The ruling Congress party swept to a resounding victory Saturday in India’s mammoth national elections, defying expectations as it brushed aside the Hindu nationalist opposition and a legion of ambitious smaller parties.
The strong showing by the party, which is dominated by the powerful Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, laid to rest fears of an unstable, shaky coalition heading the South Asian giant at a time when many of it neighbors are plagued by instability, civil war and rising extremism.
My Comment
I quoted this news item not so much for its newsworthiness (since that’s not our business here) but because of the language it uses. A coalition or federation of assorted smaller parties representing more interests (and more diverse interests) is assumed to be less reliable than a single strong incumbent party. Why? Because it’s a time of instability and extremism in neighboring states (Pakistan, especially).
I am not going to argue one way or other about the case at hand, India arnd Pakistan. The situation and the players are too complex for that. But the language merits thinking over, since language is at the root of our problems. The reasoning is that looser federations deliberate more, act less cohesively and less effectively and that they can be manipulated or split apart and made ineffective. The inference from this is that a more centralized, more monolithic, more decisive central government is always a better leader in difficult times. From there it’s only a step to arguing for a despotic executive and emergency authority to clamp down.
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Worth posting I think: http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/FDR-s-Policies-Prolonged-Depression-5409.aspx?RelNum=5409
Goes to your very sound observation–government politcy is about finding excuses to expand power. Still, the statist propaganda is so deep and FDR made a saint (and the miracle of the new deal) that the light will not likley shine throught–its a shame. Enjoy hope you ar well!
Lila,
Just ran across this T Roosevelt quote on the Blackwater newsletter. Good spinners…Eric and company.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
I’m pretty sure one can hear the hyperfrenetic speed-metal strains of Battle Hymn of the Republic in the background….if you try real hard.
Thanks for sharing your wise and wonderfully insightful POV.
Lappy,
Ironworker
Hemet, Ca
Hi Lappy –
Thanks for the great Teddy R quote.
I must read that Blackwater newsletter.
Lila
R –
Thanks for the link. I think you will be hitting your head on the wall trying to change people’s opinions on these things.
The New Deal is a thorny subject and there’s more at stake with it than simply economic history.
I think whole careers are invested in defending positions on either side.
History is written by the victors and socialism is the victor..
Lila