Introduction
Resumption of hostilities meant “hell on Earth has returned to Gaza. The resumption of hostilities is catastrophic.”
I have been to all kinds of conflicts and crises. I have never seen anything like this in terms of severity, scale and speed.
During the past decade, the richest 1 per cent of people captured around half of all new global wealth. Since 2020, the top 1 per cent has seized two-thirds of the $ 42 trillion newly created wealth. This is nearly twice gained by 99 per cent of humanity. Hunger and myriad humanitarian crises stare in the face of hapless teeming millions. Elon Musk paid a “true tax rate” of 4 per cent, Jeff Bezos paid less than 1 per cent whereas a flour seller in Uganda makes $ 80 a month pays a tax rate of 40 per cent. Inequality is accumulation of wealth and power in a few hands. It has corrupted and polarized politics and media. It is corroding democracies.
World Economic Forum, Davos, January 2023
The number of countries involved in some kind of conflicts outside of their borders has risen from 58 in 2008 to 91 in 2022. About 238,000 people died in global conflicts in 2022. A massive 96 per cent increase year over year.
Global Peace Index 2023 and UCDP
AI will replace all jobs…we are seeing the most disruptive force in history…human beings will be challenged to find meaning in their lives.
Elon Musk, November 2023
The above-mentioned facts and figures present a picture of gloom and doom for humanity in the third decade of the 21st century. If they are allowed to continue on the same pace and scale; the world would be moving fast towards existential threats. Yet, on an optimistic note, the new millennium ushered on the wave of promises and potentials of hyper-globalisation celebrating victory of liberal democracy and explosion of peace as a result of end of the cold war. Certain gains, such as many millions moved away from extreme poverty and technology provided ladder even to laggard. There seemed a new wave of hopes, aspirations and unlimited opportunity.
However, one needs to ponder over, why the world landed up so soon in this mess of inequality, poverty, conflicts of desperation and hopelessness. Reasons are many---global governance is without global government in which IMF, World Bank and WTO etc are closely linked to certain financial and commercial interests dominating the scene.
On the other hand, those affected by their decisions are voiceless. World Bank and IMF were founded to promote development and bring global financial with the Great Depression 1930s in mind.
Moreover, they were committed to control follies and failures of market. Unfortunately, they began to champion market supremacy with ideological fervor and a missionary zeal. As a result, global economy turned out less sustainable, more volatile and far less equitable. Corporate giants took over the control of globalisation, triumphant market machinations crushed social moral values, techno-management overwhelmed democratic processes. Greed of the rich created economic crises, social conflicts and political polarisation giving rise to populist authoritarian leaders. They flaunt narcissist personal habits, lie openly, and shift principles and positions to their convenience. Naturally, they have little respect for truth, democracy and humanitarian values. The situation is dire. However, there is an opportunity to change the situation for better. The year 2024 is unique; that about half of the world populations—4.2 billion citizens in about 65 countries are going vote.
The spectacular dance of democracy may go totally wrong if allowed to be manipulated by populist dictators. Global voters must assert their franchise for truthful democracy by shunning narrower short-term concerns and benefits. After all, a leader is made by his followers. He reflects in a clearer manner the aspirations lying dormant among the masses. These immortal words of Gandhi exhort us today to be truthfully democratic failing which mankind would continue to reel in the age of post-truth wherein human rights and democracy have no place. Rightly, human rights emerged as a potent antidote to those who championed Nazism/ fascism; and more as a lesson for those who saw opportunity in appeasement, self-aggrandizement and benefits to remain silent when others were suffering.
Evolution
The year 2023-24 marked the diamond jubilee of the Universal Declaration for Human Rights. On 10 December 1948 the United Nations General Assembly passed one of the first major declarations reaffirming faith in human rights and dignity of human person. Human rights were accorded a prominent place in the UN Charter to build a durable base for a peaceful world. Death and destruction of the two World Wars and horrors of a rather rudimentary nuclear weapons (Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 6&9 August 1945) necessitated peace. World leaders and statesmen ruminated over the puzzle of peace as wars returned after a few years of almost every peace agreement among major countries in Europe. Even the League of Nations (1919) tried only to maintain European status quo and failed to establish justice and honour in relations between nations. Learning lessons from the failure of the League, there was a strong advocacy to build a durable peace based on collective well-being, security and stability. In his address to the Congress on 6 January 1941 American President Franklin D. Roosevelt emphasized following four freedoms for peace in the world:
Freedom of speech and expression
Freedom of religion
Freedom from want
Freedom from fear
This spirit of peace, security and freedom became the foundation pillars of the United Nations. Interestingly, it was an amendment moved by the Indian delegation at the San Francisco Conference that for peace and security promotion of human rights be made one of the purposes of the UN. Importance of Human rights was duly highlighted by the leader of the Indian delegation A R Mudaliar while speaking in the Conference on 29 April 1945. He argued:
When we are thinking of security, of armed forces which will prevent aggression, we are likely to forget the basic factor, the cause which leads to aggression…There is one great reality which must be remembered by all of us---the dignity of the common man, the fundamental human rights of all beings all over the world.
Thus, human rights were placed on high pedestal along with peace and security in the U.N. Charter. This was a clear realisation that peace was not possible without eradicating the roots of conflicts (poverty, illiteracy, repression, inequality, cultural dominance etc.). Thus emerged the UDHR. To add legal teeth to the UDHR, four instruments were proclaimed: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and its two Optional Protocols. Ratifying states are required to honour these rights by making necessary arrangements in their legal system and governance. These covenants are supplemented by several treaties and declarations on specific issues. In the last seventy-five years more than a hundred Conventions and Declarations related to different aspects of human rights have been adopted. Most significant are---Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1951), Convention on the Status of Refugees (1954), Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1969), Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women (1979), Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) to mention a few.
New areas of rights, such as the right to development (1986), the right to a clean environment, the right to peace, the right to birth control and access to contraception (2012) etc. have been added to the whole range of rights promoting human welfare. UN has also established elaborate structures for their implementation and observation. In this regard creation of the office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (1994) and Centre for Human Rights are landmark achievements. Moreover, establishment of tribunals to prosecute those guilty of rights violations in Yugoslavia and Rwanda signalled UN commitment for human rights protection. This was further strengthened by the creation of the International Criminal Court (2002). Above all, the post-Second World War global architecture was committed to this goal and made effective attempts in this direction. Most significantly, it was endeavored to change human psyche inculcating humanism denouncing war as an instrument of dispute settlement by adhering to peaceful means. Institutions like UNESCO played an important role famously proclaiming in its preamble--- since wars begin in the minds of men defence of peace must be constructed in the minds of men. In this endeavour UNESCO and others held an International Congress on Education and Democracy in 1993. The Congress stressed that education for democracy was an integral aspect of education for human rights, and noted that education for human rights and democracy was itself a human right and a prerequisite for the realisation of human rights and social justice. Unfortunately, they remained more slogans and less commitment. Many states guided by the realist notion of politics, violated human rights with impunity.
Hence, it was realised that the Commission on Human Rights be reformed to tackle the challenges in the 21st century. The UNGA resolution 60/251 mandated for the creation of 47-member Human Rights Council. Members are elected for a three-year term and the prime consideration is their contribution to the principles and practices of human rights. The resolution, more significantly, provides for suspension of a Council member for committing gross and systematic violations of human rights. The Russian Federation lost its membership in 2022 and failed to get elected next time due to its “war crimes” in Ukraine. The only other country to be suspended was Libya in 2011 in the wake of anti-Gaddafi upheavals. These examples suggest that despite limitations and shortcomings the global community is committed for a robust human rights protection system. Over a period of time, national and regional policies, programmes and relations are also influenced by human rights considerations. They influence bilateral relations and form a major part of trade negotiations too.
As a result, given the need for human rights protection, initiatives were taken beyond the UN as well. The Council of Europe (1949) established the European Convention on Human Rights (1950) to take the first step for the collective enforcement of certain of the rights stated in the UDHR. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (1959) is committed to promote the observance and defence of human rights and to serve as the consultative organ of the OAS. The Organisation of African Unity (1963) adopted the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981). The African Charter is significant for the reason that it combines Social, economic, cultural, political and civil rights as indivisible and independent and marries them with peoples’ or collective rights. More significant was the Helsinki Final Act (1975) by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. The participating states committed to standards and norms on human rights issues, such as treatment of minorities, prevention of torture, freedom of speech and expression, and abolition of capital punishment. South East Asian countries adopted the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration in 2012.
They committed to the UDHR and emphasized good governance, development, gender issues and peace. Nevertheless, the Arab League too moved in that direction with the adoption of the Arab Charter on Human Rights. Unfortunately, the South Asian region has no regional policy or programme dedicated to human rights in the form of a Declaration or an agreement. This is a clear fall out of the prevailing political scenario in the region leading to derailment or “death” of the SAARC. Other countries may be accused for this; but India cannot shrug off its responsibility. India, since independence, enjoyed enormous global respect for its humanitarian values. They were prominently enshrined in the Constitution. India’s foreign policy and diplomacy championed them globally. Global promotion of these moral values cannot be ignored if India aspires a global power status, morally called Vishwa Guru or Vishwa Mitra. The very idea of Guru or Mitra is deeply rooted in moral values and commitment; not to be proclaimed as military or economic prowess. India in the 21st century must resolve this fundamental contradiction in its own benefit.
Cold War Quagmire
The post-war period was overwhelmed by liberating ideas of the UN, UDHR and egalitarian utopia of communism propagated by the USSR and this period also witnessed a global tumult with the herald of decolonization as a right to self-determination.
This was generally a valiant struggle and liberating experience for the colonial people. However, liberation of poor, exploited and marginalised people faced innumerable challenges both internally and externally. Crises of bad governance and corruption gave rise to dictatorial regimes with little respect for democratic values and institutions. Obvious outcome was Inter-intra-state conflicts killing hapless people; mostly minorities as targets of ethnic cleansing. There was no genuine support coming from the UN as it became a victim of super power rivalry.
The world body became almost paralysed owing to frequent use of veto in the Security Council. Neither ideological commitment nor humanitarian values could influence them. They took positions for and against their favourite crooked cronies despite their heinous crimes against humanity. Albania’s Enver Hoxha, Nicolae Ceausescu, the Romanian Fuehrer, Idi Amin of Uganda, Pol Pot of Cambodia, and Gaddafi of Libya, military dictators of Pakistan etc. had powerful supporters too. The so-called votaries of human rights failed to take required actions against their brutality.
Newly independent countries got embroiled in cold war politics led by two super powers---USA and USSR; championed two clashing ideologies to overwhelm the world. Nevertheless, they also created two military blocs and many subordinate groups and alliances serving as their proxies globally. Both blocs fought wars indirectly though. The cold war changed the theatre of wars. Europe enjoyed the longest peace in its history supposedly due to nuclear deterrence called MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction). Several destructive wars were fought among Afro-Asian-Latin American countries by arms supplied by both military blocs--- NATO and WARSAW Pact countries. There were more than 100 major conflicts (wars) killing 20 million. Result was untold miseries and militarization eating into meagre resources of poorer countries. These developments adversely impacted protection and promotion of human rights particularly of the marginalised ones. Rights violations were rampant in socialist/communist and Islamic countries. They denounced Human rights as western imperialist ploys.
End of Cold war
The fall of the Berlin Wall (1989), the symbol of the cold war and disintegration of the Soviet Union (1991) marked the end of the cold war. Nevertheless, it was touted as a victory of liberal democracy. Francis Fukuyama proclaimed “The End of History” (The National Interest, summer 1989) as a celebration of liberal democracy as it conquered rival ideologies like hereditary monarchy, fascism and most recently communism. Liberal democracy may constitute the “end point of mankind’s ideological evolution” and the final form of human government”, and as such constituted the “end of history.” The future was characterized by individualism, egalitarianism, universalism and meliorism. Thus, the wave of globalisation spread, promising shared peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, neo-liberal hyper-globalization created vast economic disparity. Crony-capitalism increased faster while states mostly withdrew from social sector. They created conditions for social conflicts, paranoid nationalism, xenophobia, populist strong-man leaders dismantling democratic institutions amassing unlimited powers. They have ruled the roost with new age tech-surveillance, social media-based misinformation and disinformation; called post- truth; when truth does not matter! Social tensions of ethnicity, nationalism and politics of religion and identity became more apparent. Between 1989 and 1992, there were only three wars between states while 79 intra-state conflicts were recorded.
Intra-state conflicts, terrorism, Iraq-Syria, Afghanistan, and several African countries witnessed grave humanitarian crises. With over more than 8 lac people killed in 100 days in Rwanda becoming one of the worst genocides in the world . The Rwandan bloodshed brought the paralysis of international community, institutions and human conscience to the fore. Power politics of big powers had other businesses to focus on. This also exposed the hypocrisy of those championing “free world” and “humanitarian intervention” in case of gross and massive human rights violations. War in Ukraine and Hamas-Israel conflicts have added new chapters in the playbook of bestiality. Pandemic and several ongoing wars/conflicts have pushed many hundred million in extreme poverty.
Democracy and its foundational values are under threat today. Non-political-far-right-populists-rich are gradually capturing global political space. Self-proclaimed anarcho-capitalist Javier Milei, known as the Mad Man, swept the presidential elections in Argentina with a record margin. An admirer of Donald Trump and Bolsonaro; Milei signalled the consolidation of narrow nationalist politics in South America. A crazy Trumpist, believed that climate change was a socialist lie, Covid vaccines were a hoax, abortion rights were unnecessary even in cases of rape and social justice was an aberration and dismissed sex education as a Marxist brainwashing. He pledged to rip apart or even set alight the socio-economic order to Make Argentina Great Again. Daniel Noboa, the new President of Ecuador is the younger son and heir of the richest man, banana magnate Alvaro Noboa, who himself unsuccessfully tried to be elected President five times. New Paraguay president Santiano Pena is a conservative, business-friendly leader. Europe is not far behind. Christopher Luxon, an erstwhile ice cream/deodorant seller rich business executive is New Zealand Prime Minister.
In the Netherlands, one of the most socially liberal country, rise of Geert Wilders, a far-right anti-Islam populist, has set alarm bells ringing all through Europe. These events are not altogether isolated rather a continuous consolidation of far-right populism in Europe and beyond. In the 2022 French presidential elections Marine Le Pen (National Rally) finished a close second. In Germany neo-Nazi AfD is the second most popular party while Italy is ruled by Georgia Meloni’s party Brothers of Italy rooted in neo-Nazism. Hungary’s long-serving leader Viktor Orban aimed to build a “workfare” society which would be “illiberal in nature” like Russia, China and Turkey. Growing strength of the neo-Nazi Sweden Democrats emphasizing anti-immigration, denying Jews and indigenous Sami people the status of “real Swedes” became unbearable for the world. Likewise, the far-right Finns Party in Finland is nationalist, Eurosceptic, anti-immigration and has little concern for environmental challenges.
These parties and leaders are all deeply influenced by right reactionary ideas playing with emotional issues. False projection of a rosy-cozy dream is sold by raising the bogey of ethno-nationalism, xenophobia and threats posed by migration. Such situations make anti-political appeal more attractive---religion, race, nationality, ethnicity, as remedy to their mundane challenges. Public anger due to rising cost of living, higher inflation, and unemployment has been tactfully used by populist leaders to their personal benefit---Making America Great Again. This pledge culminated on 6 January 2021 when their Capitol was stormed on the “instigation” of the President Trump---the worst outlandish humiliation for the Great American Democracy!
The world is ruled by leaders like Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and their ilk. Surveillance states easily crush dissent and differences of opinion. Media manufacture consent around these culture warriors suppressing truth. Use of force is projected as their personal leadership strength; while any attempt for negotiated settlement of disputes is made to be perceived as weakness.
Naturally, “genocidal” aggressions and crimes in Ukraine, Gaza, Xinjiang etc. are increasing year after year. They are only the tips of the ice-berg. Almost every nook and corner of the globe is suffering on one or the other account. Our conscience has become so transitory and tattered that there is hardly any concern for sufferings of people in Afghanistan, Sudan and Syria. Interestingly, every big power is courting the Taliban to suit their geo-political calculations! Did we forget war against terror or terror and talks must not go together! Undoubtedly, in the 21st century human rights are mere ruse not commitment. This is not to suggest that past was all pleasant.
Unfortunately, human rights have been used as a foreign policy tool used selectively to vilify a hostile group/party/nations. In the 1970-80s Argentina, Chile, Iraq, Haiti were condemned by the UN but remained indifferent to the USSR, China, Algeria, Nigeria and Cuba. There was so much concern for the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan but the US promoted same by Pakistan. Islamist promotion against Soviet communism converted the adjoining areas of Afghanistan-Pakistan into a Jihadist nursery. The leaders of most notorious terror groups---Taliban, Al Qaeda and Islamic State were “born and brought up” in that very nursery. Their parentage lies with the USA and Pakistan. However, they are not exceptions. Even Indians practised this dual standard. CPI supported emergency as Indira Gandhi was a close “ally” of the Soviets.
She openly supported the Movement for Restoration of Democracy against Zia’s dictatorship in Pakistan but congratulated Mujibur Rehman when he throttled democracy in Bangladesh on 28 October 1974 by imposing emergency, suspending fundamental rights and banning non-official publications. Examples of dualism based on individual-national interests are innumerable. This has increased rapidly. Moreover, the 1990s marked the beginning of the third reverse wave of democracy characterised by weakening of democratic values, economic crises, social conflicts, social-political polarization, break down of law and order and rise of authoritarian leaders. This democratic reversal has paralysing impact on international institutions. As a result, there is no effective rule-based international order. Myriad wars and conflicts resemble Hobbesian sate of nature. Weak suffer silently without any help while strong oppress with vengeance.
Conclusion
This is an age of Market Society created by globalisation which seems to be managed like a pact with the devil. Greed is projected as Good. Pleasure and consumerism have become totally devoid of conscience. The market society we live in; everything is up for sale---motherhood, degrees, and right to pollute to buying elections! More GDP growth does not bring better life conditions. India and USA are glaring examples. Worsening climate conditions, spread of falsehood through social media misinformation-disinformation etc. are pulling the globe to hellish dystopia; not a better condition than the Dark Ages. How can one think of enjoyment of human rights? For human rights are rooted in Enlightenment ideas---reason, science, sympathy and humanism. Today they are more necessary to enhance human flourishing. Progressive change is possible by revisiting Immanuel Kant’s what is Enlightenment? (1784) proclaiming its motto—Dare to Understand, demanding freedom of thought and speech against submission to dogmas and formulas of religion and political authority. David Deutsch, a contemporary physicist, makes a similar defence of enlightenment in the 21st century. He firmly believed that an optimistic civilisation is open to innovate and is based on traditions of criticism. Its most important knowledge is how to detect and eliminate errors.
Individuals and civil society desperately need to come together to deliberate openly and struggle together collectively for their universal common good. In this direction it is imperative to remember insightful words of Rene Samuel Cassin, the French jurist, one of the co-authors of the UDHR, “Now that we possess an instrument capable of lifting or easing the burden of oppression and injustice in the world, we must learn to use it. Thus, truthful knowledge and right actions are needed to bring respite for the suffering humanity. Vigilance and assertion by ordinary people be promoted to assert their rights. Let there be stirring global demand for global governance, participatory socialism along with an ethical way of life. Task is arduous, the goal is distant. Resistance is certainly very powerful.
There is a deeper feeling of distrust, desperation and darkness around. Yet, there is a beacon of hope---valiant struggle of Iranian women, Ukrainian resistance, tribal, peasant, youth and Occupy movements. We all must contribute in such struggles failing which one would be without rights. After all, duty and rights are two sides of the same coin.
References
1. After a pause of a week hostility resumed between Israel and Hamas on 1st December 2023. UN humanitarian office in Geneva expressed these concerns.
2. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-negotiators-try-get-israel-hamas-agree extend-truce-again-2023-12-01/ accessed on 02. 12.2023
3. Arif Husain, Chief Economist, World Food Programme, Isaac Chotiner, “Gaza is Suffering”, The New Yorker, 3 January 2024.
4. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/global-inequality-is-a-failure-of-imagination/,accessedon 14. 11. 2023
5. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/06/29/conflict-war-deaths-global-peace-rise- casualty/, accessed on 13. 11.2023.
6. Hindu (New Delhi), 4 November 2023, p. 13.
7. See the merits of globalisation, Jagdish Bhagwati, In Defence of Globalisation (New Delhi: OUP, 2004).
8. Joseph Stiglitz, Globalization and its Discontents (New Delhi: Penguin, 2002), p-p.3-22.
9. https://time.com/6551743/2024-elections-democracy-trump-putin/, accessed on 15.01. 2023.
10. Mahatma Gandhi, Harijan, 02-02-1947.
11. Jawaharlal Nehru, Glimpses of World History (New Delhi: JNMF, 1987), p. 683.
12. M. S. Rajan, United Nations and World Politics (New Delhi: Har-Anand Pubs., 1995), p.320
13. Ibid., p. 314.
14. They came into force in 1976, and 1991 respectively.
15. Leah Levin, Human Rights: Questions and Answers (New Delhi: NBT, 1998), p. 75.
16. https://ijrcenter.org/un-human-rights-council/, accessed on 08. 01. 2024.
17. See Leah Levin, n. 14, pp. 63-72.
18. https://asean.org/asean-human-rights-declaration/ accessed on 08. 01.2024
19. Boutros-Boutros Ghali, Agenda for Peace (New York: UN, 1992), p.7
20. UNDP Report, 1994, p. 47, also see John Harris, ed., The Politics of Humanitarian Intervention (London: Cassell Imprint, 1995).
21. https://cla.umn.edu/chgs/holocaust-genocide-education/resource-guides/rwanda, accessed on 25 December 2023
22. Hindu, 25 November 2023, p. 11.
23. Saumya Kalia, “Argentina’s President of Chaos”, Hindu, 26 November 2023, p. 14.
24. Elisabeth Asbrink, “Sweden is becoming Unbearable”, New York Times, 20 September 2022.
25. Indian Express (New Delhi), 29 October 1983.
26. Samuel P. Huntington, “Democracy’s Third Wave”, Journal of Democracy (Baltimore), vol. 2, no. 2, spring 1991.
27. Joseph Stiglitz, Making Globalisation Work (New Delhi: Penguin, 2007), p. 292.
28. See Michael Sandel, What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets (London: Penguin, 2013).
29. Steven Pinker, Enlightenment Now (New Delhi: Penguin, 2019), p.7.
30. Rene Samuel Cassin, “How the Charter on Human Rights was Born”, UNESCO Courier, 21, January 1968, p. 6
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India has committed to achieving developed nation status by the centenary of its independence, leveraging cutting-edge technologies including AI tapping into its vast human capital, and implementing policies that foster high growth while addressing enduring social and economic inequalities.
This article explores the value and statehood of Mongolia by utilising Woodrow Wilson’s categorisation of “Judging by the constitutional histories of the chief nations of the modern world, there may be three periods of growth through which government has passed in all the most highly developed of existing systems, and through which it promises to pass in all the rest.
This paper examines India's economic trajectory through the lens of its demographic dividend a substantial youth population exceeding 50% under age 25 within its 1.4 billion citizens. While this demographic advantage offers unprecedented economic potential, its promise is threatened by systemic challenges including inadequate education access, limited skill development, and employment scarcity, particularly in rural areas.
Remarkable technological and scientific progress has made the modern democratic State not a mere watch-dog or a police institution but an active participant interfering in almost every sphere of individual and corporate life in society in the changed role of a service state and a welfare state
Since the reform and opening up, China’s leadership training has experienced three stages of development: the initial stage of leadership training and development in the early period of China’s reform and opening up to the world (1978-2002), the rapid growing stage of leadership training and development in the period of fast growing economy and society (2002- 2012) and the innovative…
Accountability and control are essential for efficient, ethical administration in public and private sectors. Accountability ensures officials answer for actions and resource use, while control involves mechanisms to monitor compliance with laws and goals, promoting responsibility and preventing misconduct.
Healthcare in rural India presents unique challenges and opportunities. While global health metrics emphasize indicators like life expectancy, mortality rates, and healthcare infrastructure, they often fail to capture the socio-cultural nuances of rural communities
The “Internet plus” government service reform in China has progressed through three stages, namely one-stop service, one-window service, and companion service. This reform has become a significant example of reshaping the relationship between the local government and the public.
This paper explores the evolution of Indian welfare philosophy from Gandhi's nonviolent resistance to contemporary governance. It traces how the sacrifices of Indian revolutionaries fostered Sarvodaya and Antyodaya ideals, examining the philosophical underpinnings of these concepts in Advaita and dualistic traditions.
Like most other countries around the world, after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladesh's education system has undergone a radical change from the beginning of March 2020 onwards. The study attempts to analyse teachers’, students’ and parents’ perceptions and experiences about the online education in the COVID-19 pandemic at the school level.
Health is a fundamental human right and a critical indicator of development. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the importance of ensuring health and well-being for all individuals. A key objective of this agenda is to guarantee favorable health outcomes, underscored by the endorsement of a new declaration during the Global Conference on Primary Health Care held in Astana,…
In this article, published reports have been used for analysing state-wise status of SDGs achievements and their correlations with attainments in areas of poverty-reduction and other developmental indicators. Also, progress made by GPs on various metrics related to SDGs has been corroborated with other relevant metrics
Loss of governance reform efficacy is an identified entrenched institutional problem in systems. Reform, anywhere, is a sticky material because holders of powers and their cronies have rarely shown altruistic intentions of relaxing their profiteering grips over resources.
On September 1, 2023, a committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind explored the possibility of something called One Nation, One Election in India and ever since this thing has come out in public, political parties all across the country have been fuming with anger.
This paper examines various initiatives taken by Government of India to promote collaborative governance in various sectors. With increasing needs and aspirations of the community for public services and the limited capacity of government to provide the same, the involvement of various stakeholders to deliver these services becomes important and necessity.
In the vast and diverse landscape of India, regional disparities in development have long posed significant challenges to achieving equitable growth and social justice. Recognizing the urgent need to address these disparities, the Government of India launched the Aspirational Districts Programme in January 2018.
A dynamic interaction between the recognition of human complexity in organizations and the pursuit of structural efficiency has shaped the evolution of administrative philosophy. The foundational works of Frederick W. Taylor, Max Weber, Mary Parker Follett, Elton Mayo, Chester Barnard, Rensis Likert, Chris Argyris, and Douglas McGregor are critically examined in this essay, which charts the shift from traditional administrative…
In India, National Training Policy was formed in 2012, replacing the old policy of 1996. This was needed two reasons, new areas of administration given in the reports of second administrative reforms commission setup in 2005 and changing environment in different spheres of governance and new challenges of administration being faced by the civil servants.
India's emergence as a global services powerhouse in the 21st century marks a profound and transformative shift. This evolution, far from a mere economic change, is a strategic leap driven by its demographic dividend, technological advancements, and the burgeoning global demand for specialized services.
Public administration, as the executive arm of the state, has tremendous responsibilities to match the needs and aspirations of the citizens of the state. The systems have evolved over the years in almost every country as the politico and socio-economic environment of the respective country have changed.
Public administration is the cornerstone of modern governance. It refers to the organization, management, and implementation of government policies and programs, carried out by public officials and institutions. As a vital mechanism of the state, public administration not only ensures the effective delivery of services to citizens but also upholds the principles of accountability, transparency, and rule of law.
Tribal Sustainable Development through Evidence-based Policy and Planning: A major issue in post-Independence India has been a misreading of demands of tribal communities. What they have been demanding pertains to choice upholding their traditions and customs and having ownership over natural resources
As the Idiom of technological advancement takes its toll. The paper highlights a few poignant and emerging factors in the International Relations theorization. It was conservatively maintained by the defense strategists and the political leadership across the Global polity that foreign policy and the Diplomacy are greatly determined by the “given” of Geography and terrain
With the deepening of democracy, increased decentralisation, increasing social and political awareness, digital penetration, shifts in demography, demand for quality services by common citizens has been accelerating at a faster pace. In such a scenario, the role of State is critical for promoting equity in access to services.
"Accelerating India's Development" holistically looks at India’s growth trajectory since gaining independence – it rounds up all where it has done well including unity, upholding the integrity of its constitution, retaining democratic values at its core. It also does not mince words to convey where all the nation has faltered such as falling short in delivery of public services including…
Income and Employment Intensive Growth Agenda for India: The paper examines income and employment status in the Indian labour force to identify policy attention and follow up. The macroeconomic policies taken during last one decade are yielding positive results leading to expansion of manufacturing and services and structural transformation in the economy.
An Analysis of India's Social Welfare Programs: In a democracy, the state's role is to promote societal welfare. According to Aristotle, the state should not only ensure its survival but also improve the quality of life for its citizens. The state has a moral responsibility to its citizens. Modern views agree that the state should provide essential services like education,…
Digital Innovations in Social Protection: Trends, Challenges, and Solutions: The integration of digital technologies into social protection systems represents a transformative shift with profound implications for the delivery of welfare services. This chapter explores the evolving landscape of digital innovations in social protection, contextualising these developments within the broader framework of universal social protection and a systemic approach to welfare.
One of the most crucial aspects of our society is law enforcement, which deals with issues of law and order nationwide. It is an essential component of the state's legal system. The British government introduced a Police Act in 1861, which is still very relevant and based on policing.
India’s Vision for 2047 aims to transform the nation into a developed country, with healthcare being pivotal for this progress. Achieving universal health coverage and modernising healthcare infrastructure are essential for fostering a healthy productive population, which in turn drives economic growth and reduces poverty.
Several challenges linger in the Indian education system, like rote learning, the non-existence of practical skills among students, and disparities in access to quality education. To deal with the criticism for excessive curriculum and unreasonable focus on rote learning, this chapter examines the strategies comprising the building blocks to reform Indian schools.
Social development is expected to promote holistic improvement of individuals, institutions and their surrounding environments. Looking at the pace of development in India, the economy of most states requires strategic prioritization to accelerate improved well-being of the people. Accessibility to health, school education and public security are critical to the edifice of social development.
India is the largest democracy in the world inhabited by about 1.36 billion people over an area of 3287 thousand square kilometers according to an estimate for 2021 based on Census 2011. The Indian economy is characterised as a middle-income emerging market economy. In the last three decades the economy has faced three major crises, i.e., balance of payment crisis…
Neoliberal policies pursued by India since 1990s have created a space for private enterprises hitherto occupied by the state entities, unshackled the existing enterprises and introduced reforms to facilitate private initiative. This chapter looks into the ecosystem of the private sector in general and the developments in three specific sectors- urban mobility, water supply and housing, to draw lessons for…
This Chapter highlights the gradual transformation from Personnel Administration to Strategic Human Resource Management over the years in Government of India. However, there is still a long way to go. In this Chapter an attempt has been made to delineate the criticality to move towards Strategic HRM in Government of India to achieve India’s developmental goals.
Robust statistical data forms the cornerstone of an informed governance system. This paper studies the statistical system and data dissemination in the Centre and State governments in India, and the measures put in action to accelerate the data dissemination process. Arguing that the availability of high-frequency statistical data is a necessary condition for good governance, the first section of the…
In the Amrit Kaal (golden period) of independent India, the ‘citizen first’ approach guides public governance by deepening the outreach of service delivery mechanism so that international standards could be achieved in India@100. The goal can only be achieved by all inclusive governance involving stronger and effective local self-governments both panchayats and municipalities.
In modern societies, with the increasing role of the state in social and economic fields, emphasis on the quality of its governance is of prime concern to all. Indian bureaucratic system of governance is founded on the principle of rule of law, as the state power is divided amongst three chief organs, each has the its own quality under a…
This paper discusses the concept of good governance and its relations with the electoral politics in Indian context. It highlights the various strategies employed by the government and related agencies for the growth and development of the country. Major reforms pertaining to the country’s infrastructure, IT, administration, economy and public services are a few areas that have been explored in…
With the Indian government’s vision to transform India into a developed nation by 2047, marking hundred years of independence, it has become of highest importance to learn from the past, tenaciously work in the present and step towards the future with complete efficiency. In its 77 years of becoming a democracy, India has soared high with continuous transformations marked by both…
The vision of Viksit Bharat can be realised through Viksit States, and that the aspiration of Viksit Bharat should reach the grassroot level i.e. to each district, block, and village. For this, each State and District should create a vision for 2047 so as to realise Viksit Bharat @ 2047.