How Much of a Democracy Is India, Really? – By P.B. Sawant

…. The essence of democracy is the participation of the people in the day to day affairs of the state. Mere elections are not democracy…. the sovereignty always vests in the people and they can exercise their powers directly in spite of their elected representatives.

For participation in governance, the citizen has to be equipped at least with basic human rights such as the right to live without fear or insecurity, right to employment and adequate standard of living, right to enough free education, right to free health services and right to clean and decent environment.

The present capitalist economic system cannot be expected to provide these basic human rights to every citizen. Under capitalism, it is the few entrepreneurs who use the national resources to run the industries and business, for their own profits and not for the benefit of the people….

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