Party Wins, People Lose

Ranganayakamma

Intellectuals are making predictions on the present charade of elections believing the constitution in force and democracy in circulation like innocent children. These intellectuals wish for a party to come to power which will do some good for the people. They only think about short-term relief while they do not in the least raise the issue of exploitation of labour. Under the current circumstances if one only thinks about quick-fix relief measures, what about lasting solutions? They say that if one suffers from a major illness should they ignore a temporary headache? True. To move a step forward one should take care of temporary problems too. But what about the major ailment? When will they address it? If the major ailment is the reason for the headache or this ache or that ache, is it possible to attend to the minor aches without attending to the major illness? When will they address the disease called exploitation of labour? This is not easily apparent to the common public but is it not known to even the intelligentsia? When will they tell the common public about that?

One cannot attribute malafide intentions to intellectuals who are pro-people. But if intellectuals deal with such topics superficially, observations and writings on seats tally in elections will end up keeping the common man in a state of illusion. Are the intellectuals also getting used to being in this state of illusion?

These intellectuals consider that parties whether in power or not, differ in character and have different goals. It becomes clear, from the way every party implements programmes, that this is not the case. For instance, every party will implement the policy of privatisation. The only difference is in the degree, extent and pace of implementation. These parties give a life of job insecurity and dependence upon the mercies of private employers. Similarly, look at what these parties do in the name of liberalisation: All these parties give permissions in the name of ‘ease of doing business’ (liberal licensing) without bothering about environmental pollution or safe working conditions of the workers. On top of it, they allot land at throwaway prices to the exploiters. They supply electricity and water either completely free or at cheaper rates. They keep the ‘doors’ and ‘windows’ wide open in the name of globalisation. Will anyone of these parties reject these policies?

‘Freedom has come! People fought and achieved’ they say. Have they found a solution to the problem of unemployment? For the past 75 years, it has been there! Can’t pro-people intellectuals realise that the main reason for any problem, any kind of poverty is the capitalist mode of production which carries on the exploitation of labour on a large scale? Or even after realising it are they unable to tell the people? Are they unable to make it public even after grasping the real reasons for the price rise? What is the difference among these parties which fail to even fulfil basic needs of food, clothing, education, health and shelter? Do the intellectuals not know that these very parties are responsible for the accumulation of riches in one class and poverty in another class? Aren’t these parties responsible for the existence of those who buy cars worth crores on one side and those who eke out a living by risking their lives entering man holes to clean the clogged drains?

They say that the Constitution must be saved! In actuality, the Constitution is at the root of several inequalities. It gives rights to own private property which facilitates the exploitation of labour to earn incomes namely, profits, interests and land rents. It sustains an unequal division of labour that confines some citizens to the bottommost physical labour throughout life while it enables some to perform only intellectual labour. It is no use to teach the working-class people to save this kind of constitution. The intellectuals say that a party which takes away even the basic token rights should not win the elections. But all the existing parties do behave in one way when in power and another way when not in power.

The intellectuals say that democracy is in danger. Do the intellectuals not know that democracy in its current form is meant only for a privileged few? How is it right to create the illusion that in democracy people are the masters? Does it mean that there is democracy in the economic sphere even if the necessaries of life and the means of production to produce those necessaries are ‘reserved’ for a class and a few grains of reservation are thrown to the millions of people? These intellectuals say no to a government which misuses draconian, oppressive laws. When there are hostile classes in the society no government will be able to rule without these very repressive laws. In a 75-year-old history, one can see that these parties have either introduced new repressive laws or toughened the existing laws. Should pro-people intellectuals not recognise this fact and tell the people that in a society where there are inequalities in every sphere, elections are nothing but a means “to transfer power from one fraction of the ruling classes to the other.” 

About 155 years ago when an intellectual called Karl Marx recognised this fact. Haven’t people in this country too noticed this in 75 years of existence of constitutional democracy? (“The general suffrage, till now… a plaything in the hands of the ruling classes, …employed by the people to choose the instruments of parliamentary class rule once in many years…”–Marx)

The fact that the elections are abused as a toy in the hands of ruling classes is evident from the manner elections are held, isn’t it? Isn’t the aim of the elections to come back to power by doling out freebies like money, caste, and religion in the form of various schemes? Debates and writings on the facts related to the nature and character of these elections, parties and their policies are necessary. Whereas writings and debates about what will happen if this party comes to power or that party comes to power will remain as pastime chitt.

If correct political knowledge fails to reach the ordinary people, it is the people who will lose in every election, aren’t they?

(First appeared in Andhra Jyothy, a Telugu daily, dt. 4-7-2024. Translation: Liaqat Mirza)

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Vol 57, No. 8, Aug 18 - 24, 2024