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1- For more information on this campaign and Kabir, visit: http://gramswaraj.wordpress.com/, http://www.lokrajandolan.org/, or kabir.org.in/
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword ....................................................................................................03 SECTION I: An Introduction to the Issues ...............................................05 i. Political Structures ..................................................................................06 ii. Political Representation: Population and Local Governance .................08 SECTION II: Decentralization and Devolution........................................10 i. Public Participation in India.....................................................................11 ii. Public Participation in the United States................................................14 iii. Public Participation in Switzerland.......................................................16 iv. Public Participation in Brazil: Resource Management..........................18 SECTION III: Accountability..................................................................20 i. Accountability on a Community Level: Police Accountability .............21 ii. Communication between Central and Local Levels .............................23 SECTION IV: Transparency .................................................................. 24 i. The Right to Know ................................................................................25 SECTION V: Recommendations and Conclusion ..................................27 i. Swaraj Abhiyan: The Self-Rule Campaign ..........................................28 ii.Conclusion ............................................................................................31 Works Cited .............................................................................................32
Foreword
emocracy is an ongoing struggle. Pure direct democracy has yet to be fully realized, yet many communities throughout the world have been striving towards this utopia, demanding their democratic rights with more force than ever. The complete empowerment of citizens is not an unrealistic goal. Increasingly, many people have begun to take matters into their own hands, using their democratic systems to steer their lives in a positive direction. Democracy can be seen as a set of practices and principles that institutionalize and thus ultimately protect freedom.2 Most observers agree that the fundamental features of a democracy include government based on majority rule and the consent of the governed, the existence of free and fair elections, the protection of minority rights and respect for basic human rights. Countries that are classified as full democracies on the Economist Democracy Index are judged by their high levels of electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, functioning of government political participation, and political culture.3 Sweden, Norway and Iceland are at the top of this list, scoring 9.88 on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the most democratic. These full democracies which constitute only 18% of all countries with 14.4% of the world's population have truly given power to the people. The strengthening of local governance has increased public participation, and the implementation of strong mechanisms of accountability and transparency have ensured high levels of trust and communication between governments and citizens. Flawed democracies such as India, the Republic of China, Chile and South Africa seem to vacillate between governance that promotes freedom, to systems that suppress public empowerment. The following report aims to primarily examine the flawed democracy of India through a global perspective. In order to evolve from a flawed into a full democracy it is crucial to not only examine the system from the inside, but it is also critical to step outside of the system and understand that the move towards strong democracy is possible. Indeed, such a revolutionary move is happening throughout the globe. India is the largest federal democracy in the world. According to its constitution, India is a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic, emphasizing the independence and supremacy of the nation, social and economic equality for all citizens, and a government that is elected democratically. To what extent do these ideals hold true? How does theory translate, or fail to translate, into practice? The following report will dissect the political governance of India through a global perspective. It will examine the governance practices of other democracies, primarily that of the United States of America, Switzerland, and Brazil. Basic political structures will be analyzed, and the rights and powers of ordinary citizens will be comparatively and critically examined. This report is divided into five main sections: an introduction to the issues and political structures; decentralization and devolution through public participation; mechanisms of accountability; mechanisms of transparency; and finally a section on recommendations. The report will begin with a short introduction to the basic structures and divisions of power within the governments of India and the U.S. Through case studies and careful examinations, this report will argue that India possesses a flawed democratic system in which power is centralized at the top, leaving little space for the public to participate. The report will then go on to discuss political representation, again focusing on the U.S. and India's structures of local self-rule, (or lack thereof.) Decentralization and devolution
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mechanisms will be examined, and the Indian concept of Gram Sabha and Mohalla Sabha, or local self-ruling entities will be introduced. Local government in the U.S., including mechanisms for public hearings, will also be considered. The report will then broaden its focus, examining public power in Switzerland, in which citizens are able to take a direct role in drafting bills, resolutions and amendments at the local level of government. Participatory budgeting in Brazil is also an excellent example of economic and political devolution that will be evaluated. The focus will then shift from public participation and selfgovernance to forms of public accountability. In particular, the report will draw on a case study describing police accountability in the U.S. and India. Transparency mechanisms will then be evaluated, focusing on India's Right to Information and the Freedom of Information Act prominent throughout the democratic world. The report will argue that communication between the central government and the citizens is crucial for the functioning of a strong and healthy democracy. Finally, the Swaraj Campaign, or the initiative to bring local self-rule to Indian villages and cities will be introduced, and suggestions for potential changes will be proposed. By exploring international democracy-building projects, it becomes evident that accountability, transparency and decentralized participation are the foundations of any effective system of democracy.
2- The Economist. Economist Intelligence Unit. The Economist Intelligence Unit's Index of Democracy 2008. p 14. 3- The Economist. Economist Intelligence Unit. p16.
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SECTION-I
An Introduction to the Issues