Mani Shankar Aiyar: Democracy is India's Great Strength

*We assume that democracy is what every country should have. But what has democracy done for India? Easy. It has stimulated corruption on a massive scale, and if you want to get rich in India the most direct way is to run for parliament and reap the payoffs businesses are obliged to make to the local MP. Caste, that Indian curse, becomes more entrenched as politicians exploit caste allegiances to win votes. Bombay may be booming but it's hardly Shanghai. A country that is striving to be an economic powerhouse is being pulled down by its political system.

So say the pundits but what would they put in democracy's place? Would they prefer India to be ruled by a Mubarak or an Indian version of the Beijing politburo? Democratic politics is always messy and often corrupt but it is the inevitable price of seeking the will of the people, which will always be preferable to the will of the dictator. Is democracy in India something to be cherished or despised?*
http://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/india


Former government minister and member of the Indian National Congress
Mani Shankar Aiyar completed his B.A. in Economics from St. Stephen's and M.A. in Economics from Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he was an active member of the Marxist Society. He served for 26 years in the IFS, the last five of which were on deputation to the Prime Minister's Office under Rajiv Gandh Gandhi (1985-1989). He resigned from service in 1989 to take up a career in politics and the media, entering Parliament as a Congress MP from the state of Tamil Nadu in 1991. He led an unsuccessful campaign in 1996, but was re-elected in 1999.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Mani Shankar Aiyar
• India
• Debate
• Suhel Seth
• Democracy
• Patrick French
• India Site
• William Dalrymple
• History
• India Against Corruption
• Inidian Corruption
• Corrupt Politicians
• Anna Hazare
• Lokpal Bill
• Economic Growth
• Crooks
• Criminals
• Congress Party
• Indira Gandhi
• Narendra Modi
• BJP
• Nepotism
• Indian Dynasty
• Politics
• Bribery
• Nehru Gandhi