On Commonwealth, The Word

There is a big fuss going on about New Delhi’s unpreparedness to host the Commonwealth Games next year. In this context, I am in full support of Rajesh Kalra’s opinion in the ToI of today: Cancel the games. Spend public money more usefully.

And what is “public money”? Why, that is “commonwealth,” of course. So let us leave the silly games aside and talk about the political concept of “commonwealth.” What does it mean? What does it signify?

The word “commonwealth” is rare in modern political discourse, but it has a proud history. Oliver Cromwell took the title “Lord Protector of the Commonwealth” for he did not want to be king. But the term is much older, and has often been expressed as “common profit of the realm.” These are the ideals that used to guide government action once upon a time in Merrie Olde England.

The idea was that, while we are all busy pursuing our own interests in the market – each minding his own business – the government, without favouring any particular interests, looks after and invests in those areas that yield “common profit.” This is the idea of “commonwealth.”

Now, the history of independent India is a history of special particular interests gaining, while zero investments have been made in assets that would have delivered “common profit” – like roads. The particular interests that have gained are the crony businessmen, the bureaucracy, the public sector managers, the Stasi police, the labour elite, and so on. Not a single thought has been given to the idea of “commonwealth.”

Thus, in my opinion, even if the Commonwealth Games stadia and other physical works had been excellently constructed, New Delhi does not deserve the prestige of hosting a celebration of this hallowed political concept. New Delhi has NEVER acted in the interests of our “commonwealth.” This The State of ours has always been partisan to particular interests. New Delhi should hold the World Crony Games. That is what they deserve.

What is the way out?

Well, Leonard Cohen put it best, in his Villanelle for our Times:

Not steering by the venal chart,
That tricked the mass for private gain,
This is the faith with which we start,
That men shall know commonwealth again.

Amen.