Re: SAARC and the future of South Asia
Hanibal - I agree with you that democracy can be captured by a countries elite - and for all of South Asia this is true. However, in India you find some places where democracy actually does work. Take Kerala for example the state has better literacy and health indicators than many over developed countries.
You say you're not going to compare India with Pakistan because we have our own set of problems - and India being the biggest democracy in the world should have some clearer goals and goods delivered to its people. I agree with the latter part - but in the former part why are you holding India to a higher moral/ethical standard than Pakistan? Just because they're bigger?
Again, Indian democracy - however flawed it may be - is better than what we have.
Re: SAARC and the future of South Asia
Hanibal - I agree with you that democracy can be captured by a countries elite - and for all of South Asia this is true. However, in India you find some places where democracy actually does work. Take Kerala for example the state has better literacy and health indicators than many over developed countries.
You say you're not going to compare India with Pakistan because we have our own set of problems - and India being the biggest democracy in the world should have some clearer goals and goods delivered to its people. I agree with the latter part - but in the former part why are you holding India to a higher moral/ethical standard than Pakistan? Just because they're bigger?
Again, Indian democracy - however flawed it may be - is better than what we have.
there you answered it yourself
Re: SAARC and the future of South Asia
Getting back on topic though:
So all democracies in South Asia are corrupt - elite captured.
Should we:
1 - wait/work towards making them functional representative democracies?
2 - wait/work towards a socialist/communist type revolution?
Is there any other option?
Re: SAARC and the future of South Asia
I'm not sure I understand - you're saying because they're bigger - that is why their democracy is better compared to ours?
Re: SAARC and the future of South Asia
I'm not sure I understand - you're saying because they're bigger - that is why their democracy is better compared to ours?
just saying that, their democratic system is better than what we have got.. nothing to do with the size
Re: SAARC and the future of South Asia
Ah, okay,
I like your arguments,
If democracy is not working currently it seems to me that we have two options:
1 - Improve democracy - move towards a Norway/Finland style socialist democracy eventually
2 - socialist communist revolution
3 - Islamic revolution
do you think there is any another way out of the mess we're in? Which of the above would you go with?
Re: SAARC and the future of South Asia
I would go for improved democracy later two have proven to be bigger evils