Democracy and civil society are terms familiar to as well as interpreted and re-interpreted by almost everyone. What we generally get to hear are the definitions of the intellectuals and the elites. How the “Aam Insaan” (the common person) perceives democracy and civil society often remain unexplored. In this article, I attempt to present what the “aam insaan” may perceive of democracy and the civil society. I, hereby, recite what a common man had shared with me when I asked him about these two weighty concepts.
“As a common man, I am unaware of the definitions of democracy stored in thick books but what I am aware of is that there exists a Government and I contribute to it through my vote. I am aware that there are leaders who represent me in this government. I am also aware that my neighbor had participated in the last elections and had become the representative of my village. Infact, this time my wife also desires to become a representative. I am the only bread winner for my family with my profession of agriculture. My only desire is to live happily with my family. When I saw the village doctor, I desired that my child should also become one and treat people with proper medicines. My profession would not have sustained this dream but the Government’s policy of free education allowed us to inch towards it. I am illiterate but my children are not.
I heard the name civil society first when once a group had come to our village and taught us some farming techniques. On trying one last year, I managed double cropping from the same field. I was invited to the city where I shared this experience. This group also taught me to train other farmers in my village.
I also remember a communal riot in my village. In the aftermath, the police came but held an innocent boy guilty for the act. At that time, I did not have the courage to speak up but after few days, a group came to us and inquired about the incident. They were not from the Government. I told them about this boy. I was both astonished and happy to see a report in the newspaper next day about this incident and against the police subinspector. The innocent boy was also released. To condemn these communal based tensions, my mother also started organizing monthly inter-religious and inter-caste meets to spread the message of love, peace and non-violence.
In another instance, the Government had decided to acquire a part of the forest and a major part of our agricultural land for a factory. We became worried and organized a small meeting to discuss about this. Three students, who were graduating, in a nearby city informed us about how this project would promise employment but at the cost of pollution, deforestation and loss of land. We all decided to object to this but were disappointed as we didn’t have courage to oppose such a big government, officers, politicians and plant owner. Village representative then decided to approach the district authority to get our concerns raised in a democracy. A complaint was filed but there was no response. After some months, we saw people with measuring tapes and other engineering apparatus. We became more worried. Then one person informed us that we can ask the authority about the status of our complaint. We filed an RTI for the same and decided to protest at the district headquarter. We went for sit-in. The authority was forced to talk to us and our protest was also covered in newspapers. Following this, several groups came to our village and offered support in our fight. They suggested us to write to the Chief Minister, Ministry of Environment and High court. I was illiterate so they took my right thumb stamp on the letter, but others had put their signatures. Before sending the letter, they narrated each clause of the letter to us. Six months past, I heard that High Court had ordered to stop the construction and to give our lands back. I was amazed by this success as we were neither armed persons, nor the influential bunch. We managed to win the fight just by truth and unity.
Now, I have decided to learn alphabets. I am quite sure that next time, I will put my signature on the stamp paper.
I don’t know about democracy and civil society much, but still I say that I am happy being here in my village, I am happy that my children are getting free education, that I can get low price ration, that even as an individual I have right to oppose and to speak against any injustice, that doctor of my village gives me free medicines when I become sick, that even though she is a woman, my wife can become the representative of my village, that I can get opportunities to develop my skills and business, that I can contribute in the protection of the trees of my jungle, that I can teach farming techniques even to the people who are wiser than me. I am happy that civil society groups (as they call themselves) made available hand pumps in my village for safe drinking water. I am happy that people from this society come to us and teach us ways of living a healthy and happy life, to protect our rights and to inform us about Government policies.
I am happy that the Government, elected through my vote, cares for me and whenever it doesn’t, civil society comes to our rescue. It is good to know that my Government not only pledges to protect me but also has provision for groups, societies and trusts of the people to help execute as well as to check on the policies of the Government itself. In my view, the civil society helps strengthen the concepts of humanity, equality and freedom.”
The notion of a ‘civil society’ is not a recent one. From the Saints and Sufis to Gandhi, Martin Luther and present activists, we have examples of ‘civil society’ striking to fight against injustice, social discrimination, and equality and for social and political reforms. Civil Society has also from time to time coordinated with the Government (Schools, co-operatives, charitable hospitals) to strive for an equal society. It also initiates debates (eg: Death penalty, LGBTI rights etc) for making a society mature for a fairer world. The ‘civil society’ is the reins of the sledge (Democracy).
(Written by Ravi Nitesh for Blogocracy Contest of American Society alongwith Youth Ki Awaaz)
(This blog won first in the contest. Links are: http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/forum/discussion/129/blogocracy-winners/p1, http://www.facebook.com/americancenternewdelhi/posts/258017320949014?comment_id=1432415)
Rule by the people: how civil society makes democracy tick
