Democracy in the Grip of Money and Muscle Power
Are progressive people not partly responsible? They also don’t support good people.
Dr Santosh Kumar Mohapatra
The latest ADR report on the newly elected West Bengal Assembly paints a disturbing portrait of the present state of Indian democracy. Around 65% of the MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves, nearly 61% are crorepatis, while about 36% possess educational qualifications only between Class 8 and 12.
These figures reveal the growing criminalisation and monetisation of electoral politics. Democracy was envisioned as a system where public service, integrity, competence, and commitment to people’s welfare would guide leadership. Instead, money power and muscle power are increasingly becoming decisive factors in elections.
The issue is not merely about educational qualification. History has shown that even highly educated individuals may fail to uphold democratic values, while many less formally educated leaders have served society with honesty and wisdom. The deeper concern is the erosion of ethics, accountability, and democratic culture in politics.
When legislators themselves face serious criminal allegations, it naturally raises serious questions about governance, justice, and the future of democratic institutions. Equally alarming is the growing dominance of wealth in elections, making it almost impossible for ordinary citizens, honest activists, and grassroots leaders to meaningfully participate in the political process.
This crisis is not confined to West Bengal alone. It reflects a broader structural distortion in Indian democracy, where the influence of money, criminal networks, corporate interests, media manipulation, and misuse of institutions often overshadows ideology, public welfare, and constitutional morality.
A healthy democracy cannot survive merely through periodic elections. It requires informed citizens, strong institutions, ethical leadership, and vigilant public resistance against the capture of politics by wealth and criminality.
Dr Santosh Kumar Mohapatra
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