As ever-vigilant citizens, we must always beware of any loud noises churned out by our The State’s propaganda machinery – which, it must be admitted, includes much of the mainstream press.
Right now, the Big Noise is over the elections in Kashmir.
Have you ever heard of the elections in Switzerland?
Have you ever heard of any Swiss political party?
Do you know the name of any Swiss political leader?
They are a true democracy in this vital sense: politics does not consume their lives.
Democracy there sings the “sounds of silence.”
Indeed, when I attended the Geneva Auto Show, I made it a point to ask any Swiss citizen I met the name of their great country’s president. I am proud to report that not a single one of them – and I must have asked hundreds – knew the name of their president.
See why they are a successful polity?
And look at the nauseating news emanating from ours: Omar is the dynastic heir; Omar gets “positive signals” from the Congress; Omar comes to Delhi to hobnob with Congress leaders about a coalition. Read the report here.
Some years ago I reviewed Sumantra Bose’s great book on Kashmir; a book that reads as a thriller. Anyone who wants to know about Kashmir should read the book – and also visit the state, as I did in 2002.
During that visit I had a chance to meet the then minister of finance of the J&K government. He said that 90 per cent of his budget expenditure comes from New Delhi.
Wake up all you dunderheads!
This is not Democracy.
This is Political Clientelism.
Very pessimistic view I would say. Challanges faced in J&K make it a different case than the Swiss. Political situation would be different at different parts of the globe depending on social cultural & historical conditions. Each on the different rung of the ladder. Swiss may be at the top. But I find it weird that most of the citizens don't know the name of country's president. In India wouldn't this be called lack of awareness? Swiss protect the black money looted by currupt politicians from all over the world.
ReplyDeleteIn the social sciences, theory remains the same, and "democracy" is nothing but a political theory. In modern times, its greatest proponent was Rousseau, who was Swiss.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Swiss don't know the name of their president (and are proud of this aspect of their polity) simply because they do not have too big a "social contract" with their The State. Their government is just an organization with limited functions in an otherwise free and harmonious society.
And about Swiss bankers keeping the loot of corrupt politicians and dictators from all over the world: would a restaurant owner be condemned as immoral if a corrupt dictator were to dine at his establishment?
Didn't Swiss people elect some racist anti immigration party last election?
ReplyDeletethe swiss arent any shining beacon of liberty.roma gypsies were treated as animals and allowed to be hunted and kidnapped (roma gypsy children) as late as the late 70s.and not to speak of the huge subsidies the Nestles and some of the sugar producers get from their state.(it is almost 14 times costly to produce sugar in suisse). you may want to read about life and attitudes there in by great Austrian school investor/economist/practitioner Dr Marc Faber who himself has moved to Asia(thailand since the last 30 years)
ReplyDeletethats the whole point, we indians know a lot more about swiss polity, than the swiss themselves....irony aint it?
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