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FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY IN INDIA

By
Syskool
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0

‘Democracy’ is probably the most cherished ideal our founding fathers had on the idea of India. At the time of her inception, India was doomed to fail in the eyes of every other so-called ‘intellectual’ and ‘political analyst’. It was unfathomable for them that a nation as diverse as ours could survive, let alone flourish. But lo and behold! India did not just survive, but thrived and is well on course to regain her past glory. Contributing to our astounding success story is our vibrant democracy. Even the staunchest critics of our democratic system cannot help conceding this fact. Into the seventh decade of Independence, we have come a long way. Be it self-sufficiency in food production, development and mastery of cutting-edge technology in space, missile and nuclear field, or our economic success story, we are today recognised as an elite global power, a far cry from the global pariah, many believed that we were destined for. For an optimist, the world’s largest democracy is well on course to become one of the greatest and most powerful democracies in the world as well.
But for all the optimists, the vexed question about the rot that has set in our political system remains, rather it is looming large. Trust of the public in our polity has taken a severe beating as systematic corruption continues to cast its long shadow over the entire political spectrum. Corruption has spread like a cancer-in our entire system, condemning lofty ideals of our erstwhile leaders to a nadir. Public accountability and integrity of our political class and bureaucracy have sunk to abysmal lows. This Is not to outrighdy condemn the entire political class or bureaucracy, as there are still a great many number of fine men and women of unquestionable integrity and unwavering commitment towering over the horizon. But the fact remains that we are at crossroads. We are having a major crisis and it is paramount that we accept the hard truth rather than trying to brazen it out.
We have to keep in mind that corruption is universal in nature and not specific to our country. But the level of public corruption in India has reached gigantic proportions, shaking the very foundation of our great liberal democracy perception about our political class is probably at its lowest ebb since Independence. Massive scandals have indeed corroded people’s faith in democracy and probably for the first time, people are asking hard questions about the viability of democracy in India. Given the sober circumstances, one could be forgiven for thinking that the future of democracy is bleak in India.
But democracy is too great an institution to crumble very easily.
More so in the Indian context, as democratic ideals envisaged by our founding fathers are deeply engraved in our psyche and have grown strong roots, as evident in India remaining an oasis of stability amidst the failing nations around us.
Indian democracy has evolved a great deal since Independence. Political landscape of our nation has also changed beyond recognition. In this age of coalition politics, single-party governments appear to be a relic of the past. Coalition system has helped give regional parties a greater say in the governance of the country, effectively strengthening our federal structure. Also, they have helped curb the autocratic tendencies of leaders of large political parties. But in the absence of strong leaders, it has more often than not wreaked havoc on governance, resulting in policy paralysis and growth stagnation. Coalition compulsions are also considered as a major roadblock in ensuring integrity of the government. But as things stand now, coalition system seems to be the only way and will have a huge bearing on the future of Indian democracy.
In the recent past, we witnessed phenomenal movements against corruption led by the likes of Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal. Some of the activists of the movement went as far as outrightly condemning our Constitution and democratic system. But it is the strength of our democracy that they were able to organise such large-scale agitations against the Government which would be unthinkable in an autocracy. Even in this troubled times, this very fact gives us a lot of confidence in our political system. We have to accept that our democracy .has its own inherent flaws. But then no system is flawless and the past experiences across the globe show us that a liberal democratic system is our best bet in ensuring progress, good governance and freedom for the citizens to follow their own free will with some reasonable restrictions.
India has a very fertile soil for democracy to thrive in. Our institutions like the executive, judiciary, government and the armed forces work in perfect synergy more often than not. We do not have a hyper-assertive judiciary crossing Constitutional boundaries, trying to dictate terms to a democratically-elected government. Our armed forces’ loyalty has always been above reproach. I cannot see our military trying to sabotage the government either coverdy or overdy. Unless the nation plunges into total chaos and anarchy, it is a safe bet that military rule would not just happen here.
While considering the future of democracy in India, we cannot overlook Naxalite menace, described as the gravest single threat to our nation. Naxals have scant regard for our Constitution and democracy. Their objective is to overthrow the Indian state and seize power through the barrel of gun. And they do not mind slaughtering fellow citizens to fructify their Utopian dream. But in reality, Naxals do not stand a chance in an all out war against the might of Indian state. Put simply, they do not have it in them to overthrow our democratic system.
There is a growing chorus that the Indian democracy is at crossroads because of the disenchantment of the public with the system. But if we look into the matter, it will dawn upon us that disenchantment is with our leaders or political parties, rather than with the system as a whole. Democracy is our greatest strength. The right to vote and elect our government brings parity between the richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor. Democracy is the cornerstone of the idea of India. So we can easily conclude that future of democracy as the mode of governance is safe. The question is about the duality of democracy. Will our political class be able to reinvent and redeem themselves in the eyes of the public ? There is no reason they should not be able to. There is a growing awareness among the public about the corruption and nepotism prevailing even amid the higher echelons of power and they are not forgiving any more. This will hopefully goad our leaders to take a tough stand on corruption and deliver good governance.
Growing influx of the youth into politics is another thing that bodes well for our democracy. We need young men and women of quality, integrity and commitment to resuscitate our ailing system. Today, we are recognised as a benign responsible power whose ascendancy as a global elite is welcomed by most in the comity of nations. This has more to do with our vibrant liberal democratic system than anything else. As India continues its rise as a leader of global commons, it is imperative that our leadership has the desired quality to discharge our growing responsibilities and to safeguard our core interests. Hopefully our time-tested democratic system will once again churn out great leaders as it did with Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Vajpayee, and many more. Future of democracy is safe in India. But the quality of democracy we can sustain will have, a major impact in determining India’s course to fulfil her destiny as the world warms up to India’s new standing as a great power.

NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION

By
Syskool
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0

Ms. Maitreyee Dutta 


Ms. Maitreyee Dutta hails from Guwahati, Assam. She is pursuing B.Tech (Electrical) from NIT, Silchar, Assam. She has put forth her thoughts in a clear-cut way, and has written the Essay in a yet captivating English.

It is aptly said, ‘Necessity is the mother of invention.’ Inventions have been made out of sheer necessities. If we had been able to easily get/fulfil all we want from ‘Nature’, we would never have bothered to invent anything. Our necessities are the driving force behind every invention.
After the occurrence of the ‘Big Bang’, came the inhabitation of a nascent cooling planet called Earth, in a galaxy namely the Milky Way.
Here, a miraculous combination of simple organic compounds like nucleobases and amino acids, building blocks of life, brought about a quintessential era of nature in which all the species lived in harmony.
Hitherto, one among all the species— hominid has thrived upon others as it found the necessity to understand the ways of the universe, as a result of which its brains developed through each evolutionary step from apelike Australopithecus to homo habilis to homo erectus leading to the biological invention of the most advanced homo sapiens.
The great Greek philosopher, Plato himself condensed the very gem of invention in the form of the word ‘necessity’ in his book Republica, “let us begin and create in idea a State; and yet a true creator is necessity, which is the mother of our invention.” It was as if he stumbled upon the very basic secret of development made by man because of his strong desire and necessity to struggle against obstruction, and to leave no stone unturned in making his life more comfortable, and so this man’s catharsis takes place in the form of invention. History itself has witnessed the veracity of this fact.
Deep into the archaic era, the evangelist and clerical priests held a monopoly over all sacred books and made people believe in religion blindly. This led to large-scale poverty, superstition and illiteracy among the lower middle class, and decadence among the creme de la creme. The necessity to dispel ignorance and spread knowledge led Johannes Gutenberg to invent the mechanical movable-type printer which heralded the dawn of illumination; the downtrodden
and women from all walks of life were finally able to access books as they were cheap. Soon enough they learned the scientific reason behind every phenomenon and all about their birthrights.
In the 19th century, telegraph message traffic was brimming up to the zenith. The Western Union Telegraph Company President of the time, William Orton had contacted several inventors to find a way to send multiple telegraph messages on a single telegraph line to avoid the cost of expanding new lines. At this time, Alexander Graham Bell experimented with several abstract ideas to create sporadic electric current corresponding to every sound wave. This great man finally invented the telephone which not only helped the telegraph industry, but also created a communication bridge between every nook and comer of the world.
Rene Laennec, a physicist, realised to his utter dismay that it was really difficult to count and monitor the heart beats of all the patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases. This necessity helped Rene create the world’s first stethoscope which today helps not only in the detection of arrhythmia, but also several other respiratory diseases such as bronchial fibrosis, pneumonia, etc.
These illustrations simply reveal that necessity is the mother of invention. It can be in the form of a better life or money or uplift of the society, or sometimes survival. One of the cases for the necessity of survival arising from the verge of catastrophe was showcased in the World War II, when Japan proved to be a strong enemy against the Allies after the bombing of the Pearl Harbour. With desperation and coercion of the fellow scientists, Julius Robert Oppenheimer developed the first atomic bomb, and the rest, as we know, is history. Even though the outcome was deadly, it clearly shows that necessity can bring out the highest potential hidden within every individual, be it psychological, social, economical, cultural or political—in terms of theories or practical. 
NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION 

Ms. Maitreyee Dutta

Ms. Maitreyee Dutta hails from Guwahati, Assam. She is pursuing B.Tech (Electrical) from NIT, Silchar, Assam. She has put forth her thoughts in a clear-cut way, and has written the Essay in a yet captivating English.

It is aptly said, ‘Necessity is the mother of invention.’ Inventions have been made out of sheer necessities. If we had been able to easily get/fulfil all we want from ‘Nature’, we would never have bothered to invent anything. Our necessities are the driving force behind every invention.
After the occurrence of the ‘Big Bang’, came the inhabitation of a nascent cooling planet called Earth, in a galaxy namely the Milky Way.
Here, a miraculous combination of simple organic compounds like nucleobases and amino acids, building blocks of life, brought about a quintessential era of nature in which all the species lived in harmony.
Hitherto, one among all the species— hominid has thrived upon others as it found the necessity to understand the ways of the universe, as a result of which its brains developed through each evolutionary step from apelike Australopithecus to homo habilis to homo erectus leading to the biological invention of the most advanced homo sapiens.
The great Greek philosopher, Plato himself condensed the very gem of invention in the form of the word ‘necessity’ in his book Republica, “let us begin and create in idea a State; and yet a true creator is necessity, which is the mother of our invention.” It was as if he stumbled upon the very basic secret of development made by man because of his strong desire and necessity to struggle against obstruction, and to leave no stone unturned in making his life more comfortable, and so this man’s catharsis takes place in the form of invention. History itself has witnessed the veracity of this fact.
Deep into the archaic era, the evangelist and clerical priests held a monopoly over all sacred books and made people believe in religion blindly. This led to large-scale poverty, superstition and illiteracy among the lower middle class, and decadence among the creme de la creme. The necessity to dispel ignorance and spread knowledge led Johannes Gutenberg to invent the mechanical movable-type printer which heralded the dawn of illumination; the downtrodden
and women from all walks of life were finally able to access books as they were cheap. Soon enough they learned the scientific reason behind every phenomenon and all about their birthrights.
In the 19th century, telegraph message traffic was brimming up to the zenith. The Western Union Telegraph Company President of the time, William Orton had contacted several inventors to find a way to send multiple telegraph messages on a single telegraph line to avoid the cost of expanding new lines. At this time, Alexander Graham Bell experimented with several abstract ideas to create sporadic electric current corresponding to every sound wave. This great man finally invented the telephone which not only helped the telegraph industry, but also created a communication bridge between every nook and comer of the world.
Rene Laennec, a physicist, realised to his utter dismay that it was really difficult to count and monitor the heart beats of all the patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases. This necessity helped Rene create the world’s first stethoscope which today helps not only in the detection of arrhythmia, but also several other respiratory diseases such as bronchial fibrosis, pneumonia, etc.
These illustrations simply reveal that necessity is the mother of invention. It can be in the form of a better life or money or uplift of the society, or sometimes survival. One of the cases for the necessity of survival arising from the verge of catastrophe was showcased in the World War II, when Japan proved to be a strong enemy against the Allies after the bombing of the Pearl Harbour. With desperation and coercion of the fellow scientists, Julius Robert Oppenheimer developed the first atomic bomb, and the rest, as we know, is history. Even though the outcome was deadly, it clearly shows that necessity can bring out the highest potential hidden within every individual, be it psychological, social, economical, cultural or political—in terms of theories or practical. 

Nationalist Movements in India

By
Syskool
-
0




The Second World War came to an end in Europe in May 1945. In India, Lord Wavell had already succeeded Lord Linlithgow as the Viceroy of India in October 1943. He had earlier been the Commander-in-Chief here. His appointment gave rise to misgivings as to whether Britain would still keep India by dint of force. These forebodings, however, proved false. Wavell was a nice person, a soldier by profession, a poet by temperament and a statesman by compulsion. In his first address to the Central Legislature on February 17,1944, he affirmed : “India shall have full control of her own destiny.” This sent a breeze of joy in the people that their country would soon become free. Wavell made it clear that from the point of view of defence as well as many internal and external economic problems, India was a natural unit. “You cannot alter geography,” he declared. These were also the words of cheer for the unity of the country. He called a conference of the Governors of all the Provinces and discussed with them the various steps that the Government should take to resolve the political problem.
Lord Wavell went to London for consultation with the Home Government in March 1945. The Labour Party withdrew from the coalition government after the end of the War due to differences with the Conservatives on the matters relating to social security and planning. Sir Winston Churchill continued as the caretaker Prime Minister till the general elections were held. The Viceroy returned to Delhi on June 4, 1945. He made a broadcast of his proposals on June 12, 1945 simultaneously with the statement of Mr. Amery, the Secretary of State for India in the House of Commons. He also announced his intention to convene a political conference on June 25, 1945 as well as the decision of the Government to release the members of the Congress Working Committee. His proposals laid down the complete independence of the Viceroy’s Executive Council except the portfolio of Defence on the basis of parity between the caste Hindus and the Muslims. Gandhiji objected to the term ‘caste Hindus’. Jinnah asserted that the Muslim League had the sole right to nominate all the Muslim members to be included in the Viceroy’s Executive Council. The Hindu Mahasabha objected to both the principle of parity between the Hindus and Muslims and its exclusion from the Simla Conference. The Congress put forward its claim to include in its share of representation the members of all the communities, including the Muslims, Christians and Harijans. In his inaugural speech, the Viceroy explained the aims and objectives of the conference. He clarified, “It is not a constitutional settlement, it is not a final solution to India’s complex problems that is proposed.” But the atmosphere of the Conference seemed more favourable to its failure than towards its success. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who started the discussion on behalf of Congress, minced no words about the national character of the>»Congress and declared its unwillingness to enter into any agreement or compromise which gave it the character of a communal party. Jinnah asserted that the Muslim League would not compromise on its demand for Pakistan and thus participate in a common national government of undivided India. The talks, therefore, failed, with each side blaming the other.
After a fortnight or so of the failure of the Simla Conference, the Labour 








Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhiji should have been the happiest person at the dawn of freedom. On the contrary, he was the unhappiest one since he did not want a political settlement that created permanent cleavage between two principal communities that lived in amity all along. His dream visualised an India where all lived as brothers.
Jawaharlal Nehru
As the first Prime Mini¬ster of Free India, Jawaharlal Nehru endeavoured to trans-late into practice the ideals of Bapu, the ideals that in¬spired every Indian to restore to his country its ancient glory. Nehru tried to blend the Indian legacy with the best of the modern world to mould a new nation destined to exert global influence.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Because of his dogged determination and iron will, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was hailed as the “Iron Man of India”. He proved the sobriquet to the hilt when, as Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, he played a key role in the integration of States, notably Junagadh and Hyderabad, conveying that unity was the need of the hour.
Maulana Abul Kalam A%ad
Since he ardently believed in a common destiny for Hindus and Muslims in his country, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad refused to accept the two- nation theory. As President of Indian National Congress and later as Education Minister in free India, the Maulana occupies a niche for his efforts for the consolidation of Indian Independence. 

Founder of Indian Institutions

By
Syskool
-
0
Founder of Arya Samaj
  • Arya Samaj :- Swami Dayanand Saraswati
  • Athmiya Sabha :- Raja Ram Mohan Roy
  • Brahma Samaj :- Raja Ram Mohan Roy
  • Deccan Educational Society :- G. G. Agarkar, M. G. Ranade, V. G. Gibhongar
  • Dharma Sabha :- Radhakanthadev
  • Indian Brahma Samaj :- Keshav Chandra Sen
  • Manavadharma Sabha :- Durgaram Manjaram
  • Prarthana Samaj :- Athmaram Pandurang
  • Pune Sewa Sadan :- Smt. Remabhai Ranade, G. K. Devdhar
  • Ramakrishna Mission :- Swami Vivekananda
  • Sadharan Brahma Samaj :- Shivananda Sashtri, Anand Mohan Bose
  • Servant of India Society :- Gopal Krishna Gokhale
  • Sewa Sadan :- Bahuramji M. Malabari
  • Sewa Samithi :- H. N. Kunsru
  • Social Service League :- N. M. Joshi
  • Thathwabodhini Sabha :- Debendranatha Tagore
  • Theosophical Society :- Madam H. P. Blavadski, Col. H. L. Olkott

AN INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS

By
Syskool
-
0



UPSC has changed the Civil Services Main Examination scheme and syllabus for 2013 exam. In the new scheme, there are four papers of General Studies, in which General Studies Paper-IV is named as Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude. The purpose to include this paper is to test the candidate’s attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem-solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing with society. Keeping in view this requirement, it becomes indispensable at the onset to clear the meaning and significance of ‘ethics’. The article attempts to bring home the point to the readers.
WHAT IS ETHICS?
At its simplest, ethics is a system of moral principles. These principles affect how people make decisions and lead their lives. Ethics is also concerned with what is ‘good for individuals and society’ and is also described as moral philosophy.
The term is derived from the Greek word ‘ethos’ which can mean custom, habit, character or disposition. Thus, Ethics could be said to cover the following dilemmas:
• how to live a good life
• our rights and responsibilities
• the language of right and wrong
• moral decisions – what is good and bad?
ETHICS : ITS MEANING IN INDIAN TRADITION
The Indian term for morality and ethics is ‘dharma’. Dharma comes from the root ‘dhr’, which means to hold together. And thus, the function of dharma is to hold the human society together for its stability and growth. Right conduct is essential, if the human society is to survive. The dharmam Hinduism is co-extensive with morality. Dharma in the Vedas refers to the highest truth and power and it is very much understood as the performance of Vedic sacrifices and other rituals in the Vedas and Dharmasastras. So Dharma is understood in Vedas as duty par excellence. Dharma is also generally understood as the duties of humans, according to one’s own caste and stage of life (Varnasrama Dharma). And thus many Hindu thinkers say if one does his duty, he will achieve either heaven or a better birth in the nextlife or even prosperity here and now. Thus, the Hindu concept of dharma has been recognised by its very close associationwithritualistic and caste- oriented duties. And the purely moral sense of duty is overshadowed. Never-theless, the Hindu thinkers advocate and recommend the practice of moral virtues and moral norms, which make a man as man. These moral virtues are called * Sadharana Dharma or universal duties. Hence, the term dharma in Hinduism has two connotations: the first is the performance of ritual sacrifices and duties according to one’s own caste, and the second is the practice of moral virtues and norms. So, when we speak of dharma as morality, it includes all the duties one ought to perform and all the virtues one ought to practice to attain moksa or liberation.
ETHICS AND MORALITY
The words “ethics” and “morality” have Greek and Latin origins, respectively. Traditionally they are referred to as customary values and rules of


conduct (as in “cultural ethos” and “social mores”) as well as insights about what counts as human excellence and flourishing. “Ethics” and “morality” are often used interchangeably by us today. But ethics also refers to moral philosophy, i.e., a discipline of critical analysis of the meaning and justification of moral beliefs.
Ethics and morality—along with law and etiquette—are essentially normative, that is, they prescribe human behaviour as obligatory, prohibited or permissible. There is considerable overlap between ethics and law, and ethics and etiquette. Much of the Law embodies ethical principles: respect for basic rights to life, property, and the right of citizens to
PRINCIPLES FOR MANAGING ETHICS IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE
1. Ethical standards for public service should be clear.
2. Ethical standards should be reflected in the legal framework.
3. Ethical guidance should be available to public servants.
4. Public servants should know their rights and obligations when exposing wrongdoing.
5. Political commitment to ethics should reinforce the ethical conduct of public servants.
6. The decision-making process should be transparent and open to scrutiny.
7. There should be clear guidelines for interaction between the public and private sectors.
8. Managers should demonstrate and promote ethical conduct.
9. Management policies, procedures and practices should promote ethical conduct.
10. Public service conditions and management of human resources should promote ethical conduct.
11. Adequate accountability mecha-nisms should be in place within the public service.
12. Appropriate procedures and sanctions should exist to deal with misconduct. 

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