The Superiority of democracy needs honest Governance,

are we sensitive to it?

Dr.Md.Abdul Firdous

Associate professor, Dept.of English

Nazira College, Nazira (Asam)

Abstract: In a democratic set set-up, the people are free and have been granted
constitutionally guaranteed rights by which the government is steered to their
fulfillment of aspirations. They have the uppermost hand in constituting the govt.
at three levels. The three organs of government run in a smooth manner in a
democratic country. This looks ideal and the people have to raise their voices when
their aspirations are unfulfilled. Honest governance leading to good governance
meant for the better life conditions of the people and their urge for a good place to
live in and to be proud of their land will only be possible if democracy vis-s-vis
good governance is in right perspective and the extent of our sensitiveness be
geared to make the govt. run in the interest of the people.

Key words: democratic set-up, rights, aspirations, government, good governance,

sensitiveness.

Introduction, Discussion and Conclusion:

The word Democracy is derived from two Greek words such as “Demos”,
and “Kratos”. The first derivative, Demos means the people, while succeeding
derivative Kratos has the meaning of government meaning thereby that democracy
is the government of the people. There are several definitions of democracy given
by great thinkers which are as follows:
 Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher and polymath, defines democracy as the
freedom of every citizen. C.F. Strong, an eminent author and a modern political
thinker says that democracy is a system of government in which the majority of the
adult population participates in politics on the basis of a representative system.
Abraham Lincoln, former President of America, has given the famous definition of
democracy and says that it is a government of the people, by the people, and for
the people. Harris Soche opines that democracy is a form of people’s government,
suggesting democracy as all-inclusive and participatory, as everyone has a role and
function to play in ensuring that democracy is strengthened and sustained. It has
been emphasized thereby that the concept of democracy has the similar meaning to
Latin phrase vox populi, vox dei meaning voice of the people is the voice of God.

Furthermore, the characteristics of democracy emphasizing a government based

on a democratic system refer to the following statements: That in running the
government, the people’s will and interests are uppermost. That the government
has a constitutional base and is carried on in conformity with the interests, will or
power of the people as the constitution sanctions and that the government applies
the perspective of representation and is concerned to people’s sovereignty ( all
powerfulness) and represented by elected people.

It is to be surmised here that the government is held accountable on the basis of

various laws and policies by which citizens can hold the government responsible
indirectly when those policies and laws are not followed in toto or are held against
the welfare of the citizens. The government can be pulled down by various
constitutional laws in place if and when the government becomes insensitive
towards their aspirations and people can hold protests, carry out campaigns and
organize rallies and force the government to fulfill the aspirations of the public. A
democratic government is a legitimate government, as it is elected by citizens and
enjoys the confidence and trust of the citizens.

It is a universally accepted fact that democracy refers to accountability and

responsiveness and fulfillment of expectations of the citizens. Democracy produces
an accountable government and stresses by ensuring that people are able to choose
their leaders and keep a check on them, people have the right to elect their leaders
to form the government and also participate in the decision making process in
some respects, have the right to evaluate the decision-making process

Governance is the process of decision-making and the process by which

decisions are implemented. The word ‘Governance’ can be used in several contexts
such as corporate governance, international governance, national governance and
local governance. Honest Governance refers to honest execution of rules and
regulations, laws and policies leading to Good Governance which is an approach
committed to creating a system founded on justice and peace that protects
individual’s human rights and civil liberties. In the 1992 report entitled
“Governance and Development”, the World Bank set out its definition of Good
Governance. It defined Good Governance as “the manner in which power is
exercised in the management of a country’s economic and social resources for
development”.

Good governance refers to the fact: ‘It is participatory, consensus-oriented,

accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and
inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized,
the views of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most
vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the
present and future needs of society.

Principles of Good Governance/honest governance as stated by United Nations are

as follows:

Participatory: People should be able to voice their own opinions through

legitimate immediate organizations or representatives. This includes men and
women, vulnerable sections of society, backward classes, minorities, etc.
Participation also implies freedom of association and expression.

Rule of Law: Legal framework should be enforced impartially, especially on

human rights laws. Without rule of law, politics will follow the principle of
jungle laws emphasizing Might is Right

Consensus Oriented: Consensus oriented decision-making ensures that even if

everyone does not achieve what they want to the fullest, a common minimum
can be achieved by everyone which will not be detrimental to anyone. It
mediates differing interests to meet the broad consensus on the best interests of
a community- a compromise in the existing conflicting interests.

Equity and Inclusiveness: Good governance assures an equitable society.

People should have opportunities to improve or maintain their well-being.

Effectiveness and Efficiency: Processes and institutions should be able to

produce results that meet the needs of their community. Resources of the
community should be used effectively for the maximum output.

Accountability: Good governance aims towards betterment of people, and this

cannot take place without the government being accountable to the people.
 Governmental institutions, private sectors, and civil society organizations
should be held accountable to the public and institutional stakeholders.

Transparency: Information should be accessible to the public and should be

understandable and monitored. It also means free media and access of information
to them.

Responsiveness: Institutions and processes should serve all stakeholders in a

reasonable period of time

Furthermore, the lack of a good functional governance has created a situation

wherein our is riddled with vulnerability to maladministration, unbridled
corruption, inequalities, and regime protection by politicians and their cronies to
the detriment of societal good. As injustices are afflicted to the population with
impunity, socioeconomic deprivation and poverty lead to despondency and
mistrust of government, thereby instigating revolutionary tendencies among the
citizenry

Are we sensitive to it?

We, the citizens of India, elect our representatives to constitute the central govt.,
the state govt. and also the third tier of the govt. for the smooth conduct of the
organs of the government and the fulfillment of our aspirations concerning the
better life conditions of ours. Ours is a democratic country where the citizens of
India have the right to choose their able and right thinking people as their
representatives belonging to different political parties solely devoted to the
development of our great country by formulating laws and policies in consonance
with the spirit of the constitution. In a democratic state, as has been stated in the
definitions and its characteristics, all individuals are free and equally empowered
and have been granted rights to run their country by themselves through their
representatives for tenure of five years. The organs of the govt. i.e., the legislature
and Executive are integrated while judiciary, a third separate wing, is adjudicating
the law in a free and fair manner. The engagement and involvement in the running
of the government by the people in an indirect manner is also admirable.
Democracy without good governance will be hollow as the very base of
democratic principles is placed on the fulfillment of aspirations of the people who
are all in all in respect of forming the govt. and the same can be dissolved if they
act on their whims and fancy. Moreover, democracy can never be successful if and
when good governance is not put in place. I have also narrated earlier what good
governance stands for and what characteristics they carry with.

That the topic of the seminar relates to our sensitiveness to democracy vis-à-
vis good governance meaning thereby that we react quickly and strongly if our
aspirations are not fulfilled. I want to place my view in this concern that a large
chunk of Indians are without the basic facilities of life and they think for their
livelihood and their whole time is spent to make both ends meet. They don’t have
time beyond that to be sensitive to the existing issues and understand the
complexities of governance. When it is a mass movement they do come out and
register their anger but it dies down with not much satisfaction. Such is the case
with Kisan Movement and Movement against CAA. There are many heart
touching issues needing to be resolved in the interest of the people and for the
larger development of the country in general. On the basic term, we can understand
the meaning of sensitive on the line that if our skin is sensitive to a certain climate
we have to do the necessary to keep ourselves protected from it. In consonance
with the same idea, we have to do everything possible to give life to the democratic
set up and extension of the honest governance through the organs of the govt. to be
put in the right stand. We can show our sensitive stand in the electioneering
process and elect out honest incumbent representatives or replace them to show our
power. However, our stand on different recurrent issues goes unnoticed and the
problem remains unresolved.

My heart bleeds when I see my fellow citizens begging for foods and living
a life with no basic facilities of life whereas the rich live luxurious life and enough
facilities around. Though the govt. has enacted many laws and made welfare
programmes in their interest, yet the result is seen bleak. We are human beings and
everyone will react in the same manner to the issues our country is beset with. The
leaders have to guide the citizens and streamline the sensitiveness regarding
democratic set up and execution of policies in the form of good governance.
Charity and Honesty begins at home and the representatives who run the
government are to be toeing the line for honest governance without which the
democratic set up would show a failure and good governance would remain a
farce.

I, therefore, conclude my seminar paper with my views that all citizens of

India are very sensitive to democratic set up in place and their voices remain
unheard as most of them belong to the poor and unprivileged class and they live in
the vicious circle fear reminding me the oft- quoted line of Rabindranath Tagore,
the great personality, “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held
high”. And people of the privileged class have to show satisfaction/dissatisfaction
concerning democracy vis-à-vis honest governance taking into account the interest
of the common people. Then and then only, India, our beloved country, would feel
pride to state proudly that ours is a democratic set up where the needs of the
citizens are fulfilled and we are living on a land with happiness all around. When I
see the flag of India fluttering on the small forefront of the moving car of
executives, tears come to my eyes and I ask to myself, Is this the nation Gandhiji
laid his life for?

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what is Good Governace, Unescap, 2009

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capacity. Harvard Africa Policy Journal, 7, 29-40.,2010

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democracy. African Journal of International and Comparative Law, 2011