Author: Rakhi Jha, IPEM Law Academy
TO THE POINT
Elections which are known to be as the basic tools of a democratic nation. But from the last two-three decades it has been observed that the parties are using populist policies to mobilize people. As it may be thought as an ideology of a political party or a tool to mobilize people. There may be two types of ideology during the elections. First would be the people and second would be the elite. During the elections the leaders just try to impress the people through their manifestos.
ABSTRACT
As during the 1970s, Indira Gandhi used a famous slogan “Garibi Hatao” for the elections, sometimes leaders use religion, caste, gender and some other social issues to mobilize a group of people. The gender issue that is used by many leaders in elections to take votes of females.To remove the burden of girls from families, the BJP government started the policy of “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao”.I through my work wants to delve more into this issue that how the trend of populism is growing in elections. As it can be a threat to the democracy of a nation by doing development.
USE OF LEGAL JARGON
Many writers gave their views on this. KASHISH VAISHNAVI in her work “Populism in Indian politics: An Analysis of trends, cause and consequences” says that the longevity of populism in Indian politics is growing because of a interaction on socio-economic inequality, mobilization based on identity, leadership, and the influence of media and technology. It has transformed the nation’s democracy. This will be a continuous issue in Indian politics. It can weaken the democratic nation when especially followed by an authoritarian leader. She takes the example of Authoritarian Leader Donald Trump. She says that the populism also makes a big role in inequality and social biasness.
Rakesh Mochantry in his writing “Rise of populism in Northeast India: A case of Assam” analysis that the shortcomings of Congress Party (2007-14)Such as dynastic politics and corruption, paved the way for the rise of populism especially in Narendra Modi’s leadership. He especially focused on Assam’s politics. He says populism is often analysed as vertical and horizontal dimensions. Vertically, it is “the people” against the corrupt elites and horizontally it is between “insiders” and “outsiders”. He took the analysis of political phases from the independence of India till now.
Narendra Subramanian, in his work “Populism in India” says that populism is a movement that made distinction between the virtuous “people” that have limited access to privilege and an “elite” considered to be unfairly dominant in these spheres. He understands populism in some phases. On one hand, he says Indira Gandhi’s populism hurt Indian democracy. On the other hand, he says populist policies that use language, culture, ethnicity as a tool enhances Indian democracy.
THE PROOF
Jawaharlal Nehru and the Indira Gandhi government ruled as an authoritarian government. Indira Gandhi gave the slogan of “Gareebi Hatao” (Banish Poverty) to gain the rally support from the people. But in the era of 2004-14, the congress government was in its slow development phase. After 2014, Narendra Modi Govt. came and uses his Hindutva policies to play an important role in mobilize people. His campaign slogan “Sabka Saath, Sabka vikaas, Sabka Vishwas” gained public interest in 2019 elections. To mobilize people he uses ethnic and linguistic identities such as Kannada, Tamil etc.
Assam emerged as a hub for the BJP and its populist leaders. These leaders uses illegal immigration, unemployment, underdevelopment as an issue to mobilize them. Through this writer wants to say that the populist got its popularity during the BJP government. Social media emerged as a critical tool to spread the populist policies among the people.
Subhash in his writing “Changing nature of populism in India” says in Indian contexts, populism generally refers to the “indiscriminate use of public resources to give good away to voters.” Due to the freebies practices the populist policies are considered to be unreasonable. He compared India’s experience of populism with the Latin American countries by saying that India has a lot of variation in the outcome of populist rule.
“The rise of populism and the revenge of the places that don’t matter” by Andres Rodriguez-Pose says that the populism has focused on growing inequalities he in his writings says that populism leads to inequality. It is a basic common practice done at almost all democratic nations. He explains that the rise of the populism can be grouped into three types of cleavage. The first is between cultural and economic. The second cleavage concerns quality versus perceptions. Third cleavage relates to those people who focus on individual factors and also relates to those people who focus on the collective characteristics of the territories area. He says that countries that are wealthy are becoming richer whereas the countries that are weak are lacking in development. He suggests that to adopt territorial policies that go well will help in the development. Interviewing in these regions is also a matter of political survival for mainstream political actors.
Cas Mudde and Christ Roviira Kaltwasser in their book ‘Populism – A very short Introduction’ give a brief description of populism. He says that this term is used to describe left-wing presidents in Latin America, right-wing challenger parties in Europe, and both left-wing and right-wing presidential candidates in the United States. He says that there are two direct Opposites of populism- elitism and pluralism. Populism has three core concepts: the people, the elite and the general will. They say that populism is defined as a thin-centered ideology to understand it as a multiable practice. They also analyse that the relation of populism and democracy has always been a debatable concept. Populism creates an intrinsic danger to the democracy. They make an understanding on positive and negative effect on democracy.
Positive effect: – They says that the populism can give voice to them who do not represent by political elites. It can mobilize excluded sectors of society. Can improve the responsiveness of the political system etc.
Negative effect: – It can use the notion of majority rule to circumvent minority rights. It can promote the new political cleavages. He summarizes that populism plays both positive and negative role in democracy.
CASES
THE CASE OF ASSAM
Rakesh Mochantry in his writing “Rise of populism in Northeast India: A case of Assam” analysis that the shortcomings of Congress Party (2007-14)Such as dynastic politics and corruption, paved the way for the rise of populism especially in Narendra Modi’s leadership. He especially focused on Assam’s politics. He says populism is often analyzed as vertical and horizontal dimensions. Vertically, it is “the people” against the corrupt elites and horizontally it is between “insiders” and “outsiders”. He took the analysis of political phases from the independence of India till now.
CASES OF CHRITIAN AND MUSLIM MIONORITES IN INDIA
Amit Singh in his writing Hindu religious populism against religious minorities discuss about how hindu religious populism is weaponised against Christian and Muslim minorities in Varanasi.
CONCLUSION
No we can conclude that populist policies play an important role in the interest of gaining votes during the elections. In today’s scenario it is enhancing people’s interest towards the political parties by making such policies. In the one hand it is making a corrupt election but on the other ways it is also making such welfare policies that are making a great growth in the nation.
FAQS
What does the term populism refer?
The term populism refers to that idea which is use to make welfare for the people or to gain the vote of the people.
Does it give rise to a profit gain elections?
Yes it can give rise to a profit gain election as it is growing rapidly in the today’s competitive world.
Which kind of policies do you refer to as populist policies in India during the elections?
Policies such as free bus fair for women, beti bachhao, beti pdhao, sukanya yozna etc comes under populist policies.
Is it a bane or a curse to the Indian democracy?
It can be both to the Indian democracy. On the one hand it gives rise to corrupt election but on the other hand it is making growth in a country.
