Democracy and its imperfections have taken a toll on society’s morals. And because we ask nothing of our citizens — not sacrifice, not restraint, not moderation — we have ended up creating a morally unappetising divide between the haves and have-nots: under instigation from the bogus vendors of “good governance’ the haves have started asking why they should pay taxes if “their” wealth was to be wasted on giving food or medical care to the poor. A most extreme version: why should we pay taxes to a government that we have declared to be “corrupt?” This is part of an unending and ever expanding narrative of the Great Helmsman. Instead of stressing the importance of collective and individual responsibility for looking after our schools, neighbourhoods, public transport, rivers and forests, we insist on searching for a great transformer who will magically fix every broken pipe and fill every pothole. It is not enough that a citizen not be a terrorist or thief; it is very essential that the citizen fulfils with responsibility and diligence his part of the social compact. In no society is the rule of law or good governance available off the shelf; citizens have to earn it. Without practices and precepts of a responsible citizenry, there will be neither a responsible market nor a responsible state. Courtesy- thehindu/opinion/lead/great-power-and-greater-responsibility/article4978576.ece
Posted on: Fri, 02 Aug 2013 14:58:17 +0000
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