Only by voting will people be in a position to demand from whom they have voted and to expect perhaps even greater next time from those whom they have rejected says Rahul Tripathi
On election day the common man is beset with a number of questions, ranging from the choices to make, the issues to look for or even whether to go out and vote at all. Some of those who value their vote, very naturally wonder if elections are more of a ritualistic exercise which deliver more of the same. Others at the same time feel that the vote is indeed instrumental in bringing about a change in the system and the people. Both perceptions notwithstanding, the motivation to vote often gets shaped by and also shapes the perceived outcomes thereby creating a very important basis for democratic evolution. Such basis becomes weak if one decides not to vote and this in turn multiplies the problems manifold.
So what are the factors that would actually motivate one to vote for Goa if one looks at some basic suppositions? First and the foremost, the vote is a 'right' which the people exercise so as to have the freedom to select a candidate out of the choice available before them. Yes, it may be a valid argument that the choice is deeply limited and the choice of 'people's candidate' is an idea which is still to catch up here despite some striking exceptions this time. As in rest of India, the primordial affiliations of caste, language and religion in Goa may still matter. But then, limited choice must not become a de-motivation to vote, but should rather become a motivation to reject those who do not deliver.
Second, vote reflects an aspirational value, where people exercise their franchise which then acquires an instrumental value by electing a representative who is expected to fulfill their aspirations and expectations. Even though the party manifestoes and election promises may be far removed from practical realizations, these do represent a mobilizational plank for some people in certain contexts. The correlates between the elections and their aspirational value for people should be seen in the context of micro managing sectional interests and translating them at the macro level. Electoral democracy in India should be seen less as the will of the majority but more as the macro translation of the micro impulses. Voting not only facilitates this process, but also provides the scope for making this translation possible.
A third and the more visible dimension of the vote is its power to transform and power to change (not to be understood in the context of change of government alone, but also in change of governance). Perhaps one of the biggest achievements of our gradually evolving (and improving electoral democracy has been governments being voted out of power and also being re-elected on the sheer plank of governance and administration). This is not to say that primordial factors of shaping voting behaviour have changed. But that the candidates will have to pass the litmus test of efficiency is the message.
Fourthly, from a more extrinsic point of view, a greater voting percentage reflects the belief and faith of the people in democracy itself with all its attendant imperfections. While the conduct of free and fair elections in India is a work in progress, it is a work very much on track. Electoral reforms aimed at curbing money and muscle power during elections can only be symptoms of the larger resolve that society shows towards denouncing such elements. Otherwise, such laws can become another in the series of those laws which are well meaning, but are difficult to implement at the grassroots level because people are unwilling to give up their private aspiration for public good.
Read more on http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/The-motivation-to-vote/articleshow/12116919.cms
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Only by voting will people be in a position to demand from whom they have voted and to expect perhaps even greater next time from those whom they have rejected says Rahul Tripathi
ReplyDeleteOn election day the common man is beset with a number of questions, ranging from the choices to make, the issues to look for or even whether to go out and vote at all. Some of those who value their vote, very naturally wonder if elections are more of a ritualistic exercise which deliver more of the same. Others at the same time feel that the vote is indeed instrumental in bringing about a change in the system and the people. Both perceptions notwithstanding, the motivation to vote often gets shaped by and also shapes the perceived outcomes thereby creating a very important basis for democratic evolution. Such basis becomes weak if one decides not to vote and this in turn multiplies the problems manifold.
So what are the factors that would actually motivate one to vote for Goa if one looks at some basic suppositions? First and the foremost, the vote is a 'right' which the people exercise so as to have the freedom to select a candidate out of the choice available before them. Yes, it may be a valid argument that the choice is deeply limited and the choice of 'people's candidate' is an idea which is still to catch up here despite some striking exceptions this time. As in rest of India, the primordial affiliations of caste, language and religion in Goa may still matter. But then, limited choice must not become a de-motivation to vote, but should rather become a motivation to reject those who do not deliver.
Second, vote reflects an aspirational value, where people exercise their franchise which then acquires an instrumental value by electing a representative who is expected to fulfill their aspirations and expectations. Even though the party manifestoes and election promises may be far removed from practical realizations, these do represent a mobilizational plank for some people in certain contexts. The correlates between the elections and their aspirational value for people should be seen in the context of micro managing sectional interests and translating them at the macro level. Electoral democracy in India should be seen less as the will of the majority but more as the macro translation of the micro impulses. Voting not only facilitates this process, but also provides the scope for making this translation possible.
A third and the more visible dimension of the vote is its power to transform and power to change (not to be understood in the context of change of government alone, but also in change of governance). Perhaps one of the biggest achievements of our gradually evolving (and improving electoral democracy has been governments being voted out of power and also being re-elected on the sheer plank of governance and administration). This is not to say that primordial factors of shaping voting behaviour have changed. But that the candidates will have to pass the litmus test of efficiency is the message.
Fourthly, from a more extrinsic point of view, a greater voting percentage reflects the belief and faith of the people in democracy itself with all its attendant imperfections. While the conduct of free and fair elections in India is a work in progress, it is a work very much on track. Electoral reforms aimed at curbing money and muscle power during elections can only be symptoms of the larger resolve that society shows towards denouncing such elements. Otherwise, such laws can become another in the series of those laws which are well meaning, but are difficult to implement at the grassroots level because people are unwilling to give up their private aspiration for public good.
Read more on
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/The-motivation-to-vote/articleshow/12116919.cms
"You can milk a cow the wrong way once and still be a farmer, but vote the wrong way on a water tower and you can be in trouble."
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