poor and govt. should have the right to over see this.”

Or say “reduce the defence budget by 10% and set up a “giant pharmaceutical manufacturing unit” to produce life saving medicine for poor and middle class.

Or say “Fees of 50% seats in self financing educational institutions should be same as fees in govt. colleges”

All such resolutions are stepping over to the domain of “the economics” and violating the golden rules ,makes the politics against the economics and brings the market before the people. In fact they will even pushes “the market” voluntarily offer some give-aways with out govt. interference, even though it is not the aim of such resolutions.

This does not mean that gram sabhas should do only these activities. But it should be part of every gram sabha to assert the will of the people to say “how to do things”.

Unfortunately “People’s planning” movement did not move in that direction – to use every inch of the democratic space to assert “how to do” for the people. On the other hand, it tied the gram sabhas in the “planning and execution process” of projects for their immediate well being. Issues like “the toilet for the primary school” discussed and agreed under the item - education. “few additional beds in the local primary health centre” is discussed and agreed under the item –health care. Etc. etc. Such a gigantic form of peoples direct assemblies limit their discussions on insignificant issues like this, with out giving no room for making “the market “, which controls the entire wealth of the nation responsible for education and health care. As if suggesting people that “ try issues which you can solve with your own hands “ ; “other big issues are our fate – no solution exists or if at all solutions exists, it is none of the business of common people- some other higher authorities take care of it”.

Can this be called strengthening democracy!!! Isn’t it a “farce on democracy”!!! It is not deliberate, I am sure!!!. It is a cheating trick of history. The earlier it is recognized the better for those who engaged in it.


Naz