Democratic Governance and Special Interests

Democracies serve needs of all citizens only if they are not held ‘hostage’ to some special interests. When common public interests are allowed to be surrendered to the special interests of one group or community, democratic governance becomes a burden. Typically, such ‘concessions’ to special interests are granted on the quid pro quo basis for electoral support to ruling political regimes. In recent months, the central government in India led by Prime Minister Modi has been regularly accused of ‘pandering’ to the interests of big corporates like Adani. Special interests undermining delivery of common public goods for citizens at large in India are not just large corporate interests; special interests have numerous vote-bank characteristics.

Take a few recent examples from Delhi.

Delhi is the most polluted city in the world; its air breathes disease and death. One of the sources of such high pollution levels is the fumes coming out of old and poorly maintained vehicles (2, 3, 4 or more wheels). Despite orders from the National Green Tribunal, and many years of existing empirical evidence, governments of Delhi and India have connived to disallow banning of old and poorly maintained vehicles from plying on its streets. Why? Because buses, trucks, tempos, autos, taxis etc. etc. are owned by petty politicians, their relatives and small-time businessmen. They threaten strikes if such rulings are enforced; they also constitute vote banks.

As a result, Delhi’s air continues to be highly polluted, causing disease and death to many of its citizens.

Delhi is also the accident capital of the country, if not the world. One of the main reasons is that drivers, walkers, bicycles, rickshaws—no one--- follows traffic rules, and jumping red light is considered fine skill of driving. When amendments to road safety legislation are being made more stringent, and enforcement more compulsory, the Transport Minister of national government baulks, and dismisses such changes as unnecessary; Delhi government’s Transport Minister readily agrees. Why? Because imposing Rs 5000 fine on jumping red light (which regularly causes injury and/or death to others) is seen as too harsh, and against the interests of those driving public vehicles. Those who earn their livelihood as drivers of some vehicle (including rickshaw and e-rick) must be asked to strictly follow rules of their profession of being a driver, otherwise debarred from their profession. Special interests of drivers are thus protected and those of general public ignored; traffic jams and accidents continue unabated in Delhi.

Then, try hiring an auto-rickshaw in Delhi these days. Is it any different from earlier? The new AAP government in Delhi has promised annual inflation-adjusted fare increase for autos. Compulsory requirements of wearing a clean uniform, having a GPS navigation system and electronic tamper-proof meter have been waived by the Chief Minister Kejriwal. Why? Because auto-rickshaws carried his campaign posters free, and constitute his vote bank. Those citizens who hire auto-rickshaws are perhaps not his party’s vote bank? As a result, it is impossible to find autos to go anywhere with meter, and hiring them by single women in the evening continues to be unsafe.

Numerous such examples can be found in each state and city of the country (indeed the world). If democratically elected governments can not create and enforce rules and laws that promote common public goods for all citizens, then serious questions arise about the effectiveness of democracy as a form of governance. Since both Kejriwal and Modi want to seek re-election, they are likely to continue governing Delhi and India (respectively) as if common public goods do not really matter. What matters most are their vote-banks and their special interests.

Making democracy work for all citizens is critical, if authoritarian regimes have to be avoided.

Rajesh Tandon
Founder-President  PRIA, New Delhi 
June 16, 2015

Source: http://pria.org/blogs.php?action=view&blog_id=2941