Reflections on Indian "democracy"

From childhood, we've been fed that democracy is the latest and the greatest form of governance, that it is a "government of the people, by the people, and for the people", without even attempting to to define what 'governance' is. The situation is muddied further when economic philosophies of the incumbent government come into play, be they capitalism, communism, socialism, or a hogdepodge of whatever fancies the high and mighty who rule over us, "democratically". Furthermore, given the dismal quality of primary and even graduate level education in India, entire generations have passed without learning  or worrying about (ignorance is bliss!!) what words like governance, capitalism, communism etc. really mean.

That the Indian democracy is a sham can be readily proved, especially the parts - "of the people" and "for the people". The manner in which the constitution that all political parties across the spectrum claim to pledge allegiance to, and the other arms of the government rely on for functioning, was written, by coping most of the *constitution* of the foreign power that looted enormous wealth, oppressed natives for centuries, and treated them worse than wild animals, inspires no confidence that it would even attempt to deliver a "democracy", based on the definition above. No wonder, then, that every single government since "independence" (another undefined word), has turned out to be a kleptocracy, or a mobocracy, or a plutocracy, or a kakistocracy, or, more accurately, a mix of all of the above. You can't do the same thing and expect a different outcome. 

On the economic front, admittedly, there is no country that is a 100% capitalist, or socialist. But, that should not stop us from trying to identify where, on the spectrum, we stand as a country. After all, should we decide to move in a particular direction, it serves us well to know where we stand, in which direction we ought to turn, and how far we must travel before reaching the destination we intend to reach. I confess it is impossible for me to pinpoint where, on paper, or ideologically, the Indian government claims to stand. However, as I write this post, I know well where it stands, really.

It is my lived experience that nearly every arm of the Indian state is deeply corrupt, and beyond redemption in its current form. Having born before liberalization and grown up during days without ubiquitous smartphones and the internet, I can vouch for the fact that *some* basic services (telephones, gas connections) are easier to avail, but more as a side-effect of globalization that led to commoditization of these services, than any real intent from the government in improving lives of its hapless citizens. 

As things stand in 2022, 75 years after "independence", you cannot get an electric connection or a water connection without paying a bribe. You also cannot register property in your name without running from pillar to post like an Indian street dog, unless you pay a hefty bribe and employ "agents" who will do the dirty work for you. Note that property registrations are another avenue for state-sponsored extortion rackets in the name of "stamp duty", a hefty fees collected by government without delivering any value-added service. Heck, the government cannot even guarantee that the property you're purchasing will legally remain yours in the foreseeable future. You also have to pay a bribe to get your building plan approved, and face regular harassment when you build, unless you pay a bribe every single time. Note that there is not a single 1km stretch of road anywhere in India that is spotless, has usable footpaths, streetlights, does not flood, and is safe for motorists and pedestrians alike - forget the disabled and the old, this is no country for such folks. I can summarize my interactions with other "arms" of the government (law enforcement, mostly), with just 1 word - thoo. The politicians do not even deserve that. 

Such is the state of the the world's largest "democracy" and rising economic superpower.