Babasaheb Ambedkar always used to say that, Political democracy will not work if there is no democracy in the society. Social democracy is important. But democracy is neither a political machinery nor a social system. It should be the philosophy of life & attitude of the mind.
We must not equate democracy merely to equality & liberty. Yes, both (equality & liberty) are certainly the core concern & values of democracy.
But what sustains equality & liberty? This is the important question here. Is it the law of the state? No. What sustains equality & liberty is a fellow-being. Which Buddha called ‘maitri’ and later French revolutionaries called fraternity.
“Without fraternity, liberty would destroy equality & equality would destroy liberty. If in democracy, liberty does not destroy equality & equality does not destroy liberty, it is because, at the base of both there is fraternity. Fraternity is, therefore, the root of democracy.” Dr. Ambedkar says.
Today we as the largest Democratic country in the world, a republic, with a constitution based on ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.’ Quoting Dr. Ambedkar Said, “My Social Philosophy; may be said to be enshrined in three words: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. Let no one say that I have borrowed it from the French Revolution. My philosophy has roots in religion, not in political science. I have derived it from my Master, Buddha.”
But Also, “However good a Constitution may be, if those who are implementing it are not good, it will prove to be bad. However bad a Constitution may be, if those implementing it are good, it will prove to be good.” The most relevant statement of Dr. Ambedkar today. Constitution won’t be implemented if the Implementers are not from the 85% of the population.
Bahujans need to become the ruling class to sustain democracy: Liberty, equality, and fraternity.
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Ritesh J. is a BA. Mass Media Student, and is active on social media as – outcastritesh
