Nair and the Cat - Aam Aadmi Party

Nair : Hey Cat. Come and take a look. Kejriwal's swearing in ceremony is being shown on TV.
Cat : Yes. What is so unique in that? And politics is a subject which has hardly interested you.
Nair : Yeah. Well, you cannot blame me. It's because Indian politics has been really dirty till now. This man has a chance of cleaning it up.
Cat : Tsk. Humans. They consider themselves the most advanced of all species and yet they find it so difficult to learn simple lessons.
Nair : What? What are you talking about?
Cat : The history of humankind is replete with the same cycles. And yet it is difficult for them to fathom that cycle. Stage one always starts with human beings being dissatisfied by the prevailing norms and practices. Everybody wants to change the system but accept that the effort of one person would go naught and is insignificant. Therefore, they adjust to the system. Of course, there might be a minority who would offer a bit of resistance in their daily lives.They know that they cannot change the system. They do their one good deed and specifically ensure that it goes noticed. After all, they did the good deed and they deserve the claps.
Nair : That is not fair. They do deserve the claps. Besides, when they do publicise it, it results in a ripple effect. If I do something good and somebody else come to know of it, it results in a ripple effect.
Cat : Of course. A ripple effect. In social media terms, likes and shares.  Publicity. Tears. And finally inspiring enough for someone else to commit a new good deed and afterwards get their share of limelight.
Nair : Yeah. Yeah. That's a very pessimistic view though. And, where does Kejriwal fit into it? He can't be classified as the minority that did one good deed. He has been a consistent participant in the anti-corruption movement since its inception.
Cat : Yes. Of course, general dissatisfaction leads to stage two. There arises out of ashes that one personality who promises utopia or atleast a movement towards the same. A personality who realises the raging issues of the day and takes a stand against them. In the ancient era, it was religious icons. Modern era brought about such figures like Hitler who promised Lebensraum and the revival of the German pride, Lenin who promised an egalitarian and classless society, George Bush who promised a global war against terrorism and so on and so forth. An image would be built up and they would be portrayed as the symbol of that struggle against that raging issue. While the minority who got through with the little deeds were the small fish, the aforementioned were the minority among the minority. They were the big fish. Nair, all the fish talk has made me hungry.
Nair : Food can come later. So, what if such personalities come up? Ordinary people need somebody to rally around. Kejriwal and AAP has given courage and encouragement to many people to come out of their closets.
Cat : Because that is where stage three happens. Now, here one of the two things happen. If that particular personality is not charismatic enough, the masses go back to their daily lives after having transferred to him the responsibility of resolving their issue.
Nair : I am going to interrupt there. One of the central tenets of AAP has been the setting up of Mohallas and decentralisation of power. So, you see. The masses won't be going back to their daily lives. They would be made to actively participate in governance at the local level. Besides that, they have also promised to instruments of direct democracy like referendum and recall.
Cat : Yes, of course. The masses would have their demands and nothing more. No solution. No understanding. And in a country like India, if you take hundred people, the official census says that seventy four would be literate. But, literacy is nothing more than the ability to read and write in any language. Literacy and Education are different. Education leads to an informed and well-reasoned opinion. The very teeming masses you are talking about has perpetuated the miseries of an outdated, rigid caste system and has waged riots in the name of religion misinterpreting the very scriptures written by similar personalities ages ago.
Humanity in general loves faces and symbols. Arvind Kejriwal is the face and Jhadoo is the symbol. He has promised free water and cheaper electricity. Tangible benefits for them. He will clean corruption by himself. In summary, an identifiable face and symbol which would offer them tangible benefits and do most of the work by himself. Nothing else matters to them.
Nair : Wait. You said stage three had two alternatives. What is the second one?
Cat : The particular personality concerned would be highly charismatic. The masses who already question little because they are sure to receive the sops they are promised would adore him.  Thus, even in principle if decentralisation is adopted, what happens in reality would be centralisation. An unquestioning and face-loving mass would eventually lead to an autocrat. The US war on terrorism finally evolved into something else. Hitler committed holocaust. The Soviet dream disintegrated as socialist ideals stifled growth and resulted in the concentration rather than dispersal of wealth and power.
Nair : Let's say that it's the former alternative. The person is not charismatic enough and the masses do indeed go back to their own lives. But, don't you think that a determined person in power can initiate the winds of change?
Cat : Of course, there would be some noises in the initial phase. Apparent major changes here and there. But then, as time passes, each change would be of diminishing marginal utility and nothing more than a political gimmick. Human habits would re-assert itself. No human being can work selflessly. He works for his own happiness.
Nair : I beg to differ. What about Mother Teresa, Gandhiji and others like them?
Cat : Religion. The concept of God, Heaven and Hell. Their happiness being somehow wired with the happiness of others and thereby blurring the lines of selflessness and selfishness. Power. Money. Sometimes, even publicity and fame do their bit. It is interesting that you brought out the example of Gandhiji. He stood for certain values. It was widely perceived by the masses that independent India would follow his principles. However, the other leaders including Ambedkar and Nehru thought it impractical and what followed were Nehruvian idealism. Of course, that bit dust as well. The same principle that would eventually apply to Kejriwal. Gradually whatever changes he will bring about, would revert back.
Nair : If what you are saying is true, then progress would not have been made anywhere. For instance, the Scandinavian countries are known for their corruption free environment.
Cat : And, do you think that it came through the efforts of one movement or one personality?More importantly, what makes you think they progressed from A to B? They could have been corruption free throughout history.
Nair : But, if what you are saying is true, the Indian society would eventually collapse into chaos. It is not. Maybe, it's the efforts of people like Kejriwal which keep it going even though the effects of such efforts gradually diminish. When they do diminish, somebody else steps in. It's like a sine wave.As it is said in Mahabharata by Yudhishtra, it's the effort of the lawful that keeps the society going even though there is an overwhelming tendency for it to collapse.
Cat : Your sine wave is an apparent one. What holds the society together is greed itself and not the good heart of the lawful. Greed creates a framework which prevents it from collapsing onto itself. All laws and the principles of good governance arise from this greed and consequently they are bent in such a manner so as to extract maximum profit without collapsing the society. How do they arise from greed? For example, if there are no laws relating to property, then it would be too chaotic for anyone to benefit. Similarly, if there is no semblance of good governance, the government will get voted out in the next election. Even the masses vote for subsidies and personal benefits as I have already mentioned earlier.
Nair : But, even if something can come out of greed, if good governance can arise out of..
Cat : I know where this is going. As I already told you, greed creates a framework so as to just prevent it from collapsing. But, anything beyond that is bendable.
Nair : So, according to you, this is all pointless.
Cat : Well, you can choose to ignore everything, of course. Wear AAP caps. Hit the social media praising the game-changers in Indian politics. You can buy some brooms and make some voluntary donations. Then, of course, you can all go back to life.
Nair : We'll have lunch now and this argument does not end. I am sure there is a logical fallacy in your argument. And even if there are none, I have faith in the AAP. For the very first time, a party is standing for a set of ideals that people can respect. You can harp on your pessimistic logic but you cannot deny that faith of ordinary people like me.
Cat : I am sure someone said what you told me now, of religions, a long time ago. Look what that got humanity into. And, yes, we'll resume after lunch.