Strengthening the Idea of Participatory Democracy in the Indian Context

Today, worldwide, authoritarianism is rising. So, what is the solution?

In my article on Strengthening the Idea of Participatory  Democracy in the Indian Context (available here https://mainstreamweekly.net/article14797.html), I wrote that the common people hold the power to end such repression, revive the democratic spirit, and save the idea of an egalitarian, secular, hate-free, diverse, and united India. 

I argued that the election process, as it exists today, has several problems and is seriously impacting the concept of representative democracy. Therefore, to establish a strong democratic republic and a plural India, or greater democratization, this work suggests that it is essential to move beyond the idea of representative democracy to the larger concept of participatory democracy. 

Strengthening people’s power or lok shakti through swaraj or self-rule as envisioned by the freedom fighters and the constitution makers, is essential in the contemporary context. 

To rejuvenate the idea of participatory democracy, what is required is a two-step process. 

One is to revitalize the decentralization process as promoted by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, and 

The second is to strengthen social movements and foster proactive citizenship by empowering the marginalized.

I visualized the idea of participatory democracy as an alternative to representative democracy. Participatory democracy is about empowerment and education of the excluded and marginalized. It is about reimagining proactive citizenship for a robust and resilient democracy. 

This idea of participatory democracy is deeply ingrained in the Indian struggle for freedom as evident from Gandhi's idea of gram swaraj, Ambedkar's legacy of empowering the vulnerable, MN Roy's idea of people's committee, and Jay Prakash Naryan's concept of lokshakti or lokniti. 

The emergence of grassroots movements in post-colonial India, such as SEWA and MKSS, articulated the idea of participatory democracy. 

Another significant concept is revitalizing the idea of decentralizing power through strengthening the Panchayati Raj Institutions through the Gram Sabhas. 

Strengthening the civil society and promoting a human rights culture are some of the progressive steps to consolidate the political future of the country in the neoliberal world.

To establish a strong democratic, republic, and plural India, or greater democratization, this work suggests that it is essential to move beyond the idea of representative democracy to the larger concept of participatory democracy, or strengthening people’s power or lok shakti through swaraj or self-rule as envisioned by the freedom fighters and the constitution makers over the ages. Decentralizing power while focusing on enforcing progressive social legislation, strengthening social movements, and fostering active citizenship by empowering the common people are all essential steps to strengthening the idea of participatory democracy. Or in other words, the `little man’ or the common citizens in a democracy need to be empowered to assert their power and claim their rights.