"In a democratic society all roads lead to politics"
--JP
Political parties are essential in democratic polity. Political party in a conventional sense plays the role of executive when in power(also legislative functions in a parliamentary system) and act as a constructive opponent (often raising issues that the ruling parties fail to take notice of) when in opposition. Most people believe these are the only or the primary functions of a political party. But the functions of political parties are much broader. They act as bridge between the change and status quo. They act as motives force behind social change in otherwise traditional society. They act as the agents of achieving consensus among divergent opinions in a democracy. Democracy without political parties is not self-sustaining. Organized institutions espousing particular political values are essential for the survival of liberal democracy.
In India(and in many other developing countries), political parties became more or less organized mobs. They just made it look like if autocracy is loot by one(the autocrat) then democracy is loot by many. Democracy became Mob-o-cracy. In a normal party in India, one person ascends to top position having the advantage of starting the party or by some other means(often not through public support), and stays there forever. He decides what will be the policies of the party, who will be the members of the party, and expels members whoever threatens his position. After him, some other member in his family takes his position. The top leadership of every major political party in India today is consisted of this kind of persons.
There is no internal Democracy. Very few political parties have constitutions. Manifestos are not prepared on a scientific basis. There is no accountability either to the people or to the grassroots party workers from the top leadership.
In these circumstances it is money and muscle that act as prerequisites for ascent in the party hierarchy. For these parties the people became mere sources of votes. Forget about bringing about change in the society, in many cases they acted as hindrance to initiatives of good citizens. Choice of candidates to contest in elections is arbitrary, often based on the will of a few persons at the top. They leave little choice for voter and in which case voter also looks in a rational way for short term gains and votes according to primordial loyalties of caste, language, region, religion, tribe etc. This kind of political parties at best can bring change out of compulsion(like Economic Reforms of 1991, only when there is no other alternative). These have no regard for democratic procedure. All they want is power and do anything for it. A system of raw justice prevails. Honesty and survival in the party becomes incompatible. And the few honest individuals in the party are caught in a vicious circle.
Important thing is that the political parties create so much noise that any other voice from either individuals or the civil society becomes weak in front of it. It is very hard to influence the policies of the state on a large scale from outside a political party. They dominate newspaper space, television time, discussions in cyber space. So on the one hand, for any positive change they become indispensable. On the other hand their structure is so rotten that the honest and innovative citizens find it hard to enter them.
New political parties that are founded on sound principles by good citizens find it hard to survive due to the First-Past-Post System.
The only solution solution lies in the reforms in the constitution of political parties. Our constitution, which is the most extensive constitution in the world, surprisingly has no provision for controlling the internal organization of the political party. It only empowered the parliament to make laws in that regard. Accordingly parliament enacted Representation of the People act, 1951. This is the only law(as far as I know) that defines what constitutes a political party and gave some guidelines for the organization of the party. Even this is limited to funding. There is no reference either to internal democracy or to qualifications for membership. Election Commission has some powers in this regard by the powers vested on it by Article 324. But, without legislative or constitutional backing, its powers are limited.
In this context, Article 21 of the German Constitution is worth reproducing here.
Article 21 (Political Parties)--JP
Political parties are essential in democratic polity. Political party in a conventional sense plays the role of executive when in power(also legislative functions in a parliamentary system) and act as a constructive opponent (often raising issues that the ruling parties fail to take notice of) when in opposition. Most people believe these are the only or the primary functions of a political party. But the functions of political parties are much broader. They act as bridge between the change and status quo. They act as motives force behind social change in otherwise traditional society. They act as the agents of achieving consensus among divergent opinions in a democracy. Democracy without political parties is not self-sustaining. Organized institutions espousing particular political values are essential for the survival of liberal democracy.
In India(and in many other developing countries), political parties became more or less organized mobs. They just made it look like if autocracy is loot by one(the autocrat) then democracy is loot by many. Democracy became Mob-o-cracy. In a normal party in India, one person ascends to top position having the advantage of starting the party or by some other means(often not through public support), and stays there forever. He decides what will be the policies of the party, who will be the members of the party, and expels members whoever threatens his position. After him, some other member in his family takes his position. The top leadership of every major political party in India today is consisted of this kind of persons.
There is no internal Democracy. Very few political parties have constitutions. Manifestos are not prepared on a scientific basis. There is no accountability either to the people or to the grassroots party workers from the top leadership.
In these circumstances it is money and muscle that act as prerequisites for ascent in the party hierarchy. For these parties the people became mere sources of votes. Forget about bringing about change in the society, in many cases they acted as hindrance to initiatives of good citizens. Choice of candidates to contest in elections is arbitrary, often based on the will of a few persons at the top. They leave little choice for voter and in which case voter also looks in a rational way for short term gains and votes according to primordial loyalties of caste, language, region, religion, tribe etc. This kind of political parties at best can bring change out of compulsion(like Economic Reforms of 1991, only when there is no other alternative). These have no regard for democratic procedure. All they want is power and do anything for it. A system of raw justice prevails. Honesty and survival in the party becomes incompatible. And the few honest individuals in the party are caught in a vicious circle.
Important thing is that the political parties create so much noise that any other voice from either individuals or the civil society becomes weak in front of it. It is very hard to influence the policies of the state on a large scale from outside a political party. They dominate newspaper space, television time, discussions in cyber space. So on the one hand, for any positive change they become indispensable. On the other hand their structure is so rotten that the honest and innovative citizens find it hard to enter them.
New political parties that are founded on sound principles by good citizens find it hard to survive due to the First-Past-Post System.
The only solution solution lies in the reforms in the constitution of political parties. Our constitution, which is the most extensive constitution in the world, surprisingly has no provision for controlling the internal organization of the political party. It only empowered the parliament to make laws in that regard. Accordingly parliament enacted Representation of the People act, 1951. This is the only law(as far as I know) that defines what constitutes a political party and gave some guidelines for the organization of the party. Even this is limited to funding. There is no reference either to internal democracy or to qualifications for membership. Election Commission has some powers in this regard by the powers vested on it by Article 324. But, without legislative or constitutional backing, its powers are limited.
In this context, Article 21 of the German Constitution is worth reproducing here.
(amended 21 December 1983)
(1) The political parties participate in the forming of the political will of
the people. They may be freely established. Their internal organization shall
conform to democratic principles. They shall publicly account for the sources
of their funds and for their assets.
(2) Parties which, by reason of their aims or the behavior of their adherents,
seek or impair or destroy the free democratic basic order or to endanger the
existence of the Federal Republic of Germany shall be unconstitutional. The
Federal Constitutional Court decides on the question of unconstitutionality.
(3) Details will be regulated by Federal legislation.
Internal democracy is the most essential thing required in a party. Clause 2 in the above article is of special significance to India. In a traditional society like that of India, many parties are still professing loyalties to their caste, region, language, faith etc often against the provisions of the constitution. The first thing every citizen, every association in this country must do is to abide by the Constitution. Unconstitutional elements have no place in a liberal democracy. Parties preaching hatred against people of certain regions, spreading communal mistrust and disharmony, indulging in anti-national activities, violating the fundamental rights of the citizens have no place in the Republic of India.
Political parties, media and civil society must wake up to bring about necessary legislation and constitutional amendments. To build a formidable India, we need progressive political parties functioning according to the principles of democracy.
Also it is time to shift to Proportional Representation system. Stability is of no use if it fails to bring about desired social change and dynamism in the political space.
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