Elections` economics : Riddles of today

       

 Riddles today: economics of democracy

Tota : So, the long elections season is in full swing !

Myna : Yeah, merry times for the people ...!                                          

Tota : You mean times of populism and freebies?

Myna : I mean the times of free sarees, school uniforms, text books, bicycles, 2 Rs per kg rice, mobile phones, and such goodies … yes.

Tota : But don`t you see, these are just for buying their votes!

Myna : Everything is being bought and sold. Why not votes too?

Tota : You people are so uneducated! Such freebies distort the market and lead to inefficiencies…

Myna : Oh? And market is not distorted when the rich are given freebies like tax-breaks, exemptions, cheap minerals, radio spectrum, water, land, etc …?

Tota : But democracy and election should be based on national policies, on global principle!

Myna : It has been 70 years since 1947. The people have seen that policies and principles on paper keep favouring the rich in practice. So now they want things for themselves too.

Tota : But don`t they understand that after the elections are over the rich will again have their way?

Myna : They understand this perfectly! That`s why they take the “freebies” beforehand.

Tota : But elections involve so much wasteful expenditure of national wealth, see?

Myna : Who says? What is “national wealth”? Whom is it meant for? Expenditure on smart cities, special economic zones, bullet trains, etc are useful, and expenditure on school uniforms, bicycles, 2 Rs per kg rice, etc are wasteful?

Tota : Ok, and what about huge cash bonanzas given to netas and babus by the seths for later favours?

Myna : Yes, but this will happen elections or no elections, no? The people will get some bonanza only by elections. That is why people want elections, democracy…

Tota : But we can`t just keep holding elections all the time! A nation needs governance … for the future!

Myna : Heh, heh, by now people have understood that words like “governance” and “future” are against them in practice. So they want the present! Elections every year, if possible!

Tota : Oh?

Myna : You are so uneducated! Look around. All over the world the rich have never liked elections and everything connected with elections. The poor love them. The poor want democracy… the rich don`t.

Tota : ?

Myna : Heh, heh…