Democracy is for the People

The Athenians, was a Country which followed the democratic norms just when the Christian era was about to commence. Periclus, was an important functionary of Athens, and under him, we had the “the age of Pericles under Athenian history was a golden age, 2000 years ago.” Athens practiced democracy, or the form of collective decision, in the remote age of History. After the Athenias had driven out the tyrant Hippias in 510BC, they tried to work out methods to prevent the establishment of anther tyranny. Once a Year they set up an opportunity for a vote that was aimed not at electing someone, but at exiling someone. Each Athenian could write down the name of a Politician whom one felt was growing too dangerously powerful for the good of the State. If a total of 6,000 votes were cast and one man received a majority, he was forced to remain away from Athens for ten Years. It was not a disgraceful exile; his property was not confiscated, his family was not mistreated, and, when the decade was up, he was welcomed back. He understood that he had been sent away to be kept from the temptation of trying to upset the democracy. Athenians practiced democracy, when they had no Constitution, and even perhaps a similar one to Act of Settlement of 1701. They did not have the ‘Rule of Law’ which connote that no body was above the Law. They practiced democracy, 2000 years ago in the spirit of for the People, by the People, to the People. In modern day India, a democratic Republic, with a written Constitution, and a Powerful judiciary, an active media, could not practice the perceived democracy which Athens professed and followed! The commitment to democracy of Athens was inborn while Indian democracy is enthused. There, lies the difference. Yet, some protagonists wanting moderation in electoral reform by introducing, Recall of Elected Representative, Referendum to gauge Public opinion, have failed to perceive that we have universal adult franchise in India. Even the percentage of voting in an election is generally below the 50% of eligible voters. We can move with the times, but we cannot run ahead.