Thread
#AmartyaSen's great insight was that dreadful disasters (s/as mass starvation) do not happen in a democracy because news of the early signs of distress are seen, heard and responded by those in power.
That theory is being tested in #Modi's #India. And so far found wanting
#AmartyaSen's great insight was that dreadful disasters (s/as mass starvation) do not happen in a democracy because news of the early signs of distress are seen, heard and responded by those in power.
That theory is being tested in #Modi's #India. And so far found wanting
A willingly controlled and spontaneously sycophantic media refuses to hold the Great Leader to account; such criticism as may be made by intellectuals and a remnant of the free press is silenced by the howls of mobs on social media. Free debate is replaced by adulatory paeans.
Respectful discussion of policy choices has been pushed aside by a Know-it-all leadership that adopts a We-Can-never-admit-to-any-failings style of governance that places false propaganda over real performance, empty spin over true substance.
Academic expertise is replaced by the Party faithful masquerading as policy wonks in think tanks set up by the Govt to provide justification for failed policies. Research and analysis is aimed not at finding solutions but uncovering plausible reasons to blame others.
In this toxic milieu detailed policy papers and discussion documents have been replaced by hasty tweets, sound-bites, one-liners and catchy slogans that are passed off as strategic policy insights. Thus a catchphrase like #MakeInIndia passes for a strategy.
Every Institution that should have stood up to the stupidity of policies like #DeMonetisation and #CAA has either caved in or been corralled into the cause of supporting a cabal that is driven by such vacuous dreams as #AkhandBharat, #HinduRashtra, and #VishwaGuru status.
How does one explain this dumbing down of public discourse, this power grab by regressive illiterates, this rejection of pluralism in favour of an idolatory subservience to an intellectually vacuous ideology that is based on defunct ideas of race superiority?
One explanation comes from the American scientist and philosopher Carl Sagan who wrote about falling for the charlatan. Once conned we start to defend the con-man. Like the battered woman who persists in seeing good in her cruel, violent, sadistic partner - and staying on.
@threadreaderapp unroll
@threadreaderapp unroll please
