2011 is truly turning out to be unique. For starters the number 2011 is not only prime but the sum of 11 consecutive prime numbers ending with 211!. Probably this math is behind the uniqueness of the year at least so far.
The year started with governments being toppled and threatened virtually in every country in the oil rich Middle East to Nature inflicted nuclear disaster in Japan, the year seems to be jinxed against those in power. Closer home governments are in jeopardy more than ever. Quite a few governments including the central government are beleaguered with one scam after another all thanks to beauty of what is called corruption though don't know why! since there is nothing negative hence corrupt about it.
The beauty of capitalism, or better described as system of natural liberty (by HH ADAM SMITH), lies in this self interest and the power of masses. Capitalism and not democracy is the true power to the masses albeit it being slow in transitioning the power from one set to another when the incumbents’ time runs out. And capitalism tied together with democracy is possibly the most powerful tool that the masses can ever aspire to have.
Consider the current euphoria on the Indian news channels, Anna Hazare's fast unto death against corruption. While I respect the septuagenarian for voicing his concern and displeasure, I'm tempted to look at it as just another Gandhian gimmick to get eyeballs. In the same vein, I can go the level of applauding Raja for pulling off what he did in a system that is filled with wolves hungry for money. He and his fellow ,so called, corrupt clique are the embodiment of capitalism. They are the classic dark heros of capitalism + democracy as they highlight why this is such a brilliant system, this despite the fact that the 2G scam and the others can be used as the black paint to mar capitalism and democracy and provide credence to an armed communist revolution by whatever name it is called.
Raja is said to have swindled and caused losses worth billions so does the wikileaks mention that the UPA Government survived by paying money but all this is possible only because the masses transferred their power to those involved in heights of corruption. (I'd come to the point of bureaucratic corruption subsequently in the blog). This is where I beg to differ with Mr Hazare. In a social set up where the government has the masses powerless and voiceless, I can agree to such means popularized under the name satyagraha but not in a free democratic country. For all those who claim that India is neither free nor democratic, please wake up. You get to vote every election and it is your fault if you don't. Getting back to Mr Hazare, the answer to the problem isn't buring effigies or fasting like some obstinate child asking for a toy but using the power vested by the system to cleanse it. On a tangential note this seems to have become fad a dangerous one at that, first it was for Telengana, now against corruption, wonder what next. What is even sadder is the so called intelligentsia participating and adding credence to this retrogressive gimmicks and measures.
The answer to the problem lies in ensuring that the people exercise their powers justly. I beg to differ with most and not fault the political parties to hand out cash for votes. If that is what the market demands then the supply will find a way to it and the tougher it gets to meet the demand it will only get costlier to meet it. This applies to cash for votes as well. Stricter rules will make it tougher to reach the money to the people or make less available for the end voter since more palms have to be greased up now which only begets more corruption. Though the rebuttal to the last point is that stricter rules would ensure that things don’t happen, I don’t see that possibility. Irrespective of how strict the rules are supply will meet the demand in one form or other. The system can make it tougher but without the masses supporting, it is only a matter of time the system gets broken. History is replete with such examples, prohibition v/s Al Capone, Germany crippling allied powers V/s Hitler, lack of people power v/s USSR, People v/s Gaddahfi, Power v/s Mubarak, regulations v/s structured trading (SEC ptah) to name a few.
What I find very sad and ironic is that the same people who made the government sit on the chairs of power to rule them are begging for the government to listen to them. This is ridiculous but is something that we historically and mythological-ly seem to be attuned to. Well at least Hinduism is replete with stories of gods giving virtually carte blanche with so called asuras and then begging and grovelling to kill them eventually. In all these cases the fault isn’t with the person who is using or misusing the power but it is of the masses who hand it over to them.
What likes of Mr Hazare, and the scores of so called intelligentsia or whatever, who are against corruption ought to be doing is panning over to the 5 states due for election in the next 2 months and educating the people to vote against corruption and ensure that such elements aren’t allowed to rule us. Failing which we can all fast, which I hear is also good for health if done occasionally, and add a reason to it and feed the news channels. We should also buy TV media shares in the meanwhile since such TRPs are bound to increase their revenue and EPS.
The second beckoning question of corruption in bureaucracy would eliminate itself if the top is cleaner since like water this is a top down flowing concept. The fact that the countries low on corruption have least corrupt politicians may it be Denmark or NZ. In fact 9 of the top 10 least corrupt countries aren’t known for that strict anticorruption laws, the exception being Singapore, which I refuse to see as a country by a police state like the one in V for Vendetta.
Overall Lokpal or Ashokpal or any pal wouldn’t be the answer the situation but ensuring that the power of vote isn’t misused or shorted by the masses. Till the time we have this in place we can fast like kids refusing to have spinach but once we are famished even bitter spinach would be heavenly.
And as for me, I’m perfectly happy greasing off the odd traffic cop 100 bucks and not change my registration since it is much cheaper that way than paying 10K+ rupees of road tax+ 2K for greasing the official. It works out cheaper and interestingly turns out to be a classic example of classical, Keynesian, Smithsonian economics of demand supply curve.
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