The Story Of Democracy

Election is generally deemed a festival in a democratic state. It occurs on regular intervals and sometimes early too if there is an emergency. Democracy is a form of government where common people elect their government on the basis of majority casting their votes through ballot paper or electronic voting machine. Here all political parties contest to woo the people for attaining their maximum votes.

Though democracy is theoretically designated as a type of political system in depth it marks as a way of life. Democracy advocates for liberty, equality, and fraternity among the people safeguarding the dignity of an individual. The process of election is like its Life-Line. The constitution of a country details the whole procedure of election to ensure its free and fair execution.

Democracy is purely a political term denoting a range of social, psychological, emotional and to some extent, spiritual shades of voter-leader relationship. When a voter reaches a booth to cast his or her vote, he/she is totally free and alone to decide to whom to vote. Even then one’s vote is decided by one’s social setup and social socialization.  This can’t be denied by any social person. ‘Every man is a social animal’ stated by the father of Political Science-Aristotle, a Greek philosopher.

Normally every citizen feels attached to anyone or another political party ideologically which he or she may admit publically or not. But it is interesting to share that people’s attachment with a particular party may vary during the election phase. According to the running wave of the electoral season, people change their political orientation towards party-politics.

Politics rotates on power. Rather power is the core of politics –be it rural politics, be it state politics or be it national politics or international politics. Nobody can deny that since the dawn of human history a man has been a power-seeking creature at any cost and at any point in time. In that way democracy provides a broad and a very vast scope to human-society to access, to explore and to achieve power through politics. In this concern a famous saying of Machiavelli, great more profound of Realistic Politics, is quotable here, ‘a man forgets his father’s death but never forgets the loss of his property’. By contesting elections, by opposing the ruling government, by campaigning, by casting the vote, by criticizing the government, by creating a new political party, by collaborating or compromising with minority government to bargain the ministerial positions and many more ways a political person might utilize power in a democracy.

During the election, almost all people get transformed into a great politician having no formal degree of political Science.  Everywhere- be a showroom or a tea shop or College/University campus or drawing-room at home or train coach or bus –everybody makes an expert political comment. Not only this, the beginning of a political verbal discussion very soon takes shape and color of abusive and violent argument and even to more precise, a scuffle. Politics may be described as ‘Magnetic Effect’ under its aura whosoever comes he or she immediately gets engrossed in its analysis forgetting personal engagements. Thus democracy offers a vibrant platform where politics is taught and trained to its aware and alert citizens.

 During the election, one can easily witness a myriad of rallies, mass gatherings and group discussions as a part of campaigning. It is very interesting and pity too that when one asks from the last standing participant of rally or mass gathering for whom or for which party he or she is shouting and surprisingly the reply comes, ‘Don’t know. We are here because we are told that after the rally we would get a packet of food, or a saree or a blanket’.

Every festival comes with a lot of joy, hope, and thrills. The festival of election is not its exception. The whole nation enjoys a festive mood when the election is announced. The uninterrupted availability of electricity, water and smooth functioning of government machinery are the remarkable signs of the election process. The most eventful milestone of democracy is that election teaches us the lesson of psychological ups and downs in terms of victory and the loss of competing parties.

As well the touch of spiritual enlightenment may also be felt when a lost candidate says, ‘I am here to serve the people whatever the result appears. The position and power do not affect me. People’s desire is like a command for me.’

These are some popular scenes of a democratic regime that can be easily seen by anyone. The story of democracy begins from fifth BC during the ancient Greek times and is continuing till date elaborating and enhancing its meaning, area and impact value for the wellbeing of common people at large.

 

Message: Democracy, though a political concept, symbolizes the true nature and behavior of a man.