Scientific Polity is the real solution, not Politics of Touts
The Curse of Professional and Family Politics
Some people often
question what is the direct contribution of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, Arabind Ghosh
or Tagore to the war of Independence? Some leaders like Subhash Chandra Bose
had taken a different path from the Congress movement. In fact, certain wise
leaders, in one form or other, had become aware of a bitter reality of the
freedom movement, especially the greedy privileged tendency of the aging ministers of Congress in nine states
during 1938-39 (expressing concern about which Subhas Chandra Bose in capacity
of Congress President had written a letter to M K Gandhi). It was a bitter fact
that royal families, feudal landlords and moneymen had captured the Congress
movement of freedom using lawyers as a tool. The result had to be in terms of national
division, anarchy and inefficiency. So, after this freedom, not only the
world's largest constitution was formed, but also the most complicated and the largest
number of laws were framed in India. We made big laws to control what was
corrected by managerial-administrative policies from Japan to Europe. We forgot
that too much legalility ensures just minimal compliance but does not bring
efficiency, creativity and effectiveness,.
After independence, the
emergence of professional and family politics has proved to be the rebirth
of monarchy.
Lessons from the Japanese Miracle
But Hirohito was wise
and smart. He created JUSE (Japanese Union of Scientists & Engineers)—an
organization with membership limited to institutions, not individuals with
major role to transform Japan. JUSE worked under the most important Japanese
Ministry of Industry, Culture, Youth and Sports—an interesting and unique
concept encompassing the core energy of the nation & society in one
ministry. It’s task has been to select leaders and
experts with proven capability, integrity and character from the society for
the national life. In this way an automatic check on integrity and capability of
scientists & engineers in industry. Then the constitutional provision of
recall of tainted leaders in governance has been another check. This real power
to scientists & engineers enabled Japan to achieve the level of development
within 30 years which was attained by Europe and America in almost 200 years. Germany also did something similar to that.
After surrender in 1945,
Japan converted its aggressive Japanese nationalism into constructive concept
of national life. This concept of
national life transformed a war-torn country into a symbol of best quality and
prosperity in a very short span. The same path was later followed initially by
North Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hongkong; and later by Indonesia, Thailand,
Malaysia, etc. China has mixed communist orthodoxy with technological
revolution leading to speedy advancement limited to mainly physical realm. Even
USA learnt a lot from this experience.
Japan gave importance to
its talent & expertise in every walk of life leading to rapid advancement
whereas we Indians have reared a habit of giving more importance to mediocre
middlemen (of God or power or business) of system leading to weak and hollow
national system. Professional and family politicians
have also proved to be lousy middlemen whose hollow
understanding leads to failure of even
well-intentioned plans and makes the system a victim of inefficiency. Such politicians have been propagating the image
of scientists as cynical and paranoid in the society. But today, in the age of
technological revolution, these politicians are completely irrelevant and are
the burden of the system. The revolution of scientific politics is now the
right path.
We also need to convert
aggressive and violent nationalism into constructive national life so as to
ensure fruitful result. DST needs to be broadened as a constitutional authority
named Bharatiya Union of Science & Technology (BUST) with a major task of
selecting leaders for national & state life, governance and economy. These
selected talents will be utilized in two ways. Those who win the political
elections, will go to legislature & governance whereas the remaining lot
will be utilized in the public sector economy and administration, thus giving
respect, opportunity, mobility and value to the real talent. This whole
election process has to be state funded.
BUST may consist of a
board of 20 scientists/researchers as members—four nominated by the Supreme
Court, four by the Central Government, four from technical and research
institutions, two from medical research institutions, two from universities,
two from NGOs and two from industry. The chairman may be nominated by the
President of India.
The Indian Blunders of Professional Polity—Revisiting the
Wisdom of Kautilya
The result was such a
loot in the name of scientific youth revolution by cunning politicians &
their cronies that the country became bankrupt within 5-6 years—in 1991, the nation had to borrow heavily from IMF by mortgaging gold of the Reserve Bank. But it was wisdom of PM P V Narsimha Rao that he ushered in economic
liberalization through an economic scientist Manmohan Singh as Finance
Minister. Later, the national wisdom also made a good experiment by honouring
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam as the President, though for one term only.
But this has proved just
a drop in the ocean. Without stopping professional/tout/family politicians and
adopting Scientific Polity Revolution as a whole sole measure instead, this
historic opportunity for national well-being cannot be fructified. Kautilya
named his work ‘Arthshastra’, not ‘Rajnitishastra’ as he knew that
economics is a good balancer between technology and politics. It is now time as
not to turn our eyes from this reality.
The worldwide debate in
earlier times about capitalism and communism has lost its relevance and lustre after rise of Asian Tigers. In fact, both the
systems are more or less equally exploitative though their methods are
different. In capitalism there are many capitalists who manage to get the state
under their money influence, hence the state loses the will to control them
though it has capacity to do so. But in communism the state itself becomes
capitalist—state capitalism, hence who will control it. Now the real discussion
is in terms of professional politics of touts vs Scientific Polity.
Scientific Polity refers
to a system in which the whole national life including economy and industry
will be led and run by scientists, not by professional & tout politicians.
Scientist includes any researcher or equivalent activist contributing to
natural sciences, social sciences, economy, technology, music, art, literature,
sports or so. But political use of the artists, actors, sportspersons is not
good. Better they be in their own area of work. If the BUST feels their need,
they can be brought in limited advisory role.
No excuse for Removal of Caste Identity, attack directly
In India also, there is
no need to wait for the emergence of any great saviour to end caste identity,
casteism, caste domination and caste confrontation. Law and technology are the
precise solutions. Technology does not consider caste and community
distinctions. But it is professional politics that has been nourishing the
roots of casteism for its caste vote-based power gains. Both the pro and the
opponent leaders of caste reservation have been nurturing the caste identity in one way or the other.
The law and the
Constitution can be modified in one shot that
a) The list of titles/aliases
indicative of caste should be released by the government. Use of these titles
in the name (in Hindu or Islam or any religion) to be prohibited and punishable for at least the next ten
years. If required, the documents with titles/aliases indicative of caste can
be replaced with new documents without such titles within five years. Save the
original records in a safe public depository. At least, the records of the last
20 years can be changed.
b) Also make all types
of reservations suspended for the next ten years. Change in social progress
should be reviewed after this period.
c) Ban caste associations/organizations,
even if they are made in the name of community reform. Their responsible leaders
officials must also to be suppressed.
For all this, the
Constitution has to be changed also. Replace the caste reservation by caste-identity
eradication system in the Constitution.
Doing so would break the
backbone of the caste system and the politics of vote based on it. Rest will be
fast cured by scientific polity and technological revolution.
Conformance & Creativity : Speed & Discipline
‘Without discipline
speed is dangerous, without speed discipline is frustrating.’
For balanced, smooth and
directive development any society needs two vital elements--discipline
and speed. Discipline comes from conformance to standards whereas
speed emerges from creativity. Creativity promotes novel and refreshing
insights and ideas leading to improved technology, prosperity and quality in
life and society. Creativity demands autonomy—freedom from strictness and
rigidity even at the cost of discipline.
When conditions
deteriorate too much, people start feeling as why not establish military rule
to restore and maintain discipline. But military and communist dictatorships
for long time in various parts of the world have nowhere led to adequate progress.
It has been seen in Japan and elsewhere that a system led by scientists and
technocrats is highly creative. Then, the scientific polities of South Korea,
Taiwan, Hongkong, Singapore, etc. have often been confused by unscrupulous world
leaders and intellectuals with military dictatorships.
A conforming society may
be following norms, standards or rules and even traditions/rituals/customs of
the concerned group or technology irrespective of whether the following is in neutral
or destructive direction. But it lacks positive direction.
The professional polity of touts has been a curse
for India. It is at the roots of the vicious circle of all the problems of the
nation. The promises of leaders of political parties are mostly just tall talks
as part of their befooling tactics. A leader at the top may be quite honest,
untainted or laborious or watchman like gentility but that does not percolate
down so easily to the middle and lower ranks. Though good initiatives for development since
independence were taken by governments but creeping and seeping inefficiency created by this professional polity
of touts has always spoiled the things.
But India does not need absolute military dictatorship though many times
people are in a mood to support it when the conditions deteriorate and the
system fails. Military dictatorship for long time maintains fearful discipline
among the common masses and also at the lower ranks of army but it destroys
creativity, initiative and speed in the system. But protective and promotional
role of military power for two to three years under the joint direction of the higher
courts and the BUST/DST/CSIR/DRDO/scientific-technical community is worth support
to replace professional polity of touts by a Scientific Polity.
Rather than out of the two extremes of chaotic and
corruptive professional polity and frustrating military dictatorship,
Scientific Polity has emerged all over the world as a balanced and progressive
path. There is need for
one shot awareness and change. Scientific Polity is a better option than exhorting
historical glory or repeating history to conceal ones policy inefficiencies. Ban low quality politicians & politics.
Bringing in and giving importance to merit and talent has been a no risk game
everywhere.
The model adopted by Japan since 1947 mainly
through JUSE need not be blindly copied. At that time technological revolution
was in infant stage. But now technological revolution is in full swing. In the
light of it and worldwide experiences Japanese model needs to be implemented in
much more formalized and foolproof manner as indicated in Part 1. If we
easily accept the Japanese technology and quality in other fields, then why not
so in politics!
BUST--this body of scientists
& technocrats may suffer from overenthusiasm, egotism & arrogance of technology and may ignore the
subtle human, social and moral aspects of advancement. To manage this issue an honorary
association representing non-religious and non-communal social, environmental,
legal & educational institutions at various regional and functional levels should
work as pressure groups in coordination with courts. These institutions may be
formalized further as sadvipra boards (boards of moralist experts). Such
bodies should take moral activism based on scientific spirituality and
practical wisdom as their basic principles.
Constitutional & Legal Reforms for Scientific Polity
1) Remove
tout/professional/dynastic politicians from national or state life by making
entry of only selected scientists or researchers as leaders in national,
government and industrial life a compulsion. These scientists or researchers
will be selected by a constitutional body as leaders for national life from
those scientists or researchers whose capability, contribution and experience
is established and are not tainted for corruption or low character.
2) The legal suggestions
for elimination of caste identity as mentioned earlier should be implemented.
3) Install a constitutional
provision for recall of any tainted leader against whom prima facie charges are
set.
Constitutional reforms
are not usually dependent on democracy. Rather democracy ensues constitutional
reforms. Don't forget the
Constitution in India came first in 1949-50 while democracy came in 1951-52.
How to bell the cat for Scientific Polity Revolution: Is
the Revolution with Military Support the Best Way?
I) This program can be
implemented by the present central government having enough majority. But, can
it implement with proper sincerity and honesty when most of the elected leaders
are professional and nepotist politicians. It will require very high political
will and sense of sacrifice by the government.
II) Second wayout is: As
a citizen we can make open appeal to the President of India to go for it
through a national government seeking support of all the sections of
governance. But again the issue of very high political will to override
resistance of professional and nepotist politicians arises here also.
III) Third way is: The
Higher Courts with support of the scientific community and moralist
institutions (as indicated earlier) get protective and promotional support of
the armed forces for 2-3 years for such program and constitutional/legal
changes. Though armed forces are not basically for action against their own
citizens, but tout professional/nepotist politicians, whether elected or not,
are the real enemies of the nation and democracy, as mainly they are
responsible for the slow and faulty pace of progress, the disparities in
distribution, degeneration in values and the crisis-pronged inefficiency of
this country. Hence, there is no need to hesitate to use armed forces against
them and their cronies if they put any direct or hidden resistance to this program.
It is in the interest of the nation that these tout professional/nepotist
politicians surrender all their powers to the scientific polity, willingly or
unwillingly.
Regarding the first two
measures a basic question is: Whether the tout politicians will allow the
reforms to work effectively as per the negative experiences so far,
particularly during 1985-1991 as mentioned earlier? If the answer to this
question is negative, then the third way is the only effective measure.
It is upto a government
with good majority to develop sufficient political will to use this historic
opportunity on its own or wait for militarised solutions. Otherwise, a remark
by the Ex-DGP of UP, Shri Vikram Singh on a news channel on 01st
December, 2019 is not worthless: The nation now wants blood.
These measures are
relevant not only for India but also for any democracy anywhere in the world
plagued by tout professional/nepotist politicians.
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