We, the People

The Statesman

Context and Core Theme

The article is a reflective and normative commentary on the moral, ethical, and civic health of Indian democracy, written against the backdrop of Republic Day and constitutional values. It argues that India’s democratic crisis is not primarily institutional or procedural, but ethical and cultural, rooted in the erosion of empathy, civic responsibility, and constitutional morality.

The piece situates democracy not merely as a system of elections and rights, but as a way of life, dependent on the moral agency of citizens.

Key Arguments Presented

1. Democratic Degeneration as a Moral Crisis

The article argues that:

• The decline of democracy manifests in everyday social behaviour, not just political institutions
• Rising aggression, intolerance, consumerism, and individualism weaken social trust
• Democracy erodes when citizens disengage morally, even if institutions formally survive

Democracy is framed as fragile at the societal level, long before it collapses at the constitutional level.

2. Citizenship Beyond Legal Rights

A central argument is that:

• Citizenship has been reduced to entitlement-seeking rather than responsibility-bearing
• Rights are asserted without corresponding duties toward society and fellow citizens
• Constitutional values are invoked rhetorically but not practised socially

The article stresses that constitutional morality must be internalised, not merely institutionalised.

3. Social Fragmentation and Identity Politics

The author highlights:

• Deepening social divisions based on identity, status, and consumption
• Breakdown of dialogue, replaced by outrage and performative morality
• Weakening of collective purpose essential for democratic functioning

Democracy is shown as incompatible with extreme polarisation and social distrust.

4. Role of Culture, Media, and Market Forces

The article points to:

• Consumer culture amplifying narcissism and social comparison
• Media ecosystems rewarding outrage over reason
• Market logic crowding out ethical reasoning and public good

This links democratic decline to broader socio-economic transformations, not only political leadership.

5. Republic Day as Ethical Reminder

The article uses Republic Day symbolically to argue that:

• Celebrations must move beyond ritual to introspection
• The Constitution is a living moral document, not a ceremonial artefact
• Democracy survives only if citizens practise restraint, empathy, and responsibility

Author’s Stance

The author adopts a normative, civic-republican stance:

• Strong emphasis on ethical citizenship and moral responsibility
• Skeptical of purely institutional or legal solutions to democratic decline
• Advocates internal reform of social attitudes rather than external enforcement

The tone is reflective, admonitory, and moralistic, aimed at citizens rather than the state alone.

Biases and Editorial Leanings

1. Moral Idealism Bias

The article:

• Places heavy faith in individual moral reform
• Underplays structural constraints such as poverty, inequality, and institutional failures

This risks oversimplifying systemic democratic challenges.

2. Societal Over Political Focus

There is:

• Greater critique of citizens and culture than of political power or state accountability
• Limited engagement with how institutions shape behaviour

This may dilute responsibility of formal power structures.

3. Middle-Class Civic Lens

The concerns raised:

• Reflect urban, middle-class anxieties about social behaviour and civility
• Less attention to democratic struggles of marginalised groups

Pros and Cons of the Argument

Pros

• Reinforces democracy as an ethical and social project
• Aligns constitutional values with everyday conduct
• Moves beyond election-centric understanding of democracy
• Encourages introspection among citizens, not just governments

Cons

• Lacks concrete policy or institutional prescriptions
• Risks sounding prescriptive or moralising
• Does not sufficiently address power asymmetries

Policy Implications

1. Civic Education

• Strengthening constitutional values in education curricula
• Emphasising duties, ethics, and civic reasoning alongside rights

2. Media and Public Discourse

• Need for norms that reward reasoned debate over outrage
• Greater accountability in information ecosystems

3. Governance Culture

• Democratic institutions require citizens who respect process, dissent, and pluralism
• Laws alone cannot substitute for civic trust

Real-World Impact

• Highlights why democratic decline can occur without coups or constitutional breakdowns
• Explains rising intolerance, disengagement, and social hostility in everyday life
• Offers aspirants a philosophical lens to interpret democracy beyond polity textbooks

UPSC GS Paper Alignment

GS Paper II – Polity and Governance

• Constitutional values
• Democratic ethics
• Role of citizens in democracy

GS Paper IV – Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude

• Moral responsibility
• Civic ethics
• Values in public life

GS Paper I – Society

• Social cohesion
• Cultural change and its impact on institutions

Balanced Conclusion and Future Perspective

The article compellingly reminds readers that democracy is not sustained by constitutions alone, but by the character of citizens who inhabit it. While its moral emphasis risks underplaying institutional accountability and structural inequality, it succeeds in foregrounding an often-ignored truth: democratic decay begins socially before it becomes political. The future of Indian democracy, the article suggests, depends not only on electoral participation or judicial safeguards, but on whether citizens can reclaim empathy, restraint, and constitutional morality as everyday practices. In that sense, Republic Day becomes not a celebration of the past, but a test of the present.