Critically examine the democratic experiences of South Asian countries.

 It is generally believed that the root cause of the crisis of weak democratic governance in South Asia is the expensive electoral process. This has been subverted by illicitly acquired money, which can also buy muscle power. The root cause of corruption is the role of illegally acquired money in politics. All the political parties spend huge sums on every election. The expense is treated as an investment to be recouped later. The electoral laws, especially those concerned with the observance of limits on election expenditure, must therefore be enforced.

Reform is only possible if the people assert themselves and demand that the country be governed and not ruled, and that issues of good governance are seriously addressed. Public campaigns to secure the right to information could start a mass movement. The essential question, however, remains whether the governments in South Asia have the political will to reverse the downward trend in their polities.

A culture of silence in South Asia is a sign of the democratic deficit. Democratic governance begins with commitment to and respect for the sovereignty of citizens irrespective of religious, racial, linguistic, class, caste and gender diversities in an accountable, inclusive and participatory process. A radical reconstitution of governance is therefore required to make democracy functional.

Modern political governance is founded on the notion of a social contract between the state and its citizens. The equality of citizenship has created a basis for equal participation by all citizens in political governance, where the state is expected to command sovereignty and to provide a good standard of living by preserving positive values that enhance liberty, order and justice in society. In a multicultural society like South Asia, the active engagement of citizens in the entire web of social and economic associations that cover the democratic landscape is crucial for national and regional integration. Thus, citizens need to have control over their national economic, social and political life. Failure can bring a crisis of authority for the government and of loyalty to the state, political parties, parliament and the institutions of governance.

The societal conditions that help to foster a successful democracy include a responsible press, a universal public education system, and a populace literate enough and with enough political awareness to take advantage of the press and the education system to educate themselves politically. An environment must be created that enables the electorate to effectively judge the politicians they elect.

The cornerstone of any successful democracy lies in a constant educational ethos: literacy, universal free education, and educational opportunities including job retraining for changing economic circumstances.

Non-bureaucratic planning and decentralized management systems are also essential to enhancing democratic governance and transferring power to the marginalized and minorities. The popular participation of the marginalized and minorities in determining their needs by balancing public and private initiatives for alleviating poverty is a prerequisite of people-centred development processes.

Only democratic governance based on strong democratic principles can bring about desirable change. This can be achieved by devolving constitutional power to the citizens and actively involving marginalized people in decisions-making processes. It is the duty of a democratic leadership to protect the weakest members of society and to provide them with their inalienable rights and equality of opportunity in education, as well as inclusive economic and political participation. The ‘culture of silence’, the ‘culture of dependency’ and the ‘culture of corruption’ therefore need to be replaced with the ‘culture of devolved authority’, the ‘culture of transparency’ and the ‘culture of inclusion’.

It is not possible for national governments to resolve the problems of governance and democracy separately. In this regard a joint effort by all governments and multinational and bilateral donors, including the EU, as well as civil society organizations in South Asia is essential to promote democratic governance and inclusive democracy in the region. This will not be possible without a common agenda for collective action to address the issues of poverty, corruption, political violence and the rule of law through a process of strengthening regional cooperation. All the interrelated, interdependent or interwoven issues of governance, democracy and social justice need to be analysed and resolved taking a participatory, transparent and accountable approach not only at the local and national levels but also at the regional level.

The diversity of political parties and systems in South Asia represents the mosaic of its social and cultural asymmetry. The region’s polity needs effective leaders to integrate this diversity and respond to key political questions such as region-building, a social contract, inclusive democracy and peace and to address the diverse needs of citizens.

Providing assistance to increasingly dynamic civil society groups in the region could help to promote the democratization process. The focus should therefore be on ensuring media independence and providing support for groups that advocate for human rights, including the protection of women and children, and support for marginalized communities.

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