Expose the soclialist lie in our Constitution

There has been an interesting development this month. A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the validity of 'socialist' in the Preamble to the Constitution. Also, questioning the constitutionality of the need for all registered political parties to pledge allegiance to socialism under the Representation of People Act. For long, the liberals have been demanding that the socialist pledge is a violation of the democratic spirit and the Constitution. And now we have an opportunity to build awareness of the issue among the people. Here is a list of articles in the media that have looked in to this issue the month of January 2008. All of these articles, and others are also compiled at www.InDefenceofLibertyt.org

1) Socialism, it would then appear, has had no meaning in the Indian Constitution. All along, it has been an empty vessel into which any content could be poured: it was a convenient alibi to rationalise the constitutionality of the economic policies of incumbent governments at various points, writes Shubhankar Dam, in a two-part article in the Daily News of Pakistan, on 13 and 14 January 2008.

2) Constitution says that India is a socialist - along with being a secular and democratic - republic. But have we ever thought about how seriously to take the socialist tag? The presence of the word 'socialist' in the preamble could be taken to mean a broad guiding policy with which all Indian citizens need not agree. However, making it mandatory for all registered parties to pledge loyalty to socialism cuts into Article 19(c), which gives the right to form associations or unions, notes the editorial in Times of India

3) Countries where socialism was the only political ideology of the state inevitably degenerated into dictatorship. So, is there any need for all political parties to pledge allegiance to socialism in a multi-party democracy like India? We need to seriously reconsider the issues, following the notices issued by the Supreme Court to the government and Election Commission. At stake is the democratic and political process itself. Democracy is not just about majority rule, it is also about the freedom enjoyed by those who hold a minority opinion today to win over their fellow citizens. Without that freedom, democracy cannot have any substance, writes Barun Mitra in the Mint on 17 January 2008.

4)The Supreme Court recently shot down a challenge to Indira Gandhi's 1970s-era ploy to stamp her economic policies on the country in perpetuity. At issue: Does the word "socialism" belong in the Indian Constitution? Parliament can still fix this mess, but no party is likely to take up the cause because in political circles capitalism and profit are, like Nehru said, "bad words." India could use the same kind of competition in the ideological sphere that's starting to work for the economy, writes Shruti Rajagopalan in the Wall Street Journal on 22 January 2008.

5) Socialist control on industry brought License Raj, which damaged our moral character, making us one of the most corrupt societies. Socialist labour rules shattered accountability among state employees. Hence, above-average people in government produce below-average results--unlike British India , when below-average people delivered above-average results. As a result, even the pretence to offer decent public services has gone. But our saddest insight is that our socialist state did not work on behalf of the people but on behalf of itself. The time has now come for our rulers to look themselves in the mirror and reject these mistakes of our past. Until they do that we will keep living a lie and continue performing below our potential, writes Gurcharan Das in the Times of India on 27 January 2008.

6) The liberal mantra can be summed up as: Free trade, economic freedom, private property, sound money, the rule of law, and collective investment in genuine collective property, which is roads. Yet, liberal parties remain barred. India is condemned to 'hover through the fog and filthy air' of socialism, a political doctrine that places society above the individual, and collective property above private property. Circumstances have committed the entire political process to socialists, and they alone are to be allowed into electoral competition excluding the liberals, writes Sauvik Chakraverti, in the Indian Express on 31 January 2008.

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