Lately, I have been contemplating the various ways in which we understand democracy and what it might entail, particularly with respect to the turbulent political climate. How can we explain the global corrosion of our political structures and how might our characterizations of democracy have increased salience in the midst of a fraught political atmosphere?
Often, I feel as though we are overly perfunctory in our estimations of democracy — perhaps we should examine more closely the facets of a functional government and how they might manifest themselves, both locally, and in the world at large. We take for granted the civic privileges we have been afforded. For example, the freedom to directly affect change within our immediate communities by way of protest. The United States, although experiencing a moment of right-wing governance, has been able to retain and foster its systems of democracy, wherein the electorate can make known its political grievances. Conversely, in India, dissenters are met with austere consequences, and the national conversation actively excludes disparate points of view. Our conception of democracy should not be monolithic, as institutions of power are shaped not by the histories which define them, but rather, by the individuals with the most access to them.
Nearly three months ago, the Indian government divested the state of Jammu & Kashmir of its legislative autonomy and consequently set into motion the erasure and subjugation of eight million people. International journalists were precluded from traveling to the Kashmir Valley, phone lines were severed, and Kashmiri lawmakers were placed under an indefinite house arrest.
These recent maneuvers are certainly reminiscent of Modi’s anti-Muslim ideologies, which comprise the basis of his political agenda. Since August 4th, the Kashmir Valley has been witness to exacerbated violence and compounded antipathy toward the Modi government, which is unsurprising, given the regime’s abhorrent treatment of the Kashmiri people, and more generally, India’s complex relationship to a state which is so geopolitically salient. Moreover, the government’s active suppression of media outlets which convey narratives that come into conflict with its philosophies, as well as its monopoly on all forms of communication, arguably imperil the democratic mobility of its people.
How can we be expected to retain our faith both in our political institutions, as well as in the individuals who are meant to uphold them and keep intact their sanctity? What exactly comprises a healthy democracy and how can we mitigate the devolution of our institutions, given rampant corruption and the active subversion of our most basic democratic privileges?
