| In Praise of Anarchy
It is rather interesting that in these days of universal deification of democracy, a well known anarchist has distinguished himself as arguably the world's best known and respected peacemakers. We refer to the American academic, and author of many provocative but nonetheless enlightening books such as "Profit over People" and "Manufacturing Consent" -- Naom Chomsky -- who incidentally was in India recently campaigning for a world opinion against America's war on Afghanistan.
It is also interesting to note that inspite of its hawkish stand on the war against terrorism, America still had the capacity to accommodate viewpoints that went directly against the country's emotional current. The spirit of tolerance of dissent is admirable indeed, one that is definitely an index of the maturity of the political establishment. All the same, even democracy needs some checking factors in the likes of anarchists such as Chomsky. For even democracy can become a cloak behind which forces of oppression become menacing and unstoppable juggernauts.
India has its own Chomsky in celebrated author Arundhati Roy. She too, has been one of the best-known peacemakers. But the spate of ungainly criticism from the "far right" amongst the Indian intelligentsia that her writings attracted was unfortunate. The mock laments that in her current preference for nonfiction over fiction writing, literature has lost an author, rings a false, and even obnoxious note. The prudish, pig-headed tone too is often irritating. As if poets and authors must live in ivory towers, far removed from everyday reality, romanticizing myths and singing ballads.
But everybody has a right to his opinion, and so to each his own. The great thing about democracy is it can absorb all. A spirit so well contained in Walt Whitman's line in "Song of Myself", an extended epiphany, supposedly inspired by the largeness of spirit contained in the Hindu Vedas, which asks 'Do I contradict myself? Well then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain
multitudes..." An accommodative spirit that is, and must remain part of any mature, political system.
The anarchist voices in democratic polities are welcome, precisely because in a way they act as a check on wherever and whenever democracy tend to go wrong or become overbearing. And it is democracy's virtue that its liberal tradition has always been fecund ground for multitudes of thoughts and ideas. We give this credit of liberalism to democracy alone; for we are certain that nothing close to it could have happened in fascistic environments. Anarchism indeed is democracy's infant terrible, a bete noire snarling at it, but all the same it is democracy's child.
However, let us correct ourselves in our eulogy for democracy lest we are misunderstood. By democracy, we do not so much mean democracy as a political system alone. On the other hand, we mean democracy as a value. A value that guarantees equality, fraternity and liberty of thought amongst all subjects. A value that gives primacy to majority voice but at the same time makes sure minority as well as dissenting voices is given their due.
And perhaps the political system that can best guarantee such an environment, is the one in which the people mandates a set of leaders periodically through universal franchise, with its one man one vote principle.
(Courtesy: The
Imphal Free Press) |
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