The ethics of efficacy in North India'sgoonda raj(rule of toughs) (original) (raw)
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This study of the moral logic of the striking success of goondas (gangsters or toughs) in North Indian politics comes by way of a comment on intellectual method in the anthropology of moralities. More especially, it offers critical remarks on the recent adoption of ‘virtue’ as the cardinal moral co-ordinate of human life. Drawing on field research conducted across northern India, we show that when people celebrate goondas as leaders, they do so not because they see in them virtuous men, but because they think them capable of ‘getting things done’. This ethics of efficacy is neither merely instrumental nor is it but another variant of virtue ethics. It presents, instead, an altogether different moral teleology orientated towards effective action rather than excellent character. While challenging the self-centred bent of the late anthropology of ethics, we also make preliminary remarks on the contrast between ‘moral’ and ‘practical’ judgement, and the limits of ‘the moral’ as such.
2019
Electoral democracy combines the ideas and practices of warfare and welfare. Where both work in tandem as near synonyms. India’s robust electoral democracy exemplifies this combination in diverse forms. Critically analyzing the 2014 Parliamentary elections beyond the seduction of immediacy and bare cold statistics, this book puts human subjectivity at the center of election of studies and, through an anthropological-sociological approach, makes lives –human and non-human, lived and unlived or unlivable –central to any understanding of elections and democracy. Crafting a new, comprehensive approach, this volume looks at the 2014 elections in relation to the changing nature and forms of election and democracy globally. Coming from multi-disciplinary backgrounds, the contributors to this volume use ethnographic observations to open a space for new theoretical and methodological reflections on the role of media in Indian elections, the shift to the right in 2014 and its consequences, the significance of the traditional Hindu spaces such the river Ganga in BJP’s victory, the role of gurus like Baba Ramdev, and the electoral choices available to and exercised by minorities, among others.
Criminalisation of Indian Politics
Innovative Research Thoughts International, 2018
The practise of criminalising political activity in India is a severe problem that has dogged the democratic system of the nation for many years. In this context, infiltration refers to the process through which criminals and persons with a track record of criminal activity enter the political arena, therefore creating a connection between politics and criminal activity. This has resulted in a flawed electoral process, in which politicians with criminal histories routinely win elections and hold public office. This has led to a compromised electoral process. The pervasiveness of corrupt practises, favouritism within the political system, and an absence of openness are the fundamental reasons why this issue exists. The necessity for cash during elections is a major factor that contributes to the close relationship that exists between politicians and criminals. Political parties often accept contributions from persons with questionable histories. It has far-reaching ramifications, including the deterioration of public faith in the political system and the undermining of democracy, which are both caused by the criminalization of politics. In addition to this, it has a direct effect on law and order since criminals in positions of power may use such positions to protect themselves from legal prosecution and commit crimes without fear of repercussions. In order to combat the criminalization of politics, a number of different measures have been proposed. These measures include the imposition of stricter criteria for candidates who are contesting elections, the expeditious disposal of criminal cases brought against politicians, and the disclosure of criminal records of candidates by political parties. However, as a result of political meddling and a general lack of political will, the implementation of these policies has been sluggish and often inefficient. In order to effectively solve the problem of the criminalization of politics in India, there must be a coordinated effort on the part of all of the relevant stakeholders, including political parties, civil society groups, and the judicial system. The only way for the nation to have any chance of reestablishing the purity of its democratic process and ensuring that those in power are responsible to the people whom they serve is if everyone works together.